Title: Specify Cache Validator for WP Stats?
Last modified: August 30, 2016

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# Specify Cache Validator for WP Stats?

 *  Resolved [Patrick0sborne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/patrick0sborne/)
 * (@patrick0sborne)
 * [10 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/specify-cache-validator-for-wp-stats/)
 * I started doing some site speed optimization for a client recently. Now their
   homepage scores in the 90s on Google Insights, Pingdom Tools, and Gtmetrix.
 * But on Pingdom and Gtmetrix, I have a very bad score for “Specify cache validator”.
   It is 50/100 (on both). The only file listed in the details is “_[http://stats.wp.com/x-xxxxxx.js](http://stats.wp.com/x-xxxxxx.js)_“.
   This is an external file from Jetpack Stats which (i have learned) I cannot specify
   a validator for.
 * The page has a 94/100 on Pingdom. In the Performance Grade tab, “Specify cache
   validator” is 50/100 and all the others are 100/100.
 * Here’s where it gets weird:
    On my previous Pingdom test, “Specify cache validator”
   was 83/100, “Serve static content” was 86/100 (all others were 100/100), and 
   my overall Pingdom score was 96/100. When I fixed “serve static content”, my 
   overall score dropped to 94, and “Specify cache validator” dropped to 50.
 * Here’s what I’m curious to know:
    - **Why would it change from 83/100 to 50/100?**
    - **Is 50/100 a typical score for this metric?**
    - **Can I do anything to improve the score for this metric?**
 * Also, since I have you here..
 * **How important is it to specify image dimensions?** My images all display at
   the correct sizes, why do I need to specify dimensions? I currently have a score
   of 25/100 for this metric in Gtmetrix.
 * Thanks
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/)

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

 *  Plugin Author [Jeremy Herve](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jeherve/)
 * (@jeherve)
 * Jetpack Mechanic 🚀
 * [10 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/specify-cache-validator-for-wp-stats/#post-6736714)
 * > Can I do anything to improve the score for this metric?
 * I’ve let our Stats team know about this, and we’ll see about adding a new `Last-
   Modified` or `ETag` header to that file. I’ll let you know as soon as I have 
   some news!
 * > How important is it to specify image dimensions? My images all display at the
   > correct sizes, why do I need to specify dimensions?
 * You can read more about this here:
    [https://gtmetrix.com/specify-image-dimensions.html](https://gtmetrix.com/specify-image-dimensions.html)
 *  Thread Starter [Patrick0sborne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/patrick0sborne/)
 * (@patrick0sborne)
 * [10 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/specify-cache-validator-for-wp-stats/#post-6736744)
 * Hi Jeremy,
 * Thanks for your help- I look forward to hearing what the stats team has to say!
 *  Thread Starter [Patrick0sborne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/patrick0sborne/)
 * (@patrick0sborne)
 * [10 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/specify-cache-validator-for-wp-stats/#post-6736978)
 * Hey Jeremy, Any update from the stats team?
 *  Plugin Contributor [csonnek](https://wordpress.org/support/users/csonnek/)
 * (@csonnek)
 * Happiness Rocketeer 🚀
 * [10 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/specify-cache-validator-for-wp-stats/#post-6736979)
 * What our stats team reported is that for the vast majority of users, adding an
   ETag does nothing because there is already a far future expires header. ETags
   are only useful if the content could potentially be unchanged after the expiration
   date provided to the end user.
 * However, as a minority of browsers don’t play nice without ETags, we’ve submitted
   a request with our systems team to add this support. However, while we’ve made
   the request, I don’t have any estimated date as to when or if the support will
   be added. As such, I won’t be able to provide a specific update to you when or
   if that happens.
 * Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. Marking as resolved as there’s nothing
   else we can do at this time.
 *  Thread Starter [Patrick0sborne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/patrick0sborne/)
 * (@patrick0sborne)
 * [10 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/specify-cache-validator-for-wp-stats/#post-6736980)
 * No worries at all – Thank you for the information!

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

The topic ‘Specify Cache Validator for WP Stats?’ is closed to new replies.

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## Tags

 * [gtmetrix](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/gtmetrix/)
 * [Pingdom](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/pingdom/)

 * 5 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Patrick0sborne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/patrick0sborne/)
 * Last activity: [10 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/specify-cache-validator-for-wp-stats/#post-6736980)
 * Status: resolved