How to Limit Post Revisions

How to Limit Post Revisions in WordPress

Post revisions in WordPress are a valuable safety net, automatically storing versions as you write. However, unchecked revisions can bloat your database and affect performance. This article explores reasons to limit revisions, several methods to do so, best practices, and real-world considerations for maintaining a lean, efficient WordPress site.

1. Understanding Post Revisions

Revisions are snapshots of your post content saved each time you click “Save Draft,” “Publish,” or “Update.” They enable you to：

• Restore previous versions if mistakes occur.
• Track changes over time.
• Compare different drafts.

By default, WordPress stores every revision indefinitely. On a busy site, this can lead to thousands of stored revisions, increasing database size and slowing backups.

2. Why Limiting Revisions Is Important

• Database Performance: Fewer rows in the wp_posts table means faster queries.
• Backup Size: Smaller databases are quicker to export and restore.
• Storage Costs: Reduced hosting requirements on managed or cloud platforms.
• Site Speed: Potentially improved frontend performance at scale.

3. Methods to Limit Post Revisions

3.1 Via wp-config.php

The simplest approach is to define a constant in wp-config.php:

define(WP_POST_REVISIONS, 5)
  

This code limits each post to the five most recent revisions. To disable revisions completely, set the value to false:

define(WP_POST_REVISIONS, false)
  

3.2 Using functions.php or a Custom Plugin

For more granular control, hook into wp_revisions_to_keep:

add_filter(wp_revisions_to_keep, limit_revisions_per_post, 10, 2)
function limit_revisions_per_post(num, post) {
  // Example: keep 3 for pages and 5 for posts
  return (post->post_type === page)  3 : 5
}
  

This snippet allows different limits based on post type or other conditions.

3.3 Leveraging a Plugin

If you prefer a GUI solution, use a reputable plugin:

• WP Revisions Control: Lightweight plugin offering per-post-type limits. wordpress.org/plugins/wp-revisions-control/
• Revision Control: Allows bulk modification and deletion of existing revisions. wordpress.org/plugins/revision-control/

3.4 Cleaning Up Existing Revisions

To delete old revisions, run a SQL query or use a plugin like WP-Optimize:

DELETE FROM wp_posts
WHERE post_type = revision
AND post_modified lt DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 30 DAY)
  

Note: Always back up your database before running direct SQL commands.

4. Comparison of Methods

Method	Pros	Cons
wp-config.php	Global, easy, no plugin	No per-post-type control
functions.php	Highly customizable	Requires coding
Plugin	User-friendly, flexible	Adds overhead, dependency
Direct SQL	Immediate cleanup	Risky if untested

5. Best Practices and Tips

• Backup First: Always export your database before making structural changes. See WordPress Backups.
• Audit Periodically: Check database size and revision count monthly.
• Combine Methods: Use wp-config limits plus occasional cleanup.
• Consider Autosave Interval: Increase AUTOSAVE_INTERVAL in wp-config.php to reduce frequency of auto-revisions.

6. Real-World Considerations

High-traffic sites and multisite networks especially benefit from revision limits. For enterprise environments, coordinate with your development and database teams to automate cleanup scripts and monitor performance metrics. Use performance plugins (e.g., WP-Optimize) to analyze gains from reduced revision bloat.

7. Summary

Post revisions are critical for content safety, but without limits, they can degrade performance. Depending on your comfort level and site requirements, choose one or a mix of the following approaches:

• Set WP_POST_REVISIONS in wp-config.php.
• Use the wp_revisions_to_keep filter in functions.php.
• Install a lightweight plugin for GUI-based control.
• Regularly clean up old revisions via SQL or optimization plugins.

By implementing these strategies, you’ll maintain the balance between editorial flexibility and optimal performance.