Cache/Caching
Caching is the process of temporarily storing files to enable quick access; think of it as temporarily storing the supplies that users need to continue their journey (browsing) through the web. It can also be considered as a high-speed layer of data storage that stores temporary subsets of data. Responses that can be reused are typically cached to shorten response times.
A cache is a temporary location for storage – while it can technically be any temporary location to store data or file copies, it is generally used for internet technologies.
Web caching is an integral feature of the HTTP protocol, and it aims to reduce network traffic and improve system responsiveness.
CDN servers cache content to lower latency, and DNS servers cache DNS records for quick lookups.
A browser has to download loads of data to display a webpage a user loads on their device. To quicken loading time, the browser caches most of the web content by saving its copy on the user’s hard drive. When the user loads the page next, most of the content is already there on their device, ensuring fast loading.
The files are stored till their expiry time, or until the hard drive cache gets filled up.
Users can clear their cache, causing the website to load as if for the first time. Clearing can increase load times; however, if something had been wrongly loaded first, caching can ensure correct loading the next time.