Caching Strategies

Implement multi-layer caching for optimal performance. This skill covers Redis patterns, CDN configuration, HTTP cache headers, and cache invalidation strategies.

Purpose

Dramatically improve application performance through strategic caching:

• Reduce database load with application caching
• Minimize latency with edge caching
• Optimize bandwidth with browser caching
• Handle cache invalidation correctly
• Implement cache-aside and write-through patterns
• Monitor cache effectiveness

Features

1. Redis Caching Patterns

import Redis from 'ioredis';

const redis = new Redis(process.env.REDIS_URL);

// Basic cache operations
class CacheService {
  private prefix: string;
  private defaultTTL: number;

  constructor(prefix: string = 'app', defaultTTL: number = 3600) {
    this.prefix = prefix;
    this.defaultTTL = defaultTTL;
  }

  private key(key: string): string {
    return `${this.prefix}:${key}`;
  }

  async get<T>(key: string): Promise<T | null> {
    const data = await redis.get(this.key(key));
    return data ? JSON.parse(data) : null;
  }

  async set<T>(key: string, value: T, ttl?: number): Promise<void> {
    const serialized = JSON.stringify(value);
    await redis.setex(this.key(key), ttl || this.defaultTTL, serialized);
  }

  async del(key: string): Promise<void> {
    await redis.del(this.key(key));
  }

  async exists(key: string): Promise<boolean> {
    return (await redis.exists(this.key(key))) === 1;
  }

  // Get or set pattern
  async getOrSet<T>(
    key: string,
    factory: () => Promise<T>,
    ttl?: number
  ): Promise<T> {
    const cached = await this.get<T>(key);
    if (cached !== null) return cached;

    const value = await factory();
    await this.set(key, value, ttl);
    return value;
  }

  // Bulk operations
  async mget<T>(keys: string[]): Promise<(T | null)[]> {
    const prefixedKeys = keys.map(k => this.key(k));
    const values = await redis.mget(prefixedKeys);
    return values.map(v => (v ? JSON.parse(v) : null));
  }

  async mset<T>(entries: Array<{ key: string; value: T; ttl?: number }>): Promise<void> {
    const pipeline = redis.pipeline();

    for (const entry of entries) {
      pipeline.setex(
        this.key(entry.key),
        entry.ttl || this.defaultTTL,
        JSON.stringify(entry.value)
      );
    }

    await pipeline.exec();
  }

  // Pattern-based invalidation
  async invalidatePattern(pattern: string): Promise<number> {
    const keys = await redis.keys(this.key(pattern));
    if (keys.length === 0) return 0;
    return redis.del(...keys);
  }
}

// Usage
const cache = new CacheService('users', 3600);

async function getUser(id: string): Promise<User> {
  return cache.getOrSet(`user:${id}`, () => db.user.findUnique({ where: { id } }));
}

2. Cache-Aside Pattern

// Cache-aside with database fallback
class UserRepository {
  private cache: CacheService;

  constructor() {
    this.cache = new CacheService('users', 3600);
  }

  async findById(id: string): Promise<User | null> {
    // Try cache first
    const cached = await this.cache.get<User>(`${id}`);
    if (cached) {
      metrics.increment('cache.hit', { type: 'user' });
      return cached;
    }

    metrics.increment('cache.miss', { type: 'user' });

    // Fetch from database
    const user = await db.user.findUnique({ where: { id } });

    // Cache the result (even null to prevent cache stampede)
    if (user) {
      await this.cache.set(`${id}`, user);
    } else {
      // Cache null with shorter TTL
      await this.cache.set(`${id}`, null, 60);
    }

    return user;
  }

  async update(id: string, data: Partial<User>): Promise<User> {
    const user = await db.user.update({ where: { id }, data });

    // Invalidate cache
    await this.cache.del(`${id}`);

    return user;
  }

  async delete(id: string): Promise<void> {
    await db.user.delete({ where: { id } });
    await this.cache.del(`${id}`);
  }
}

// Cache stampede prevention with locking
async function getWithLock<T>(
  key: string,
  factory: () => Promise<T>,
  ttl: number = 3600
): Promise<T> {
  const cache = new CacheService();
  const lockKey = `lock:${key}`;

  // Try to get cached value
  const cached = await cache.get<T>(key);
  if (cached !== null) return cached;

