WP Cloud glossary

LAST UPDATED

    This glossary defines terms used across WP Cloud documentation and the WP Cloud API reference. Follow the links for procedures, configuration details, current limits, and complete API schemas.

    A–B

    Term Definition
    _data A site-meta field containing versioned JSON for site classification and partner inventory metadata. It includes site_type for billing classification, is not readable by code inside the site, and is separate from Persistent Data.
    .htaccess A per-directory configuration file used by Apache HTTP Server. WP Cloud uses NGINX, which does not read .htaccess; implement supported redirects through WordPress, custom-redirects.php, or the applicable WP Cloud configuration instead.
    ABSPATH A WordPress constant for the WordPress core path. On WP Cloud, ABSPATH points to the platform-managed WordPress directory, not the site's writable htdocs directory.
    Action Scheduler A job queue commonly used by WooCommerce and other WordPress plugins for background work. Its actions run through WordPress and consume site PHP and database resources; it is separate from WP Cloud platform cron.
    active/passive architecture A redundancy model in which one origin server normally serves a site while a synchronized secondary server is prepared to take over. WP Cloud uses this model for automated failover; it is not active/active request distribution across both origin copies.
    admin-ajax.php WordPress's AJAX request endpoint at /wp-admin/admin-ajax.php. Requests to it load WordPress and normally cannot use full-page cache, so frequent or slow AJAX calls can consume significant PHP capacity.
    admin-ajax action The action value supplied to admin-ajax.php to select a registered WordPress AJAX handler. The Metrics dimension wp_admin_ajax_action groups these requests by action so a partner can identify the plugin, theme, or custom feature generating load.
    alias (secondary domain) A domain attached to a site in addition to its primary domain. WP Cloud normally redirects secondary domains to the primary domain.
    alias canonicalization The redirect of a site's secondary domains to its primary domain. The canonicalize_aliases site meta value controls whether WP Cloud redirects aliases or serves them directly.
    allowlist A list of explicitly permitted values, such as source IP addresses that may use an API key or Client SSH credential.
    Akismet Automattic's spam-protection service and WordPress plugin. WP Cloud provides a platform-managed copy of the plugin, but activation, service eligibility, account terms, and product behavior remain specific to Akismet.
    Anycast A network routing method that directs a visitor to a nearby WP Cloud edge location while the site's origin server can remain in another region.
    API-first A product model in which partners manage WP Cloud sites and services through the WP Cloud API and provide their own customer-facing product or panel.
    API integration Software that calls the WP Cloud API for a partner. The integration can be a hosting panel, automation, or another requesting application.
    API key A credential that authenticates WP Cloud API requests for one client account. Its endpoint and network restrictions determine which requests it can make. An API key represents the partner's integration, not an end customer.
    API key scope The endpoints and source networks an API key is permitted to use. A key cannot perform an operation outside its configured endpoint or IP restrictions.
    API version The version segment in a WP Cloud API URL, such as v1.0. Use the path documented for the endpoint rather than assuming that fields or behavior are interchangeable across versions.
    application performance monitoring (APM) Request tracing that shows where a site spends time during a captured request. WP Cloud provides a temporary trace viewer for a configured capture window.
    asynchronous state The current state of work that continues after an API request is accepted. A successful acceptance response is not proof of completion; follow the returned job, response ticket, task, or documented webhook until it reaches a terminal state.
    Atomic API A shorter name for the WP Cloud Atomic API. WP Cloud API, WP Cloud Atomic API, and Atomic API refer to the same API. Prefer WP Cloud API in general public prose.
    Atomic Client ID (atomic_client_id, ATOMIC_CLIENT_ID) The identifier of the WP Cloud client account that owns a site. API and Metrics contexts can use atomic_client_id, while site code can read the ATOMIC_CLIENT_ID constant. It is not an Atomic Site ID or an end-customer identifier.
    Atomic Site ID (atomic_site_id, ATOMIC_SITE_ID) The persistent identifier assigned to a WP Cloud site. It does not change when the site's domains change. API and Metrics contexts can use atomic_site_id, while site code can read the ATOMIC_SITE_ID constant. Use it for durable stored references and lifecycle operations.
    Auth header The HTTP request header that carries a WP Cloud API key. API requests use Auth: <api-key>.
    Automattic The company that builds and operates WP Cloud. Automattic also operates products and services such as WordPress.com, Pressable, and Jetpack, but each product has its own interfaces, plans, policies, and support boundaries.
    Automated Certificate Management Environment (ACME) The protocol WP Cloud uses to obtain and renew managed TLS certificates. Certificate authorities validate each hostname through an ACME HTTP-01 challenge, so DNS and unproxied HTTP reachability must allow the validation request to reach WP Cloud.
    Automatic Defensive Mode A short browser challenge that WP Cloud can enable automatically when a site uses too many resources. It runs for 60 seconds at a time and can repeat or extend while conditions continue. A legitimate visitor is challenged no more than once per hour while Automatic Defensive Mode is active.
    Automated failover The WP Cloud capability that redirects traffic between synchronized primary and secondary origin servers when the primary server or its data center is unavailable.
    automatic platform backup A filesystem or database backup that WP Cloud creates on the platform's schedule. It is separate from an on-demand platform backup and Jetpack VaultPress Backup.
    autoloaded options WordPress options loaded during most requests. WP Cloud's Object Cache can retain them between requests, so an unusually large autoloaded set can affect memory use and request performance.
    Autonomous System Number (ASN) A number that identifies a network on the internet. The visitor_asn Metrics dimension associates a request with an ASN; it identifies the observed network, not a person or device.
    backup A recoverable copy of site data. WP Cloud platform backups include separate filesystem and database records; Jetpack VaultPress Backup is a separate system.
    backup ID The identifier for one filesystem or database backup record. Backup detail, download, deletion, and restore operations use the applicable backup ID.
    backup pair The two ready records required for a WP Cloud platform restore: one filesystem backup and one database backup from the same site. The records have separate backup IDs and do not need to have identical timestamps.
    backup request ID The identifier returned when WP Cloud accepts an on-demand backup creation or deletion request. It identifies the request, not a completed backup record; use the backup-list operation to find the resulting backup ID and readiness state.
    backup retention The period during which a backup remains available. WP Cloud guarantees platform-backup retention for 30 days; older records can remain for up to 60 days, but their availability is not guaranteed. Deleting a site permanently removes its platform backups.
    backup type The classification of a backup record as filesystem or database data and as automatic or on-demand. API values include fs, db, ondemand-fs, and ondemand-db.
    bare-metal server A physical server rather than a virtual private server provisioned for one site. WP Cloud uses managed bare-metal origin servers in a multi-tenant architecture.
    Batcache The WordPress page-caching implementation that WP Cloud uses with Memcached for Page Cache.
    billable site A site classified for billing. A site with no site_type value is billable by default, and site_type: billable explicitly records that classification.
    binary log (binlog) A database log of changes used by MariaDB replication and recovery processes. The mysql_binlog_bytes_written metric measures write volume to this log; it is not the same as the visible size of the WordPress database.
    blocklist A list of explicitly denied values, such as destinations blocked by a firewall rule.
    Bot Protection WP Cloud's opt-in feature that scores requests to standard WordPress login and password-reset forms. It can allow, challenge, or block a request.
    bad-traffic rate limit A request-pattern limit that protects a site or the platform from excessive requests and abusive automation. A match is recorded as HTTP 429. Classification can use request rate, source, path, user agent, proxy or connection signals, and repeated request fingerprints.
    brute-force login Repeated login attempts intended to guess account credentials. A brute-force login can come from one source or many sources; use request patterns and authentication evidence rather than one IP address alone when investigating it.
    browser (visitor_browser) The browser family detected for a request and available as the visitor_browser Metrics dimension. It is inferred from request signals and is useful for grouping traffic, but it does not prove a visitor's identity or exact browser configuration.
    bulk operation An operation applied across several sites. The Tasks API provides supported bulk operations for sites in one client account.
    burst A temporary increase in traffic or resource demand. WP Cloud's PHP bursting can let a site use more PHP workers when capacity is available; an ordinary traffic burst does not necessarily mean that PHP burst mode was used.
    burst_php_conns Site meta that enables or disables PHP worker bursting beyond default_php_conns when server-pool capacity is available. Enabling it does not reserve a fixed number of extra workers.
    burst_status A PHP Metrics dimension that reports whether requests used burst capacity (BURST), were limited from burst capacity (LIMITED), or were handled without burst mode (-). Some request-level diagnostic surfaces expose the more specific LIMIT-CONFIG, LIMIT-RESERVED, or LIMIT-LOAD PHP burst status instead of the aggregated LIMITED value.

