Performance

Problem:
The client reported excessive loading times in the website backend after installing WPML, despite using a default theme.
Solution:
We replicated the client's site in a local environment and found no performance issues with WPML. The problem likely stems from the server environment. Here are the recommended steps:
1. Resolve server errors: Address console errors related to server configuration such as permissions, rewrite rules, and resource limits with your hosting provider.
2. Fix database permissions: Ensure the database user has necessary permissions like CREATE, ALTER, INDEX, and REFERENCES, as indicated by errors in the admin panel.
3. Check plugin file permissions: Confirm that all plugin directories are writable. File permissions should typically be 755 for folders and 644 for files.
4. Increase server resources: Enhance the PHP memory limit, update PHP to a higher stable version, and ensure MySQL/MariaDB versions meet the requirements.
5. Consider alternative hosting: If issues persist, testing the site with different hosting might help, as the local tests showed no issues.

If these steps do not resolve your issue, or if the solution seems outdated, please visit our support forum. We also recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins.

Problem:
The client is experiencing 502 bad gateway errors on their site. The hosting provider identified that the 'wp_installer_settings' from wpml-string-translation is maxing out the autoload options, contributing significantly to the issue. The client is considering turning the autoload to OFF for 'wp_installer_settings' and 'wpml_strings_need_links_fixed'.
Solution:
We advised the client against disabling the autoload for 'wp_installer_settings' and 'wpml_strings_need_links_fixed' as it is not recommended. Instead, we suggested the following steps to diagnose and potentially resolve the issue:
1. Create a full site backup.
2. Update any outdated plugins or themes.
3. Flush any cache memory.
4. Activate WordPress debug mode as described in this guide.
5. Deactivate all plugins, including WPML ones, and activate a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty.
6. Reactivate the WPML plugins and then activate the theme and other plugins one by one to identify the culprit.
7. Check for any fatal errors in the debug.log file within the wp-content folder.
Additionally, we informed the client that the next WPML version (v4.9) will have a much smaller 'wp_installer_settings', although there is no estimated time of arrival for this update.

If this solution does not resolve your issue or seems irrelevant due to being outdated or not applicable to your case, we highly recommend checking related known issues at https://wpml.org/known-issues/, verifying the version of the permanent fix, and confirming that you have installed the latest versions of themes and plugins. If issues persist, please open a new support ticket.