What is caching?


In this episode, Spencer Batten, a developer at Infomedia, discusses caching. Caching is a term used to describe a process that helps your web browser access webpages faster. There are two types of caching: server side caching and client side caching. Client side caching means when you visit a website, your browser remembers, or caches, information such as images so the website loads faster the next time you visit. Server side caching is similar, except it is just done on a server — so when a server gets information about a website that’s stored on its drives, it will cache information it displays often either into memory or on its own disk.

Caching saves time and makes your browsing experience a lot faster. If caching didn’t exist, the internet would be slower, and websites would probably crash frequently. Caching makes browsing the web far less irritating.

There is a side of caching that can be irritating. At Infomedia, we launch new sites almost every day — and sometimes, clients may not see their new website right away because their browser has cached the old version of the site. You can refresh and clear your cache by referencing the article linked below. We also recommend opening a website in a new browser or, if you’re using Chrome, Incognito Mode, to figure out whether the issue you’re experiencing is due to caching.

How to Clear Your Cache:

How to Clear Your Cache in Any Browser

About Carrie

Carrie Rollwagen is host of the Localist podcast and cofounder of Church Street Coffee & Books. Currently, she works as Vice President of Strategic Planning at Infomedia, a web development company in Birmingham, Alabama. Find the Localist at @thinklocalist on Instagram and follow Carrie at @crollwagen.

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