    C–D

    Term Definition
    cache Stored data or output reused to avoid repeated work. WP Cloud has separate Edge Cache, Page Cache, Object Cache, and PHP OPcache layers.
    cache bypass A request or configuration that prevents a specific cache layer from serving a stored response. The conditions and effect depend on the cache layer.
    cache hit A request served from a usable cached item. Name the cache layer when interpreting a hit because Edge Cache, Page Cache, and Object Cache store different data.
    cache miss A request for which a cache layer did not have a usable item. A miss can occur because the item was absent, expired, purged, or ineligible; it does not by itself mean that caching is disabled.
    cache purge The removal or invalidation of stored content from a specific cache layer. WP Cloud interfaces might use purge or clear for a particular operation.
    cache invalidation Marking cached content unusable because its source content or configuration changed. Invalidation can remove an item immediately or cause the next request to revalidate or replace it, depending on the cache layer.
    canary site A non-billable site that WP Cloud creates for platform monitoring and client-configuration testing. Partners must not set site_type: canary or delete platform-created canary sites.
    certificate authority (CA) An organization that validates domain control and issues TLS certificates. WP Cloud-managed certificate provisioning can use Let's Encrypt or Google Trust Services; inspect the documented certificate information for the active provider and validation result.
    Certificate Authority Authorization (CAA) record A DNS record that restricts which certificate authorities may issue certificates for a domain. A conflicting CAA policy can prevent WP Cloud from provisioning or renewing a managed TLS certificate.
    challenge A verification step that a requester must complete before proceeding. In traffic protection, it normally means a browser check used by Bot Protection or Defensive Mode; in TLS provisioning, an ACME HTTP-01 challenge proves control of a hostname. Name the feature because the two challenge types are unrelated.
    chroot A site filesystem environment. WP Cloud uses chroots to provide site isolation and to expose approved managed software and tools.
    Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) range A compact notation for an IP address range, such as 192.0.2.0/24. API keys, Client SSH, and firewall settings can use CIDR ranges.
    client account The WP Cloud account boundary that associates a partner with its sites, API keys, account metadata, and account-level configuration.
    client host Another name for the WP Cloud partner. WP Cloud interfaces and API fields might also use client, host client, partner client, or partner host for the same organization.
    client identifier The unique identifier assigned to a partner's WP Cloud client account. API paths often use it as the client value. It is not an Atomic Site ID or domain.
    client inventory The set of WP Cloud sites associated with a partner's client account. The List Client Sites operation and Partner Portal Inventory provide account-level site views.
    client meta Account-level key-value configuration managed through the WP Cloud API. It includes settings such as webhook destinations and Client SSH network restrictions.
    Client SSH Account-level SSH and SFTP access for a partner's developers, engineers, support teams, panels, and automation. A Client SSH credential can be authorized for sites across the partner's client account.
    client_ssh_firewall and client_ssh_default_from Client-meta values that restrict source addresses for Client SSH. client_ssh_firewall is the outer boundary no key can exceed; client_ssh_default_from supplies a default for keys without their own OpenSSH from= restriction.
    clone A new WP Cloud site created by copying another site's filesystem and database. WP Cloud rewrites the source domain to the destination domain by default.
    Cloudflare A third-party DNS, proxy, security, and content delivery network provider that can sit in front of WP Cloud. Its cache, TLS, proxy, and request-handling behavior is separate from WP Cloud Edge Cache and can change the headers or visitor address observed by WP Cloud.
    collation A database rule that determines how text is compared and sorted within a character set. Changing a database character set can also change supported collations, so validate application and index compatibility before conversion.
    compromised site A site whose code, data, credentials, or administrative access has been changed or used without authorization. Treat a malware detection as evidence to investigate, not by itself as a complete determination of how or when compromise occurred.
    Composer The PHP dependency manager. A site user can install it for site-scoped development or diagnostic work over SSH, but Composer and third-party packages are outside WP Cloud's managed software and support scope.
    content delivery network (CDN) A distributed network that serves content closer to visitors. WP Cloud's CDN and network-edge caching feature is Edge Cache.
    control group (cgroup) A Linux kernel mechanism for measuring and controlling process resources. WP Cloud uses cgroups as part of site isolation, and site-level Metrics include PHP cgroup CPU measurements.
    cookie A small value that a server asks a browser to return with later HTTP requests. WordPress uses cookies for login sessions and application state. Logged-in sessions and responses that set certain cookies can bypass Page Cache; not every cookie causes a bypass. Treat cookie values as potentially sensitive.
    cron entry A platform-cron schedule and command stored for one site. The Cron API returns a cron_id for managing the entry. A stored entry confirms configuration, not successful execution of every scheduled run.
    credential Secret or identity material such as an API key, password, or private key. Store credentials outside source control, logs, screenshots, and customer-facing responses.
    credential stuffing Automated login attempts that reuse username-and-password pairs exposed by another service. It differs from guessing passwords, although the traffic can resemble a brute-force login attack.
    crawler or bot Software that makes automated web requests. Search crawlers, uptime monitors, API clients, scrapers, vulnerability scanners, and attack tools can all appear as automated traffic; the label does not by itself determine whether a request is beneficial or abusive.
    custom-redirects.php An optional site file that WP Cloud loads before WordPress for requests handled by PHP. It can provide redirects, response headers, or narrowly scoped access rules without loading WordPress.
    custom TLS certificate A certificate and private key supplied by a partner or its customer instead of using a WP Cloud-managed certificate. The custom certificate workflow has separate validation, staging, activation, update, deactivation, and deletion states.
    database The structured store containing a site's WordPress content, options, users, and other application data. WP Cloud uses MariaDB for WordPress databases; the database is separate from the site's writable filesystem.
    database backup A backup record containing a site's database. A WP Cloud platform restore requires one ready database backup and one ready filesystem backup.
    database character set The encoding used to store text in database tables and columns. WP Cloud supports a database-character-set conversion operation; utf8mb4 is the modern WordPress-compatible character set used for full Unicode.
    database credentials The DB_HOST, DB_NAME, DB_USER, and DB_PASSWORD values that WP Cloud supplies to a site's WordPress configuration.
    datacenter A Metrics dimension containing the edge point-of-presence code that processed a request. It does not report a permanent origin location for the site.
    decoupled or headless WordPress A WordPress installation used as a content management backend for a separate frontend application. Its build and API traffic still consume resources at the WordPress origin.
    Defensive Mode A partner-enabled browser challenge used during suspected bot or distributed denial-of-service traffic. A partner enables it for 30 minutes through seven days with WP-CLI or the API. It works with platform DDoS protection and requires Edge Cache.
    default_php_conns Site meta that sets the site's normal concurrent PHP worker or connection allocation. More connections allow more PHP requests to run at once but do not make one request finish faster.
    developer API key An API key intended for an individual developer or manual development work. Do not share one developer key across a team or use it as a production platform credential.
    distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) An attack that uses many sources to overwhelm a service. WP Cloud provides platform-level DDoS protection through edge routing, classification, rate limiting, and network mitigation.
    Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) An email-authentication policy published in DNS. It tells receiving mail systems how to evaluate SPF and DKIM alignment and can request reports. A domain owner should move from monitoring to enforcement only after verifying every authorized sender.
    Domain Name System (DNS) The system that maps domain names to network records. WP Cloud supplies suggested inbound addresses and uses DNS records for domain routing, verification, email authentication, and TLS provisioning.
    DNS record A typed entry published for a domain. Common records in WP Cloud workflows include A records for IPv4 addresses, CNAME records for hostname aliases, TXT records for verification or email policy, and CAA records for certificate-authority policy.
    domain A DNS name used to reach a site, such as example.com or www.example.com. A WP Cloud site has one primary domain and can have aliases; assigning a domain to a site is separate from registering or owning it.
    domain claim The process of proving that a client account may assign a domain already associated with another WP Cloud client. WP Cloud uses a client-specific DNS TXT verification record for this workflow.
    domain eligibility Whether a domain can be assigned to a site in the requesting client account. The API eligibility check can identify an existing assignment or a requirement for DNS TXT verification.
    domain verification record A client-specific DNS TXT record that proves a partner may assign a domain already associated with another WP Cloud client account.
    DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) Email authentication in which a sending service signs messages and publishes verification data in DNS. WP Cloud provides DKIM records for mail sent through its transactional email service.
    Docker Container software that WP Cloud uses for specific features, including isolating SSH connections. WP Cloud does not host each site in its own Docker container; sites run on a multi-tenant platform isolated with Linux kernel and filesystem controls.
    drop-in A special WordPress PHP file that changes a subsystem when placed at a recognized path, such as object-cache.php or advanced-cache.php. WP Cloud supplies managed cache drop-ins, which are different from ordinary plugins.

