Web cache

A web cache (or HTTP cache) is an information technology for the temporary storage (caching) of web documents, such as HTML pages and web images.

Description

Web caches are used to reduce:

• Bandwidth usage
• Server load
• Perceived lag

A web cache system stores copies of documents passing through it; subsequent requests may be satisfied from the cache if certain conditions are met.

A web cache system can refer either to an appliance, or to a computer program.

HTTP ETag

The HTTP ETag is one of several mechanisms that HTTP provides for web cache validation.

HTTP ETag allows a client to make conditional requests.

See also

• Bandwidth (computing)
• HTML
• HTTP ETag
• URL normalization
• Web document
• Web image
• Web server

External links

• Web cache @ Wikipedia