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Featherweight
Speed up WordPress by disabling unused features — emojis, embeds, query strings, XML-RPC, RSS and more — for fewer requests and faster pages.
The facts
- Rating
- 4.1★ from 45
- Active installs
- 10k+
- Price
- Free
- Last updated
- 13 Jun 2026
- Added
- Mar 2017
- Requires WP
- 6.4
- Tested up to
- WP 7.0.4
- Requires PHP
- 7.4
- Downloads
- 326,758
Our analysis
AI-assistedFeatherweight is a WordPress plugin designed to enhance site performance by disabling unused features. By turning off various elements like emojis, Gravatars, and unnecessary scripts, it aims to reduce HTTP requests and improve Core Web Vitals.
The plugin allows you to selectively disable features according to your needs, ensuring that only essential functionalities remain active. It is suitable for users looking to optimise their site's speed and performance without unnecessary bloat.
Best for: This plugin is best for WordPress users seeking to optimise site speed and performance.
What it does well
- ✓Reduces HTTP requests and front-end bloat
- ✓Allows selective disabling of features
- ✓Includes options for WooCommerce optimisations
- ✓Maintains existing settings after updates
- ✓Supports various performance enhancements
Where it falls short
- •Limited information on specific performance improvements
- •Some features may interfere with CDNs if not configured correctly
Verdict
Featherweight offers a practical solution for improving site performance by allowing users to disable unnecessary features. It is particularly useful for those who want to streamline their WordPress site without losing essential functionality.
From the developer
jody nesbitt's own description of Featherweight, lightly tidied.
Featherweight makes your site faster by switching off the features you don’t use. Every disabled item is one less HTTP request, one less script, or one less query — adding up to lighter pages and better Core Web Vitals. Pick only what you need; nothing is forced on.
Formerly WP Disable. Same plugin, new name. Featherweight is part of the Folium Studio suite — your existing settings carry over untouched on update.
Reduce requests & strip front-end bloat
- Disable emojis (removes the emoji detection script and styles)
- Remove query strings from static assets (
?ver=...) for cleaner caching - Disable oEmbeds (the auto-embed script that loads site-wide)
- Disable Gravatars
- Remove jQuery Migrate on the front end
- Combine and asynchronously load Google Fonts and Font Awesome
- Add DNS-prefetch hints for external hosts
- Remove the password-strength-meter script where it isn’t needed
- Drop Dashicons on the front end when the admin toolbar is hidden
Clean up the page header
- Remove the generator tag, shortlink, RSD, Windows Live Writer, and REST API link tags
Comments & discussion
- Disable comments everywhere, or selectively per post type
- Close comments on older posts and paginate long threads
- Strip links from comments
- Disable pingbacks and trackbacks
- Schedule automatic spam-comment cleanup
Admin & performance controls
- Limit or disable post revisions and autosave
- Control the WordPress Heartbeat (frequency and where it runs)
- Disable the REST/XML feeds (RSS), XML-RPC, author archive pages, and admin notices
SEO helpers
- Remove the Yoast SEO HTML comment from the head
- Remove duplicate names in Yoast breadcrumbs
Optional WooCommerce optimisations
When WooCommerce is active, you can stop its scripts and styles from loading on non-store pages, defer cart fragments, disable product reviews, and skip the password-strength meter on unrelated pages.
Good to know
- Disabling emojis does not affect normal emoticons — it only removes the extra emoji-detection script.
- Removing query strings can interfere with some CDNs that key cache on them; leave it off if unsure.
- Everything is optional and reversible — toggle a setting off and the behaviour returns.
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