    E–M

    Term Definition
    Edge Cache WP Cloud's content delivery network cache, which stores eligible page and static responses closer to visitors.
    edge_cache_status A Metrics dimension that reports the edge result for a request, such as HIT, STALE, EXPIRED, UPDATING, MISS, or BYPASS. Interpret it with login state, cache eligibility, and the edge location.
    edge data center A location where WP Cloud receives and processes inbound traffic. An edge data center can serve cached responses or route a request to the site's origin.
    edge network WP Cloud's distributed network of edge locations, load balancers, traffic controls, and Edge Cache services.
    edge server A server in the WP Cloud edge network that receives requests near the requester and can serve eligible cached responses without contacting the site's origin server.
    EasyEngine An optional control-panel integration that uses the WP Cloud API to provision and manage sites for a partner. EasyEngine's dashboard, plans, account, billing, and support remain separate from WP Cloud infrastructure and billing.
    egress address (outbound IP address) The public IP address used when a site or integration makes an outbound connection. A WP Cloud site's egress address depends on its current origin server pool and can change after a move, clone, or failover.
    email service provider (ESP) A third-party service that sends and tracks email. A WordPress site can use an SMTP plugin and ESP instead of WP Cloud's shared transactional email relay, in which case the provider's authentication, limits, and support apply.
    end customer A hosting customer of a WP Cloud partner. WP Cloud does not model the partner's end customers, and end customers do not have WP Cloud API identities or direct API access.
    end user A person who uses the partner's hosting product or a WP Cloud site. An end user might be the partner's customer, that customer's user, or another downstream participant.
    endpoint A specific WP Cloud API method and path. The generated WP Cloud API reference defines endpoint parameters, fields, and response schemas.
    environment A broader runtime or client-host context. A WP Cloud site is not automatically a distinct environment type; use production site or staging site when that is the intended meaning.
    filesystem backup A backup record containing a site's files. A WP Cloud platform restore requires one ready filesystem backup and one ready database backup.
    filesystem quota The site meta limit on a site's writable filesystem storage. Database storage, platform backups, failover replicas, and edge-generated image subsizes are outside that quota.
    fail open Allowing a request to proceed when a protection dependency is unavailable or cannot return a decision. WP Cloud Bot Protection fails open to avoid accidental login lockouts, so an allowed request is not proof that the protection service evaluated it successfully.
    firewall A control that permits or rejects network traffic. WP Cloud uses network firewalls and a web application firewall, and partners can configure supported outbound rules.
    firewall rule A configured network policy that permits or rejects matching traffic. The WP Cloud Firewall Rules API manages supported site outbound rules; the platform's inbound and web application firewall rules remain platform-controlled.
    geo_affinity A Create Site field that requests a preferred origin region. WP Cloud assigns the primary server in that region when capacity is available, but the site can later move and its edge routing remains independent.
    GeoIP The inference of a geographic location from an IP address. WP Cloud uses GeoIP for traffic dimensions such as visitor country; the result is approximate and does not prove a person's location.
    Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) A keyed signature that a receiver can use to verify webhook authenticity and detect changes to the signed event data.
    hostname A complete DNS name used for one site address, such as www.example.com. TLS validation and certificate information apply to each hostname, so the apex domain and www hostname can have different results.
    HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) An HTTP response header that tells browsers to use HTTPS for a domain. WP Cloud manages the base header and provides API controls for supported includeSubDomains and preload directives.
    htdocs The writable document-root directory for a WP Cloud site. It contains wp-config.php, wp-content, and links to platform-managed WordPress core files.
    HTTP header or HTTP headers Metadata sent with an HTTP request or response. Headers can carry content, cache, authentication, cookie, proxy, security, and client information. WP Cloud supplies managed transport-security and cache headers, while site code can add supported application headers. Treat authorization, cookie, and other secret-bearing values as sensitive.
    HTTP method (http_verb) The operation requested from an HTTP resource, such as GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE. WP Cloud Metrics uses http_verb, with request_method as an alias, to group requests by method.
    HTTP referrer (http_referer) Request metadata that can indicate the page from which a request originated. WP Cloud Metrics exposes it as http_referer or referer_domain, and web server logs can include it. It can be absent or spoofed and may contain sensitive data.
    HTTP status code (http_status) A numeric result for an HTTP request. WP Cloud uses some codes for platform suspension, security, and rate-limiting responses before WordPress handles the request. Metrics and logs can expose the value as http_status.
    image transformation WP Cloud's ability to resize, crop, and transform an uploaded image on request, then serve and cache the result through Edge Cache.
    inbound IP address An address to which a site's DNS points so visitors can reach WP Cloud's Anycast load balancers. Use the API's suggested addresses for the domain because approved ranges can differ by partner configuration.
    Insights The WP Cloud Partner Portal section that presents account-wide and site-specific metrics and statistics.
    Intermediate Image Offloading A feature, also called Photon Subsizes, that avoids storing many generated WordPress image sizes. WP Cloud creates and serves a requested intermediate size through its edge image service.
    internal site A non-billable site classified with site_type: internal for reasonable partner testing, demonstrations, or development. It must not be used for a partner's customer site and is subject to usage review.
    is_rate_limited A Metrics dimension whose "true" or "false" value reports whether WP Cloud rate limited a request. Use it with rate_limit_reason, http_status, and request dimensions to identify the affected traffic.
    JA3 fingerprint (JA3 hash) An older TLS client fingerprint created from selected, ordered TLS ClientHello values and represented as a 32-character MD5 hash. It can group similar TLS client implementations, but modern extension-order changes can make the same client produce different JA3 values.
