X-Ray is a CloudLinux tool that traces PHP requests on a website and shows where the time goes: which plugin, which database query, which external API call. It turns "the site is slow" into a specific list of things to fix.
Before you start
- A server with CloudLinux and X-Ray enabled. Depending on the server, X-Ray is available to users in cPanel or run by the administrator; if you do not see it, ask your host.
- A slow URL to investigate, such as the home page or a product page.
Start a trace
- Open X-Ray: in cPanel look for X-Ray under Software or Metrics; administrators use WHM → Plugins → CloudLinux Manager → X-Ray.
- Click Start tracing (or New task).
- Enter the URL or URL pattern to trace, for example
example.com/shop/*. - Set how long to trace or how many requests to collect, then start.
- Visit the page a few times, or let real traffic arrive.
Note: Tracing adds a little overhead, so stop the task once you have enough requests.
Read the results
For each traced request, X-Ray shows total time and a breakdown:
| Section | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Plugins / software modules | Time spent per WordPress plugin or theme |
| Database queries | Slow or repeated SQL queries and which code ran them |
| External requests | Calls to APIs, update servers, fonts or license checks |
| Slow functions | PHP functions taking the most time |
Turn findings into fixes
- One plugin dominates: update it, check its settings, or replace it.
- Slow external calls: licence checks or social feeds run on every page; disable them or cache their results.
- Heavy queries: clean up the database and autoloaded options (see database limits and fixes).
- Everything is uniformly slow: enable page caching (see LiteSpeed Cache) and check the PHP version (see changing PHP version).
Tip: Trace again after each fix to confirm the improvement. Measuring before and after keeps you from optimising the wrong thing.
Relation to resource limits
Slow requests hold PHP processes longer, raising entry processes and causing 508 errors. X-Ray tells you why; Resource Usage tells you how often limits are reached.
Frequently asked questions
Does X-Ray work for non-WordPress sites?
Yes, it traces any PHP application. Plugin breakdowns are most detailed for WordPress.
Is X-Ray available on MdmHost?
MdmHost servers run CloudLinux. If X-Ray is not visible in your cPanel, open a ticket and support can run a trace for you.
Will visitors notice tracing?
No. Overhead is small and only traced URLs are affected, for the duration of the task.
How many requests should I trace?
Ten to fifty requests to the slow URL usually show a clear pattern. Trace during normal traffic for realistic results.
Can X-Ray find slow admin pages?
Yes. Trace a wp-admin URL pattern while you reproduce the slow action in the dashboard.