REFRESH

Refresh is a term used to denote making something new or restoring its freshness, or to reload content in a computing context. As a verb, it means to renew energy, information, or appearance; as a noun, a refresh can refer to an action that restores freshness or a new instance of a refreshed state. The concept spans technology, media, and everyday language.

In web browsing and software, to refresh a page or application means to retrieve current data, typically by reloading content from the server or from local caches. Soft refresh reloads content without bypassing caches; hard refresh forces a reload that bypasses or invalidates cached data. Browsers often map these actions to keyboard shortcuts (for example, F5 for a soft refresh, Ctrl+F5 for a hard refresh). Refreshing can also update dynamic interfaces, trigger new queries, and ensure that the user sees the latest version of information.

In display technology, the refresh rate describes how many times per second the image on a screen is updated, measured in hertz. Higher refresh rates reduce perceived motion blur and improve responsiveness, especially in gaming and video. Common values include 60 Hz, 120 Hz, and 144 Hz. In data systems, a refresh may involve updating caches or materialized views to reflect recent changes and maintain data consistency.

In authentication, a refresh token is a credential that enables a client to obtain a new access token after the original one expires, without re-authentication. In user interfaces, pull-to-refresh gestures and dedicated refresh controls are common patterns on mobile devices and apps.

See also: refresh rate, cache refresh, refresh token, pull-to-refresh.