When a user visits a website, the browser requests information from the server. The server processes the request and sends the requested information back to the browser. This process can take a long time, depending on the size of the web page, the server load, and the distance between the server and the user. Caching helps to reduce the time taken to access the data by storing the static content of a web page in a memory cache. When a user requests the same page, the browser checks the cache memory and serves the content from the cache, instead of sending a request to the server. This helps to reduce the loading time of the page, thus improving the user experience.
Caching is done in different ways. The most common way is to store the content in a memory cache. This method is mainly used for static content, such as images, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. Another way is to use a content delivery network (CDN). A CDN is a network of servers located around the world that can serve content to users in different regions. The content is stored on the CDN, and when a user requests it, the CDN serves it from the closest server. This helps to reduce the latency for users, who are geographically distant from the server.
There are several different types of caching that can be used to improve the performance of a website. These include:
• Memory Caching: Memory caching is the most common method used for caching. It involves storing the content in a memory cache, and serving it from the cache when a request is made. This helps to reduce the loading time of the page, thus improving the user experience.
• Server-Side Caching: Server-side caching involves storing the content in the server’s memory cache, and serving it from the cache when a request is made. This helps to reduce the load on the server, thus improving the performance of the website.
• CDN Caching: A CDN is a network of servers located around the world, that can serve content to users in different regions. The content is stored on the CDN, and when a user requests it, the CDN serves it from the closest server. This helps to reduce the latency for users, who are geographically distant from the server.
• Database Caching: This type of caching stores content in a database, so it can be quickly retrieved from the database when a user requests it.