    JA4 fingerprint (JA4 hash) A TLS client fingerprint derived from characteristics in a client's TLS ClientHello. It can group requests made by similar client implementations, but it does not uniquely identify a person, device, or legitimate service.
    Jetpack Automattic's suite of WordPress services and its associated plugin. WP Cloud supplies a platform-managed copy of the plugin, while Jetpack plans, accounts, Scan, VaultPress Backup, and other services have their own product behavior and eligibility.
    Jetpack Scan A Jetpack security service that scans WordPress files for malware, vulnerable plugins, and suspicious changes and can offer fixes for supported threats. It is separate from WP Cloud's on-demand malware scan and other WP Cloud platform security features.
    Jetpack VaultPress Backup An optional backup service available through a separate Jetpack partnership. It uses infrastructure and restore workflows separate from WP Cloud platform backups.
    job An asynchronous unit of work returned by the WP Cloud API. An accepted job is not complete until its status reports the operation's result.
    job ID An identifier used to retrieve or correlate an asynchronous job and its status. It identifies the operation, not the site or resource the operation acts on.
    JSON envelope The outer JSON object in a WP Cloud API response. It can contain a message, returned data, or identifiers for asynchronous work; the exact fields and success criteria remain endpoint-specific.
    Linux The operating-system kernel used by WP Cloud origin servers. WP Cloud combines Linux namespaces and control groups with filesystem controls to isolate sites and manage resources.
    Linux namespace A Linux kernel isolation mechanism that gives a process a restricted view of system resources. WP Cloud uses namespaces with control groups and site filesystem environments as part of its multi-tenant isolation model.
    lightweight 404 A web-server response for a missing static file that avoids loading WordPress and PHP. The static_file_404 site meta setting controls this behavior.
    LIMIT-* PHP burst status A family of request-level diagnostic values showing why a PHP request could not immediately obtain normal or burst worker capacity. Current values include LIMIT-CONFIG, LIMIT-RESERVED, and LIMIT-LOAD. A request with one of these values can wait in the PHP backlog and still return HTTP 200 if capacity becomes available; it becomes a fully resource-limited request only if it times out, which WP Cloud records internally as 599 and normally presents as HTTP 429. These values are separate from the traffic-classification reasons in rate_limit_reason.
    LIMIT-CONFIG A PHP burst status indicating that the site reached its configured PHP connection allocation and could not use additional burst workers, such as when PHP bursting is disabled. Review default_php_conns, burst_php_conns, worker use, and backlog over the same time range.
    LIMIT-LOAD A PHP burst status indicating that additional burst capacity was unavailable because server CPU or load was saturated. Increasing the site's configured PHP worker allocation alone might not resolve this state; reduce expensive application work and review server-pool capacity evidence.
    LIMIT-RESERVED A PHP burst status indicating that the shared server pool did not have enough unreserved PHP connections available for the request to burst. It reflects pool capacity at that time and does not, by itself, mean that the site's configured worker allocation is too low.
    logged-in user or logged-in visitor (visitor_is_logged_in) A request that WP Cloud detects as belonging to a logged-in WordPress session. The visitor_is_logged_in Metrics dimension reports this as the strings "true" or "false". It describes apparent session state, not the identity, username, or permissions of a WordPress account.
    log retention The period for which a log source is guaranteed to remain available. WP Cloud web server and PHP error logs are guaranteed for 28 days; a query for older data can be incomplete. Retention differs from backup retention.
    log severity A classification of the importance or type of a log event. The PHP error-log API supports User, Warning, Deprecated, and Fatal error; severity helps filter events but does not establish the root cause by itself.
    Managed partner A WP Cloud partner whose partnership model can include tailored onboarding, collaboration, implementation guidance, and approved account-level platform options. The partnership agreement and account configuration determine the available services.
    managed software WordPress core, plugins, themes, drop-ins, or tools supplied as shared, versioned packages by WP Cloud or an approved partner configuration. Managed packages are normally exposed through read-only symlinks.
    managed TLS certificate A TLS certificate that WP Cloud provisions, installs, and renews for a verified site domain. It is separate from a custom certificate supplied by a partner.
    managed WordPress version channel A platform-managed pointer such as latest, previous, or beta. A channel defines the site's update policy and can resolve to a different WordPress release over time.
    malware scan An on-demand signature scan of one site's files. The scan identifies matches for investigation; it does not clean the site or replace a maintained security product.
    MariaDB The relational database server used for WordPress databases on WP Cloud origin servers. API and Metrics field names can use mysql because MariaDB is compatible with the MySQL protocol and tooling.
    Memcached The in-memory storage backend used by WP Cloud for persistent Object Cache and Batcache Page Cache data.
    Metrics WP Cloud's telemetry for edge requests, PHP, visitors, MySQL, and site resources. Metrics can be queried for an individual site or an entire client account and grouped by supported dimensions.
    Metrics dimension A field used to divide a metric into groups, such as http_status, path, http_user_agent, page_renderer, is_rate_limited, or rate_limit_reason.
    metric A measured value reported over a time range, such as request count, PHP CPU time, worker use, or database activity. Interpret a metric with its unit, aggregation, dimensions, resolution, and time zone.
    migration The process of copying a WordPress site from another server into a WP Cloud destination site. WP Cloud provides native SSH-based tooling and supports a separate manual archive workflow.
    migration preflight A read-only preparation check for a native WP Cloud migration. It verifies connectivity and source requirements before the migration copies site data. Passing preflight does not mean that the migration has completed.
    multi-tenant platform An architecture in which many isolated sites share managed server infrastructure. WP Cloud uses Linux, filesystem, and resource controls instead of assigning a separate virtual server or Docker container to each site.
    multisite A WordPress network that contains multiple WordPress sites in one installation. WP Cloud supports subdirectory, subdomain, and mapped-domain multisite networks.
    must-use plugin (mu-plugin) A WordPress plugin loaded automatically from the mu-plugins location without ordinary activation. WP Cloud and Managed partners can provide managed mu-plugins; ownership and removal behavior depend on how the package was installed.

