Cachning

Cachning is a technique employed in computer systems to temporarily store frequently accessed data in a location that can be retrieved more quickly than repeatedly accessing the original source. The term, although sometimes used interchangeably with caching, emphasizes the dynamic aspect of the storage process and the continuous updating of the stored information.

In practice, cachning is implemented in hardware, such as CPU cache memory, where small, high‑speed memory is placed between the processor and main memory. It is also used at the software level, for example in web browsers, database engines, and content delivery networks. By reducing the number of read operations required from slower media, cachning improves overall system performance and scalability.

The process typically involves rules for deciding what data to store, how long to keep it, and when to evict it. Popular algorithms for managing caches include Least Recently Used (LRU), Most Frequently Used (MFU), and the Least Frequently Used (LFU) strategy. Modern systems also incorporate adaptive caching, which learns usage patterns over time to optimize cache placement.

Cachning is a foundational concept in distributed computing, operating systems, and network design, and it remains a critical area of research and development for improving the speed and reliability of computing services.