Cron jobs relying on traffic (no real cron)

Problem Summary

WordPress pseudo-cron relies on site traffic to trigger scheduled tasks. On busy sites this can add work to visitor requests; on quiet sites tasks may run late.

Performance Impact

• Slower visitor requests: Cron execution can start during page loads
• Unpredictable timing: Low traffic delays scheduled work
• Traffic spike problems: Backlogged tasks may run together
• Cache side effects: Some cron requests bypass normal caching behavior

How to Detect

1. Check wp-config: See whether DISABLE_WP_CRON is defined
2. Cron event list: Review overdue jobs
3. Access logs: Look for frequent wp-cron.php requests

Solutions

1. Disable Traffic-Based Cron

<?php
define( "DISABLE_WP_CRON", true );

2. Add a Server Cron Job

*/5 * * * * wp cron event run --due-now --path=/path/to/wordpress

3. Monitor Overdue Events

Real cron should reduce missed schedules, not hide failing tasks.

4. Keep Heavy Jobs Off Peak Paths

Large imports, exports, and sync jobs may need separate queues.