    N–P

    Term Definition
    NGINX The web server and edge load-balancing software used in the WP Cloud platform.
    NVMe storage Solid-state origin storage that uses the Non-Volatile Memory Express interface. WP Cloud origin servers use NVMe drives for site files and other local platform data.
    Object Cache The persistent cache for WordPress objects and query results. WP Cloud uses Memcached as its persistent Object Cache backend.
    observability The use of Metrics, logs, traces, API state, and related evidence to understand platform and application behavior. No single signal gives a complete diagnosis; correlate sources over the same site and time range.
    on-demand platform backup A filesystem or database backup requested for a site through the WP Cloud API. It has a separate quota and retention model from automatic platform backups.
    operating system (visitor_os) The operating-system family detected for a request and available as the visitor_os Metrics dimension. It is an inferred traffic attribute, not a verified device identity.
    OPcache PHP's in-memory cache for compiled PHP bytecode. WP Cloud uses OPcache for platform-managed and shared PHP files so PHP does not compile the same files for every request. OPcache does not store rendered pages, WordPress objects, or database results, and it is separate from Edge Cache, Page Cache, and Object Cache.
    origin data center A WP Cloud location that contains origin servers. The origin location does not determine which edge location receives a visitor's request.
    origin server The server that runs WordPress and produces uncached responses. It contains the services and site data needed to serve the sites assigned to it.
    over quota A state in which counted writable filesystem usage reaches or exceeds the site's configured quota. Compare the write failure with space_quota, the periodically refreshed space_used value, and current filesystem evidence before concluding that quota is the cause.
    Page Cache The origin-level cache for rendered WordPress responses. WP Cloud uses Batcache with Memcached for Page Cache.
    page_is_cached A Metrics dimension, also available as is_upstream_cached, that reports whether an upstream cache served the response. It is not interchangeable with edge_cache_status, which reports the edge result.
    page renderer (page_renderer) The backend that handled a request, such as PHP or a static-file handler. Use this Metrics dimension to separate requests that loaded WordPress from requests handled without PHP.
    PanelAlpha An optional, self-hosted control-panel integration that uses WP Cloud as its WordPress hosting backend. PanelAlpha supplies its own customer interface, plans, licensing, billing integrations, and support, while WP Cloud supplies and bills the underlying infrastructure.
    partner A hosting provider that uses WP Cloud to provide a hosting product. WP Cloud partner, client, and client host refer to the same organization. The partner manages its product, end-customer relationships, customer-to-site mapping, downstream access, billing, and support.
    partner dashboard A control panel or dashboard owned or supplied by the partner. It is separate from the WP Cloud Partner Portal unless the product documentation explicitly says otherwise.
    Password Protection WP Cloud's feature that prevents covered WordPress users and newly created accounts from using weak or known-compromised passwords.
    permanent deletion (hard delete) The irreversible Delete Site operation that removes a site's identity, files, database, site meta, and platform backups. WP Cloud does not provide a native recovery window after the operation succeeds.
    Persistent Data Encrypted, site-specific key-value data controlled by a partner through the API and readable by site code through Atomic_Persistent_Data. It is preserved across resets and clones and is separate from the _data site meta field. Keep the authoritative value in the partner's own system rather than treating Persistent Data as the primary source of truth.
    PHP The programming language runtime used to execute WordPress and other application code on a WP Cloud origin server. Partners choose a supported PHP version for each site.
    PHP backlog time The time a request waits for PHP capacity before a worker can begin processing it. A growing backlog can indicate that the site's configured workers or the server pool's available CPU or worker capacity are occupied. It is different from PHP execution time and is a diagnostic concept, not the name of a currently documented WP Cloud API metric.
    PHP bursting The use of PHP worker capacity above a site's normal default_php_conns allocation when burst_php_conns is enabled and server-pool capacity is available. It is opportunistic capacity, not a reservation or a guarantee that every traffic burst receives additional workers.
    PHP capacity indicators Metrics used to assess PHP load and availability. Useful indicators include php_cpu_time, php_workers_average, php_workers_max, php_request_limited_percentage, php_request_burst_percentage, and php_request_normal_percentage.
    PHP filesystem permissions (php_fs_permissions) Site meta that controls whether PHP web requests can write to the site's filesystem. Supported modes include read-write, read-only, and logged-in behavior. It does not change SSH, SFTP, or database permissions.
    PHP error log WP Cloud's site-level record of PHP errors. Partners can retrieve it through the API, read /tmp/php-errors over SSH or SFTP, or use wp php-errors. Custom WP_DEBUG_LOG or PHP log_errors settings can interfere with this platform log.
    PHP error-log rate limit A limit on repeated or high-volume PHP error messages, separate from HTTP request rate limiting. WP Cloud condenses repeated messages and records when additional error messages are skipped.
    PHP memory limit (php_memory_limit) The maximum memory one PHP request can allocate. WP Cloud manages the supported per-site values through site meta. Raising it can help a memory-intensive request finish but does not reduce the request's memory use.
    PHP version (php_version) The PHP release selected for a site from the versions currently available to its client account. WP Cloud controls version availability and retirement dates; partners manage site compatibility and upgrades.
    PHP worker Capacity for one concurrent PHP request. Increasing worker count can reduce a queue of otherwise healthy requests, but it does not make one slow request or database query finish faster.
    PHP-FPM The process manager that runs PHP workers for web requests on WP Cloud origin servers. A request can wait for PHP-FPM capacity before a worker starts it; that queue time is separate from PHP execution time.
    phpMyAdmin A browser-based database management interface. A partner can generate a time-limited URL that opens one site's database with read and write access.
    ping A network diagnostic that measures reachability and round-trip time with ICMP echo messages. A ping reaches the address selected by DNS and Anycast routing; it is not an HTTP or WordPress health check, and a blocked ICMP response does not prove that a site is unavailable.
    platform API key An API key intended for the production service that manages a partner's hosting product. Keep it in a server-side credential store and separate from developer keys.
    platform backup An automatic or on-demand filesystem or database backup managed by WP Cloud. Platform backups are separate from Jetpack VaultPress Backup.
    platform cron WP Cloud scheduling for commands that run independently of site visits. Standard schedules use named or shorthand cadences; approved Managed partners can use advanced crontab expressions when enabled.
    platform-managed software Software controlled by WP Cloud, including managed WordPress core and selected cache drop-ins, plugins, and supporting packages.
    plugin A package of PHP and related files that extends WordPress. A plugin can be site-owned, platform-managed, or partner-managed on WP Cloud; that ownership determines how it is updated, removed, and supported.
    point of presence (PoP) An edge-network location that receives visitor traffic. The datacenter Metrics dimension reports its code. A PoP is not necessarily the site's origin data center.
    Pressable.com Pressable is an Automattic-owned managed WordPress hosting provider whose hosting product runs on WP Cloud. Pressable plans, dashboard, tools, policies, and support are product-specific and are not defaults or interfaces for other WP Cloud partners.
    primary server The origin server that normally serves a site's uncached requests and accepts writes in WP Cloud's active/passive architecture. It is paired with a synchronized secondary server.
    primary domain The main domain recorded for a WP Cloud site. A site has one primary domain and can have secondary domains that normally redirect to it.
    production site A WP Cloud site that serves live traffic. Use this term when the distinction from a staging or other non-production site matters.
    proxy_type A Metrics dimension describing the detected type of proxy associated with a request. It is a traffic-classification signal and does not, by itself, identify the requester or prove that traffic is abusive.
    provisioning The asynchronous process that creates and prepares a WP Cloud site after a Create Site request. The returned job must complete successfully before the site is treated as ready.
    public key The shareable half of an asymmetric key pair used to authorize SSH access or verify a signature. WP Cloud stores supported SSH public keys and aliases; the corresponding private key remains secret and outside WP Cloud documentation and API responses.
    public-key alias A pub:// reference to a stored SSH public key. Updating the stored key updates credentials that reference the alias, but the partner must track and remove obsolete references.

