Reducing fields and filters in Views queriesfor Drupal 8 , 9 , 10 , and 11

In our ongoing journey towards a more performant Drupal site, we last explored enabling Views caching. Now, let’s turn our attention to another crucial aspect - optimizing the queries generated by Views. By reducing unnecessary fields and filters, we can significantly enhance both server performance and page load speed.

Understanding Views Queries

Views queries are at the heart of displaying dynamic content lists in Drupal. They allow for flexible presentation of content by querying the database for requested data, which can be filtered, sorted, and themed as required. However, highly complex queries can also lead to slower page loads and increased server load.

Optimizing Query Performance

Let's look at two main strategies to streamline Views queries for better performance: reducing fields and reducing filters. Both approaches aim to minimize the amount of data that Drupal has to process and deliver.

1. Reducing Fields

Every field you add to a View increases the complexity of its query. Each additional field means more data to fetch and potentially process. Often, Views are set to include more fields than necessary, either from legacy configurations or as placeholders for future use.

Example: Imagine a site section listing upcoming events. By default, it may include fields such as event title, date, location, description, and more. However, if only titles and dates are necessary for display purposes, fetching other fields is redundant and inefficient.

How to Reduce Fields in Drupal Views:

1. Navigate to Structure > Views and edit the View you want to optimize.
2. Under the Fields section, carefully review each field's necessity for your view’s output.
3. Remove any fields that are not needed for the display. Click on the field name and click Remove within the settings.
4. Save the View.

2. Reducing Filters

Filters are used in Views to narrow down the results returned by a query. Overuse or redundant filters can unnecessarily complicate queries, adding to processing time.

Example: Consider a blog section that filters articles by category and publication status. If the category filter is intended for administrative views or rarely needed on the public list, it might be removed or adjusted for user convenience.

How to Reduce Filters in Drupal Views:

1. Access the Structure > Views panel, and choose the View you wish to optimize.
2. Under the Filter criteria section, evaluate each filter’s necessity and efficiency.
3. For unused or seldom-needed filters, click on the filter name and proceed to Remove.
4. For essential filters, consider whether they can be simplified (e.g., broadening a date range).
5. Save your changes.

Conclusion

By thoughtfully reducing fields and filters in Views queries, you can enhance the performance of your Drupal site. This ensures that server resources are optimally utilized, and users enjoy faster load times and better overall experience.

What's Next?

In our next lesson, we'll dive into minimizing pager queries for large datasets. This will further streamline the performance of your site when handling extensive data lists. Stay engaged as we continue optimizing your Drupal experience!