  // Try to acquire lock
  const acquired = await redis.set(lockKey, '1', 'EX', 10, 'NX');

  if (!acquired) {
    // Another process is fetching, wait and retry
    await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 100));
    return getWithLock(key, factory, ttl);
  }

  try {
    // Double-check after acquiring lock
    const cached = await cache.get<T>(key);
    if (cached !== null) return cached;

    // Fetch and cache
    const value = await factory();
    await cache.set(key, value, ttl);
    return value;
  } finally {
    await redis.del(lockKey);
  }
}

3. Write-Through & Write-Behind

// Write-through cache
class WriteThroughCache<T> {
  constructor(
    private cache: CacheService,
    private repository: Repository<T>
  ) {}

  async create(entity: T): Promise<T> {
    // Write to database first
    const saved = await this.repository.create(entity);

    // Then update cache
    await this.cache.set(this.getKey(saved), saved);

    return saved;
  }

  async update(id: string, data: Partial<T>): Promise<T> {
    // Write to database
    const updated = await this.repository.update(id, data);

    // Update cache
    await this.cache.set(this.getKey(updated), updated);

    return updated;
  }

  private getKey(entity: T): string {
    return `${(entity as any).id}`;
  }
}

// Write-behind (async write) cache
class WriteBehindCache<T> {
  private writeQueue: Array<{ key: string; data: T }> = [];
  private flushInterval: NodeJS.Timer;

  constructor(
    private cache: CacheService,
    private repository: Repository<T>,
    flushIntervalMs: number = 5000
  ) {
    this.flushInterval = setInterval(() => this.flush(), flushIntervalMs);
  }

  async set(key: string, data: T): Promise<void> {
    // Write to cache immediately
    await this.cache.set(key, data);

    // Queue for async database write
    this.writeQueue.push({ key, data });
  }

  private async flush(): Promise<void> {
    if (this.writeQueue.length === 0) return;

    const batch = this.writeQueue.splice(0, 100);

    try {
      await this.repository.bulkUpsert(batch.map(b => b.data));
    } catch (error) {
      // Re-queue failed items
      this.writeQueue.unshift(...batch);
      console.error('Write-behind flush failed:', error);
    }
  }

  async stop(): Promise<void> {
    clearInterval(this.flushInterval);
    await this.flush();
  }
}

4. HTTP Caching Headers

// Cache control middleware
interface CacheOptions {
  maxAge?: number;
  sMaxAge?: number;
  staleWhileRevalidate?: number;
  staleIfError?: number;
  private?: boolean;
  noStore?: boolean;
  mustRevalidate?: boolean;
}

function cacheControl(options: CacheOptions) {
  return (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
    const directives: string[] = [];

    if (options.noStore) {
      directives.push('no-store');
    } else {
      if (options.private) {
        directives.push('private');
      } else {
        directives.push('public');
      }

      if (options.maxAge !== undefined) {
        directives.push(`max-age=${options.maxAge}`);
      }

      if (options.sMaxAge !== undefined) {
        directives.push(`s-maxage=${options.sMaxAge}`);
      }

      if (options.staleWhileRevalidate !== undefined) {
        directives.push(`stale-while-revalidate=${options.staleWhileRevalidate}`);
      }

      if (options.staleIfError !== undefined) {
        directives.push(`stale-if-error=${options.staleIfError}`);
      }

      if (options.mustRevalidate) {
        directives.push('must-revalidate');
      }
    }

    res.set('Cache-Control', directives.join(', '));
    next();
  };
}

// Route examples
// Static assets - cache for 1 year
app.use(
  '/static',
  cacheControl({ maxAge: 31536000 }),
  express.static('public')
);

// API responses - no caching for dynamic data
app.get(
  '/api/user/profile',
  cacheControl({ noStore: true }),
  profileHandler
);

// Public data - cache with revalidation
app.get(
  '/api/products',
  cacheControl({
    maxAge: 60,
    sMaxAge: 300,
    staleWhileRevalidate: 86400,
  }),
  productsHandler
);

// ETag support
import etag from 'etag';

app.get('/api/products/:id', async (req, res) => {
  const product = await getProduct(req.params.id);

  if (!product) {
    return res.status(404).json({ error: 'Not found' });
  }

  // Generate ETag
  const body = JSON.stringify(product);
  const tag = etag(body);

  res.set('ETag', tag);
  res.set('Cache-Control', 'private, max-age=0, must-revalidate');