    R–T

    Term Definition
    rate limit A boundary that rejects or delays excessive requests or operations. A visitor-facing HTTP 429 can represent a bad-traffic rate limit recorded as 429 or a resource-based limit recorded internally as 599, so use logs and Metrics to distinguish them.
    rate_limit_reason A Metrics dimension containing the recorded reason a request was rate limited. Group it with fields such as path, http_user_agent, http_status, and wp_admin_ajax_action; do not treat the value as a permanent public rule or threshold.
    replica A synchronized copy of site data on another origin server. WP Cloud keeps primary and secondary copies in different geographic data centers for failover.
    replication The continuous copying of site filesystem and database changes from a primary origin server to its secondary. Replication supports failover and backup generation, but the replica is not a retained recovery point or a customer-accessible backup.
    request A call made to an HTTP or API endpoint. A request includes a method, path, headers, and, when required, a request body.
    request fingerprint A signature derived from request or connection characteristics and used to group similar traffic. JA3 and JA4 hashes are types of network fingerprints. A fingerprint is an investigative signal, not proof of a client's identity.
    request path (path) The portion of a requested URL that identifies the resource. The path Metrics dimension excludes the query string and helps group traffic to pages, APIs, admin-ajax.php, and other endpoints.
    request_time A web server log field containing the elapsed origin request time. Read it with the renderer, cache state, status, URL, and nearby PHP errors; it does not isolate network, queue, PHP, or database time by itself.
    remote_address (user IP or visitor IP) The visitor address associated with a request and available as the remote_address Metrics dimension. Proxies, shared networks, address translation, and privacy services can affect the observed value, so it does not necessarily identify one person or device. Treat it as potentially sensitive data.
    resource limit A configured or platform boundary on resources such as PHP concurrency, memory, storage, request rate, or task execution. Identify the specific resource and measurement when diagnosing a limit.
    resource-based limit (HTTP 599) WP Cloud's internal record of a request limited because the site or server pool could not provide PHP capacity in time. The visitor usually sees HTTP 429. A 599 often indicates that configured or available PHP workers or CPU are exhausted by request volume, slow application work, or both.
    response The result returned for a request. It includes an HTTP status and can include headers and a response body.
    response time The elapsed time associated with handling a request. request_time is a request-level web server log field, response_time_average reports an average, and php_response_time reports total time for requests handled by PHP. State the field, layer, aggregation, and time range when comparing response-time measurements.
    response ticket An API operation record whose identifier can be used with the response-ticket endpoints to retrieve summary status or full messages.
    restore Recovery of a site from one ready filesystem backup and one ready database backup. WP Cloud can create a separate restored site or replace the existing site that owns the backups.
    restore to a new site The recommended restore workflow that provisions a distinct site from a filesystem and database backup pair. It preserves the original site for verification and gives the restored copy its own Atomic Site ID.
    same-site restore An in-place restore that replaces the existing site using one of its ready filesystem backups and one of its ready database backups. It is destructive to the current site state and uses additional safeguards, including suspension and restore authorization.
    scroll_id An opaque pagination value returned with web server logs when more records are available. Send the value back through the documented logs request to continue the same result set; do not parse or modify it.
    SASL block A WP Cloud transactional-email restriction applied when sending behavior violates relay policy or indicates abuse. It affects authentication to the WP Cloud relay and is different from a delivery rejection by a recipient or an external SMTP provider.
    secondary server The synchronized origin server prepared to take over if a site's primary server or data center becomes unavailable. It also supports platform backup generation and downloads, but it is not directly customer-accessible.
    Self-Service partner A WP Cloud partner that uses the standard platform configuration, documentation, public API reference, Partner Portal, and support request process.
    server pool The primary and secondary origin-server capacity to which a group of sites is assigned. A site's copies run the same managed software, continuously replicate data, and reside in different geographic locations for failover. WP Cloud can move a site between server pools for maintenance, capacity balancing, or performance, so a particular server, data center, or country is not a permanent site property.
    service identifier An API path value that selects how another identifier is interpreted. In endpoints that use {service}/{identifier}, domain selects a domain lookup; a client identifier selects a site-ID lookup.
    SFTP SSH File Transfer Protocol, which provides file access over SSH. SFTP is not FTP.
    site A WordPress site hosted on WP Cloud and associated with a partner's client account.
    site access type The site-scoped setting that determines whether a site user has SFTP-only access or a full shell. It does not change Client SSH access.
    site constant A PHP constant that WP Cloud defines to identify the platform, site, or client host to running site code.
    site identifier A value that identifies a site for an API operation. Depending on the endpoint, it can be an Atomic Site ID or a domain. Use the Atomic Site ID for durable stored references.
    site inventory A partner's record of sites, stable IDs, domains, classifications, resource assignments, and customer associations. WP Cloud supplies platform site records; the partner maintains customer-to-site ownership mapping.
    site lock A temporary restriction that prevents conflicting lifecycle operations from running at the same time. An HTTP 423 response can indicate a lock; identify and follow the active operation instead of blindly retrying or deleting the site.
    site meta API-managed values that control a site's resources, runtime options, operational state, and billing classification.
    site owner The downstream person or organization that owns or controls a site in the partner's product. WP Cloud does not represent the site owner as an API identity; the partner maintains that relationship.
    site type The site_type value stored in _data that classifies a site as billable, staging, internal, or the WP Cloud-reserved canary type.
