🧠 Cache Buster

📚 What is a Cache Buster ?

A cache buster is a technique used to force web browsers and caches to load the most recent version of a resource, such as a JavaScript file, CSS file, or image. This is essential for ensuring that users receive the latest updates and changes to a website without being served outdated content from their browser cache.

❓ Why Use Cache Busters ?

Caches are used to improve website performance by storing copies of resources and serving them quickly on subsequent requests. However, this can lead to issues when updates are made to these resources, as the cached versions might not reflect the latest changes. Cache busters help mitigate this problem by ensuring that the browser fetches the updated resources.

⛩️ How Cache Busters Work

Cache busting typically involves modifying the URL of the resource to make it appear as a new request to the cache. This can be achieved through various methods :

1. Query String Parameters

One common method is to append a query string parameter to the resource URL, such as a version number or a timestamp.

/js/resource.js?v=1.0

2. File Name Changes

Another approach is to change the file name itself, often by appending a hash or version number to it.

/js/resource-1.0.js

3. Using Build Tools

Modern web development often employs build tools and bundlers like Webpack, Gulp, or Grunt, which can automate the process of cache busting by generating unique hashes based on the file content.

/js/resource.abc123.js