  // Check If-None-Match
  if (req.headers['if-none-match'] === tag) {
    return res.status(304).end();
  }

  res.json(product);
});

5. CDN Configuration

// Vercel Edge Config
// vercel.json
{
  "headers": [
    {
      "source": "/api/public/(.*)",
      "headers": [
        {
          "key": "Cache-Control",
          "value": "public, s-maxage=60, stale-while-revalidate=86400"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "source": "/_next/static/(.*)",
      "headers": [
        {
          "key": "Cache-Control",
          "value": "public, max-age=31536000, immutable"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

// Cloudflare Cache Rules
// Using Page Rules or Cache Rules API
const cacheRules = {
  rules: [
    {
      expression: '(http.request.uri.path matches "^/api/public/")',
      action: 'set_cache_settings',
      action_parameters: {
        edge_ttl: {
          mode: 'override_origin',
          default: 300,
        },
        browser_ttl: {
          mode: 'override_origin',
          default: 60,
        },
      },
    },
    {
      expression: '(http.request.uri.path matches "^/static/")',
      action: 'set_cache_settings',
      action_parameters: {
        cache: true,
        edge_ttl: { mode: 'override_origin', default: 86400 * 30 },
      },
    },
  ],
};

// Purge cache via API
async function purgeCloudflareCache(urls: string[]): Promise<void> {
  await fetch(
    `https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/${ZONE_ID}/purge_cache`,
    {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${CF_API_TOKEN}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({ files: urls }),
    }
  );
}

// Purge by tag
async function purgeCacheByTag(tags: string[]): Promise<void> {
  await fetch(
    `https://api.cloudflare.com/client/v4/zones/${ZONE_ID}/purge_cache`,
    {
      method: 'POST',
      headers: {
        'Authorization': `Bearer ${CF_API_TOKEN}`,
        'Content-Type': 'application/json',
      },
      body: JSON.stringify({ tags }),
    }
  );
}

6. Cache Invalidation

// Event-based cache invalidation
import { EventEmitter } from 'events';

class CacheInvalidator extends EventEmitter {
  private cache: CacheService;

  constructor() {
    super();
    this.cache = new CacheService();
    this.setupListeners();
  }

  private setupListeners(): void {
    // User events
    this.on('user:updated', async (userId: string) => {
      await this.cache.del(`user:${userId}`);
      await this.cache.invalidatePattern(`user:${userId}:*`);
    });

    this.on('user:deleted', async (userId: string) => {
      await this.cache.invalidatePattern(`user:${userId}*`);
    });

    // Product events
    this.on('product:updated', async (productId: string) => {
      await this.cache.del(`product:${productId}`);
      // Also invalidate category cache
      const product = await db.product.findUnique({ where: { id: productId } });
      if (product) {
        await this.cache.del(`category:${product.categoryId}:products`);
      }
    });

    // Bulk invalidation
    this.on('cache:purge:all', async () => {
      await redis.flushdb();
    });
  }
}

const invalidator = new CacheInvalidator();

// Use in services
class ProductService {
  async update(id: string, data: UpdateProductInput): Promise<Product> {
    const product = await db.product.update({ where: { id }, data });
    invalidator.emit('product:updated', id);
    return product;
  }
}

// Time-based invalidation with scheduled jobs
import { CronJob } from 'cron';

// Invalidate daily stats cache at midnight
new CronJob('0 0 * * *', async () => {
  await cache.invalidatePattern('stats:daily:*');
}).start();

// Refresh popular products cache every hour
new CronJob('0 * * * *', async () => {
  const products = await getPopularProducts();
  await cache.set('products:popular', products, 3600);
}).start();

7. Multi-Layer Caching

// L1: In-memory (fastest, smallest)
// L2: Redis (fast, shared)
// L3: Database (slowest, source of truth)

import LRUCache from 'lru-cache';

class MultiLayerCache<T> {
  private l1: LRUCache<string, T>;
  private l2: CacheService;

  constructor(options: {
    l1MaxSize: number;
    l1TTL: number;
    l2Prefix: string;
    l2TTL: number;
  }) {
    this.l1 = new LRUCache({
      max: options.l1MaxSize,
      ttl: options.l1TTL * 1000,
    });
    this.l2 = new CacheService(options.l2Prefix, options.l2TTL);
  }

  async get(key: string): Promise<T | null> {
    // Check L1 (in-memory)
    const l1Value = this.l1.get(key);
    if (l1Value !== undefined) {
      metrics.increment('cache.l1.hit');
      return l1Value;
    }

