How important is it to consider scalability and performance when choosing a PHP-based CMS for a community website?

When choosing a PHP-based CMS for a community website, it is crucial to consider scalability and performance. A CMS that can handle a growing number of users and content while maintaining fast loading times is essential for a successful community website. Look for features such as caching, database optimization, and scalability options to ensure that the CMS can handle the demands of a growing community.

// Example of implementing caching in PHP to improve performance
$cache_key = 'unique_cache_key';
$data = apc_fetch($cache_key);

if (!$data) {
    // Code to fetch data from the database
    $data = fetchDataFromDatabase();

    // Save data in cache for future use
    apc_store($cache_key, $data, 3600); // Cache data for 1 hour
}

// Use the data retrieved
echo $data;