Web Cache

What is a web cache?

A web cache is a temporary storage area for data, such as multimedia and other web documents, that is used to speed up the process of accessing information. When a user visits a website, their web browser stores a copy of the page, including elements such as images and stylesheets, in a cache on their device. If the user revisits the same website or navigates to a different page on the same website, their web browser can retrieve these elements from the cache instead of re-downloading them from the server. This can help to reduce the amount of time it takes to load the website and improve the user experience.

What are the types of caching?

There are two types of caching to help websites load faster without making new requests from the origin source: client-side (in the user's web browser) and server-side (on the web server).

Client-side Caching

Client-side caching, or browser caching, temporarily stores the copy of a web page in the browser memory located on the user's device. When a user visits a website enabled with client-side caching, the browser keeps a copy of the webpage. This avoids transferring the same data over the network repeatedly.

Benefits of client-side caching include: saving loading time, reducing network traffic, and helping users save money if paying for data. Websites can communicate with the user's browsers, so whenever a site makes an update, the browser will clear the old content stored in the cache and save the updates.

Server-side Caching

Server-side caching temporarily stores web files and data on the origin server for reuse. When a user first visits a page, the server saves a copy. On subsequent visits, the server will send back the saved web page without reconstructing or regenerating new content from its database.

Benefits of server-side caching include: enabling the server to handle more traffic and faster web page speed. To reduce server loads, whenever a request is made, the server checks its temporary storage to see if the requested content is already available in the server cache or not before processing the request.

What are the types of caching?

There are two types of caching to help websites load faster without making new requests from the origin source: client-side (in the user's web browser) and server-side (on the web server).

Client-side caching, or browser caching, temporarily stores the copy of a web page in the browser memory located on the user's device. When a user visits a website enabled with client-side caching, the browser keeps a copy of the webpage. This avoids transferring the same data over the network repeatedly.

Benefits of client-side caching include: saving loading time, reducing network traffic, and helping users save money if paying for data.

Websites can communicate with the user's browsers, so whenever a site makes an update, the browser will clear the old content stored in the cache and save the updates.

Server-side caching temporarily stores web files and data on the origin server for reuse. When a user first visits a page, the server saves a copy. On subsequent visits, the server will send back the saved web page without reconstructing or regenerating new content from its database.

Benefits of server-side caching include: enabling the server to handle more traffic and faster web page speed.

To reduce server loads, whenever a request is made, the server checks its temporary storage to see if the requested content is already available in the server cache or not before processing the request.