Browser Caching Debate

Commenters debate whether existing browser and HTTP caching mechanisms, like Cache-Control headers and ETags, sufficiently solve web performance issues such as page reloads and resource loading, often questioning the need for alternative approaches.

📉 Falling 0.4x Web Development
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#3614
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Keywords

RAM XDG e.g nextjs.org HOME FE DNS C10K FS fastly.com cache caching cached browser content headers http fetch css files

Sample Comments

cedias • Nov 28, 2013 • View on HN

isn't that what's browser cache is for ?

danjordan • Jan 12, 2016 • View on HN

Does this have any negative effects on browser caching?

twinturbo • Jul 20, 2012 • View on HN

Agree. Take advantage of HTTP caching.

shawnz • May 16, 2019 • View on HN

Doesn't every kind of web resource caching already let you do that?

cheez • Mar 1, 2011 • View on HN

Someone please explain to me why just using the browser cache isn't enough?

goatlover • May 8, 2020 • View on HN

Aren't those usually cached? Page reloads these days are fast.

nkuttler • Nov 30, 2013 • View on HN

Considering that browsers have caches this isn't a huuuge issue.

zachrose • Jun 6, 2017 • View on HN

Or why can't this problem be solved with HTTP caching headers and a browser that Does the Right Thing?

benob • Nov 17, 2025 • View on HN

Why doesn't this apply to any kind of cached content?

DyslexicAtheist • Jan 20, 2021 • View on HN

I suppose given their claims, a caching strategy would be beside the point :)