    // Check L2 (Redis)
    const l2Value = await this.l2.get<T>(key);
    if (l2Value !== null) {
      metrics.increment('cache.l2.hit');
      // Promote to L1
      this.l1.set(key, l2Value);
      return l2Value;
    }

    metrics.increment('cache.miss');
    return null;
  }

  async set(key: string, value: T, l1TTL?: number, l2TTL?: number): Promise<void> {
    // Set in both layers
    this.l1.set(key, value, { ttl: l1TTL ? l1TTL * 1000 : undefined });
    await this.l2.set(key, value, l2TTL);
  }

  async getOrSet(
    key: string,
    factory: () => Promise<T>,
    l1TTL?: number,
    l2TTL?: number
  ): Promise<T> {
    const cached = await this.get(key);
    if (cached !== null) return cached;

    const value = await factory();
    await this.set(key, value, l1TTL, l2TTL);
    return value;
  }

  async invalidate(key: string): Promise<void> {
    this.l1.delete(key);
    await this.l2.del(key);
  }
}

// Usage
const userCache = new MultiLayerCache<User>({
  l1MaxSize: 1000,
  l1TTL: 60, // 1 minute in memory
  l2Prefix: 'users',
  l2TTL: 3600, // 1 hour in Redis
});

async function getUser(id: string): Promise<User | null> {
  return userCache.getOrSet(
    `user:${id}`,
    () => db.user.findUnique({ where: { id } })
  );
}

Use Cases

1. API Response Caching

// Middleware for caching API responses
function apiCache(options: {
  ttl: number;
  keyGenerator?: (req: Request) => string;
  condition?: (req: Request) => boolean;
}) {
  const cache = new CacheService('api');

  return async (req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction) => {
    // Skip caching for non-GET or if condition fails
    if (req.method !== 'GET' || (options.condition && !options.condition(req))) {
      return next();
    }

    const key = options.keyGenerator?.(req) || req.originalUrl;
    const cached = await cache.get<{ body: any; headers: Record<string, string> }>(key);

    if (cached) {
      Object.entries(cached.headers).forEach(([k, v]) => res.set(k, v));
      res.set('X-Cache', 'HIT');
      return res.json(cached.body);
    }

    // Capture response
    const originalJson = res.json.bind(res);
    res.json = (body: any) => {
      cache.set(key, { body, headers: res.getHeaders() as any }, options.ttl);
      res.set('X-Cache', 'MISS');
      return originalJson(body);
    };

    next();
  };
}

// Apply to routes
app.get('/api/products', apiCache({ ttl: 300 }), getProducts);

2. Session Caching

// Redis session store
import session from 'express-session';
import RedisStore from 'connect-redis';

app.use(session({
  store: new RedisStore({ client: redis }),
  secret: process.env.SESSION_SECRET!,
  resave: false,
  saveUninitialized: false,
  cookie: {
    secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
    httpOnly: true,
    maxAge: 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000, // 24 hours
  },
}));

Best Practices

Do's

• Cache close to the user - Browser > CDN > App > Database
• Use appropriate TTLs - Balance freshness vs. performance
• Implement cache warming - Pre-populate for critical paths
• Monitor hit rates - Target > 90% for hot data
• Plan invalidation - Know when and how to invalidate
• Use consistent hashing - For distributed caches

Don'ts

• Don't cache sensitive data in shared caches
• Don't forget cache key namespacing
• Don't ignore cache stampede scenarios
• Don't cache errors with long TTLs
• Don't skip monitoring
• Don't assume cache is always available

Cache Strategy Checklist

## Cache Implementation Checklist

### Design
- [ ] Identified cacheable data
- [ ] Defined appropriate TTLs
- [ ] Planned invalidation strategy
- [ ] Considered cache layers

### Implementation
- [ ] Added cache-aside logic
- [ ] Implemented stampede prevention
- [ ] Set up monitoring
- [ ] Added cache headers

### Operations
- [ ] Monitoring hit/miss ratios
- [ ] Alerting on cache failures
- [ ] Regular cache analysis
- [ ] Invalidation testing

Related Skills

• redis - Redis operations
• performance-profiling - Measuring cache impact
• api-architecture - API caching patterns

Reference Resources

• Redis Documentation
• HTTP Caching MDN
• Cloudflare Caching
• Cache-Control Header