    site user A person or integration with site-scoped SSH or SFTP credentials. A site user is separate from Client SSH and does not receive account-level access.
    site_provisioned A webhook event indicating that asynchronous site provisioning finished. Use it, or the documented job or response-ticket state for the operation, before treating an accepted create, clone, or restore request as complete.
    site readiness The verified state in which provisioning and required partner-owned setup are complete and the site is usable for its intended workflow. It is broader than receiving a successful Create Site response.
    Sender Policy Framework (SPF) An email-authentication policy published as a DNS TXT record. It identifies servers permitted to send mail for a domain. A domain must combine all permitted senders into one SPF record rather than publish competing records.
    Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) A legacy name still used in some interfaces for Transport Layer Security and HTTPS certificates. WP Cloud documentation prefers TLS except when preserving an API field, endpoint, interface label, or established phrase.
    space_quota Site meta that sets the hard limit for a site's writable filesystem storage. It does not include the database, platform backups, failover replicas, or edge-generated image subsizes.
    space_used Read-only site meta reporting compressed, charged usage for the site's writable ZFS user space. It is refreshed periodically and can differ from a current du total over SSH.
    SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, the standard protocol used to submit and relay email. WordPress can send through WP Cloud's shared transactional relay or through a separately configured SMTP provider.
    snapshot A point-in-time storage image used by some infrastructure and backup processes. Do not assume that an internal snapshot is a listed, retained, or restorable WP Cloud platform backup; use the backup APIs for supported recovery points.
    SQL dump A text export of database schema and data as SQL statements. WP Cloud database-backup downloads are gzip-encoded MySQL dumps that can be inspected or imported with compatible database tools.
    SSH Secure Shell access. WP Cloud provides separate access models for account-level Client SSH and site-scoped User SSH and SFTP access.
    stale-while-revalidate A caching behavior that allows an expired response to be served temporarily while an updated response is generated. A stale response can preserve availability, but it is not proof that the origin is healthy or that the content is current.
    staging site A separate, non-production WP Cloud site used to build or test changes. The staging site type is a billing and inventory classification, not a different infrastructure environment.
    standard error (stderr) Diagnostic command output captured separately from standard output by supported operations such as Tasks API commands. An empty value does not prove that the command succeeded; inspect its status or exit code.
    standard output (stdout) Normal command output captured by supported operations such as Tasks API commands. Output can be truncated by documented limits, so absence of text is not a complete execution result.
    soft delete or deletion grace period A reversible state implemented by a partner, commonly by suspending a site and removing downstream access before later deletion. WP Cloud's Delete Site operation is not a reversible soft delete, and suspended resources can remain billable.
    suspended site A site configured to return a selected platform HTTP status instead of normal web content. Suspension does not delete the site or release its allocated resources.
    symlink A symbolic link that points to another filesystem path. WP Cloud uses read-only symlinks to expose shared, versioned WordPress core and managed software.
    task A Tasks API operation that applies one supported action across several sites in a client account, such as running WP-CLI or changing software.
    task_complete A Tasks API webhook event sent after processing finishes for all selected sites. Review its counts and per-site results because overall completion does not mean that every site succeeded.
    task_progress A Tasks API webhook event that reports the result after an individual selected site finishes. Its delivery depends on the task's send_webhook_for setting.
    theme A package that controls WordPress presentation and templates. Like plugins, themes can be site-owned or supplied as partner-managed packages, which affects update and removal behavior.
    time bucket (Metrics resolution) The interval represented by one Metrics period. Each period's timestamp marks its start, and data._meta.resolution gives its length in seconds. Older or longer queries can return larger buckets.
    time to first byte (TTFB) The elapsed time from starting an HTTP request until the first response byte arrives. It can include network, proxy, cache, queue, PHP, and database time, so it is not the same as PHP execution time.
    time to live (TTL) The duration for which cached or DNS data can remain valid before expiration or revalidation. Name the layer because DNS, Page Cache, and Edge Cache can apply TTL differently.
    traffic indicator A log field or Metrics dimension used to characterize traffic. Examples include status, path, user agent, source address, crawler detection, proxy type, cache state, rate-limit state and reason, and request fingerprints such as JA3 or JA4 when available.
    traceroute A network diagnostic that reports the sequence of network hops toward a destination. With DNS, Anycast, and normal route changes, results show one observed path to a WP Cloud edge address at that time; they do not reveal a site's fixed origin server or guarantee that later requests take the same path.
    Transport Layer Security (TLS) The protocol that authenticates HTTPS endpoints and encrypts traffic between clients and servers. WP Cloud disables legacy SSL and early TLS protocol versions; use TLS rather than SSL in general prose unless preserving an interface or API label.
    Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificate A certificate used to authenticate a site and encrypt HTTPS traffic. WP Cloud normally provisions and renews managed certificates after a domain points to the platform.
    TLS fingerprint A signature derived from characteristics of a TLS connection, often its ClientHello message. JA3 and JA4 are TLS fingerprint formats. A fingerprint can group similar client implementations but does not prove identity or intent.
    transactional email Application-generated mail such as password resets, order notices, and contact-form messages. WP Cloud provides a relay for WordPress's normal mail path; it is not intended for bulk marketing mail.
    transient A WordPress value stored with an expiration time. WP Cloud's Object Cache can store transient data in Memcached, so code must tolerate expiration or eviction and regenerate the value when needed.

