Cachable

Cachable refers to the property of data or a resource that allows it to be stored and retrieved quickly from a temporary storage location, rather than being re-generated or re-fetched from its original source every time it is needed. This temporary storage is known as a cache. The primary goal of caching is to improve performance and reduce the load on the original data source.

When data is cachable, a system can check the cache first. If the required data is present in the cache and is still considered valid (i.e., not stale), it is served directly from the cache. This is significantly faster than accessing the original source, which might involve a database query, a network request, or a complex computation. If the data is not found in the cache or is deemed invalid, it is then fetched or generated from the original source, and a copy is typically stored in the cache for future use.

The decision of whether data is cachable depends on several factors, including its volatility, its accessibility, and the potential performance benefits of caching. Dynamic data that changes frequently may be less suitable for caching, or may require more sophisticated cache invalidation strategies to ensure users receive up-to-date information. Conversely, static content like images or frequently accessed configuration settings are excellent candidates for caching. Caching is a fundamental optimization technique used across many computing domains, including web browsing, database systems, and operating systems.