Cache Control Headers

• Definition: Cache control headers are HTTP headers used to define caching policies for web browsers and intermediary caches.
• Purpose:
  • Optimize loading times by determining how long resources are cached.
  • Ensure that users see the most recent version of a resource.
• Common Cache Control Directives:
  • no-cache: Forces caches to submit a request to the origin server for validation before releasing a cached copy.
  • no-store: Prevents caching of the resource entirely.
  • max-age: Specifies the maximum amount of time a resource is considered fresh, in seconds.
  • public: Indicates that the response may be cached by any cache.
  • private: Indicates that the response is intended for a single user and should not be stored by shared caches.
• Browser Behavior:
  • When a browser receives these headers, it determines how to cache or fetch resource updates, impacting user experience.
• Impact on Performance:
  • Correctly configured caching can significantly reduce server load and latency for returning users.

Connections between Entities:

• Cache control headers interact with web applications, influencing how content is delivered and experienced by end users.
• They are particularly significant in conjunction with other web optimization strategies, such as Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and application-layer caching.

• Cache Control Headers
• Web Dev
• HTTP

• https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Headers/Cache-Control