    U–Z

    Term Definition
    UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) The time standard used by WP Cloud APIs, platform schedules, logs, and support investigations when a time zone is not otherwise stated. Include the time zone with every incident timestamp.
    User-Agent A self-declared HTTP request header that identifies client software. WP Cloud exposes it as the http_user_agent Metrics dimension and includes it in web server logs. It is useful for grouping traffic but can be missing, generic, or spoofed, so it is not proof of identity or legitimacy.
    User File OPcache A WP Cloud option that extends PHP OPcache to site-owned PHP files, including plugin, theme, and custom application files. It can reduce repeated compilation work and improve uncached PHP response time on sites that load many PHP files. It does not cache rendered responses or correct slow PHP code, database queries, or external requests.
    User SSH and SFTP access Site-scoped access that a partner creates for a customer, developer, or support user. It is separate from Client SSH.
    visitor_is_crawler A Metrics dimension, also available as is_crawler, that reports whether a visitor appears to be an automated crawler. It is a classification signal, not proof that a request is legitimate or malicious.
    wc-ajax WooCommerce's frontend AJAX request mechanism. These requests load WordPress and commonly bypass full-page cache, so frequent or slow actions can contribute to PHP worker use and backlog.
    web application firewall (WAF) A firewall that evaluates HTTP requests for patterns associated with attacks and unsafe traffic before those requests reach the application.
    web server log A request-level record for traffic that reaches a site's origin web server. It can include URL, method, http_status, request_time, renderer, cache state, host, referrer, User-Agent, and visitor address. Requests served entirely by Edge Cache are not fully represented in origin web server logs.
    webhook An event notification that WP Cloud sends to a configured HTTPS destination when asynchronous platform work or a site event reaches a relevant state.
    webhook endpoint The partner-controlled HTTPS URL that receives WP Cloud webhook events. It should authenticate signed events when webhook signing is configured, acknowledge accepted deliveries with HTTP 200, and process retries idempotently.
    webhook event A named change reported in a webhook, such as completed provisioning or a domain change. The event value identifies the type, while timestamp, atomic_site_id, and data provide event context when applicable.
    webhook signing The use of an HMAC signature to let a receiver verify that a webhook came from WP Cloud and that its signed data was not changed in transit.
    white labeling Presenting a hosting product under the partner's brand. WP Cloud can operate beneath a partner-owned panel and customer experience, but Automattic trademarks, co-marketing, and required legal or policy disclosures retain their documented rules.
    WordPress The open source publishing software that runs on WP Cloud. WordPress is distinct from WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
    WordPress user (WordPress account) An application account stored in a site's WordPress database, with site or network roles and capabilities. It is sometimes called a local WordPress user account or local user because it belongs to that WordPress installation. It is separate from a WP Cloud client account, Partner Portal account, API key, SSH user, and the partner's customer account. Cloning or restoring a database can copy WordPress users without creating corresponding WP Cloud identities.
    WordPress core The platform-managed WordPress application files. WP Cloud exposes core through read-only symlinks instead of giving each site a writable copy.
    WordPress debug logging (WP_DEBUG, WP_DEBUG_LOG) WordPress's application debugging controls and optional wp-content/debug.log output. On WP Cloud, use the platform PHP error log for routine error collection; enable WordPress debug logging only for a short investigation because it can expose sensitive details, grow large, and interfere with platform logging.
    WordPress.com Automattic's WordPress hosting product. It is one product that can run on WP Cloud, but its plans, dashboards, and product behavior are not WP Cloud platform defaults.
    WordPress.org The website and services at wordpress.org, including its plugin and theme directories. It is not a synonym for the WordPress software.
    WordPress-as-a-Service The WP Cloud service model in which the platform supplies managed WordPress hosting infrastructure while the partner operates its hosting product and customer relationship.
    WordPress pseudo-cron The WordPress event scheduler, commonly called WP-Cron, that checks for due events when a site receives a request. It is separate from WP Cloud platform cron.
    WordPress version (wp_version) A site's managed WordPress core channel, such as latest, previous, or beta. The value records an update policy rather than permanently pinning one release, so the resolved WordPress version can change when WP Cloud advances the channel.
    WP Cloud Automattic's cloud infrastructure platform specialized in WordPress hosting. It provides WordPress-as-a-Service for partners.
    WP Cloud API The same API as the WP Cloud Atomic API, also called the Atomic API. A partner's integrations use it to manage sites and account-level operations, subject to each API key's access restrictions.
    WP Cloud API reference The generated endpoint reference for WP Cloud API methods, paths, fields, and response schemas.
    WP Cloud Atomic API The same API as the WP Cloud API, also called the Atomic API. The names do not identify separate interfaces, account scopes, or authentication systems.
    WP Cloud documentation The contextual product documentation at wp.cloud/docs. It explains platform behavior and workflows without duplicating complete endpoint schemas from the API reference.
    WP Cloud Partner Portal The authenticated account area for WP Cloud partners. It provides account and site information, Insights, available account controls, support access, and partnership documents.
    WP Cloud Station An experimental, open-source WordPress plugin and block theme that demonstrates a dashboard built with the WP Cloud API. It is useful for examples and prototypes but is not a supported production customer panel.
    WP Cloud Support The platform support function for WP Cloud partners. It works with the partner on account, billing, API, and platform issues; the partner supports its own end customers.
    WP Cloud team Automattic staff who sell, design, build, operate, and support WP Cloud. Depending on the partnership or issue, this can include sales, technical account management (TAM) and solutions engineering, technical escalations, product and software engineering, and Automattic systems teams. It is an umbrella term, not one universal support queue; partners should use the documented support process.
    WP Cloud technology stack The platform components used to run and protect WordPress sites, including Linux isolation, Anycast routing, NGINX, Edge Cache, managed bare-metal origin servers, PHP and PHP-FPM, MariaDB, Memcached, Page Cache, Object Cache, PHP OPcache, NVMe and ZFS storage, replication, and automated failover. Name the relevant layer when explaining behavior or diagnosing a problem.
    WP Admin (wp-admin) The WordPress administration interface, normally under a site's /wp-admin/ path. It manages WordPress content, users, plugins, themes, and settings. WP Admin is separate from the WP Cloud Partner Portal and from a partner's own dashboard.
    WP-CLI The WordPress command-line interface. Partners and authorized site users can use it over the applicable SSH access method.
    WP-Cron The common name for WordPress pseudo-cron. It runs due WordPress events when the application receives a request and is separate from WP Cloud platform cron.
    wp-config.php The main WordPress configuration file. WP Cloud creates it with managed database connection values and the standard WordPress configuration.
    wp-content The site-owned WordPress directory for plugins, themes, uploads, and other writable content. Use WP_CONTENT_DIR rather than ABSPATH when code must locate it on WP Cloud.
    x-ac header A WP Cloud response header that records the Edge Cache result for one request and edge location. Its final token can report HIT, STALE, EXPIRED, UPDATING, MISS, or BYPASS.
    x-nananana header A response header used to report a Page Cache hit, such as x-nananana: Batcache-Hit. It describes the origin Page Cache layer and is separate from the x-ac Edge Cache result.
    ZFS The filesystem and storage-accounting system used for WP Cloud site storage. The space_used site-meta value reports compressed, charged usage from ZFS user-space accounting and can differ from an immediate du total over SSH.
    Previous
    Next

    • WP Cloud platform overview

      Understand how WP Cloud hosts and routes WordPress sites, manages software and cache layers, and…

      4 Min.

      READ

    • Onboard and launch with WP Cloud

      Follow the partner journey from evaluation and account setup through API testing, operating procedures, and…

      3 Min.

      READ

    • WP Cloud Partner Portal

      Use the authenticated WP Cloud Partner Portal to review account and partnership details, site inventory…

      2 Min.

      READ

    On this page

      Contact support

      Contact us with Support issues and questions related to WP Cloud, the WP Cloud Atomic API, API-key IP allow list changes, Station, and more.

      Check the FAQs

      Have questions? Please visit our FAQ to learn more.