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Caching Strategies in ASP .NET Core

Introduction

Caching is an essential technique to improve the performance and responsiveness of ASP.NET Core applications. ASP.NET Core provides various caching strategies that developers can use to store and retrieve data efficiently. Below are some caching strategies in ASP.NET Core:

In-Memory Caching

  • In-memory caching stores data in the application's memory for a specified duration.
  • Useful for storing frequently accessed and relatively static data.
services.AddMemoryCache();

Usage in a controller

private readonly IMemoryCache _memoryCache;

public MyController(IMemoryCache memoryCache)
{
    _memoryCache = memoryCache;
}

public IActionResult MyAction()
{
    var cachedData = _memoryCache.GetOrCreate("CacheKey", entry =>
    {
        entry.SlidingExpiration = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10);
        return GetDataFromDatabase();
    });

    return View(cachedData);
}

Distributed Caching

  • Distributed caching stores data across multiple servers to share cached data among different instances of the application.
  • Suitable for scenarios where the application is hosted on a web farm or in a cloud environment.

Example using Redis

services.AddStackExchangeRedisCache(options =>
{
    options.Configuration = "localhost:6379"; // Redis server connection string
    options.InstanceName = "SampleInstance";
});

Usage is similar to in-memory caching but with the distributed cache provider.

Response Caching

  • Response caching caches the entire HTTP response, including headers and content, at the server or client side.
  • Helps reduce the load on the server and improve client-side performance.

Example in Startup.cs

services.AddResponseCaching();

Usage in a controller or action method:

[ResponseCache(Duration = 60, Location = ResponseCacheLocation.Any)]
public IActionResult MyAction()
{
    return View();
}

Output Caching

  • Output caching caches the output of a controller action or Razor page.
  • Helps reduce the processing time of the same request repeatedly.

Example in a controller

[ResponseCache(Duration = 60, VaryByQueryKeys = new[] { "id" })]
public IActionResult MyAction(int id)
{
    return View(GetDataById(id));
}

Donut Caching

  • Donut caching is a combination of output caching and donut hole caching, where you can cache parts of a page independently.
  • Useful for caching specific sections of a page.

Example using TagHelper

<cache expires-after="@TimeSpan.FromMinutes(10)">
    <!-- Cached content here -->
</cache>

Conclusion

These caching strategies can be used individually or in combination based on the application's requirements. It's important to carefully choose the appropriate caching strategy considering factors such as data volatility, scalability, and caching granularity. Additionally, always monitor and adjust cache expiration times to ensure the cached data remains relevant.


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