What should we store in cache & what should not

What to Store in Cache:

1. Frequently Accessed Data:

   • Items that are retrieved often (e.g., user profiles, configuration settings).

2. Expensive Operations:

   • Results from complex calculations or resource-intensive database queries.

3. Static or Rarely Changing Data:

   • Reference data, such as product catalogs or lookup tables, that doesn't change frequently.

4. Session Data:

   • Information related to user sessions that enhances user experience (e.g., shopping cart contents).

5. Data with High Latency:

   • Data fetched from slow sources (e.g., external APIs) that can benefit from reduced load times.

What Not to Store in Cache:

1. Large Data Sets:

   • Avoid caching large objects that can consume significant memory unless absolutely necessary.

2. Volatile Data:

   • Data that changes frequently (e.g., real-time transaction data) unless you can manage it effectively.

3. Rarely Accessed Data:

   • Data that is infrequently accessed may not justify the overhead of caching.

4. Sensitive Information:

   • Personal or sensitive data (e.g., passwords, personal identifiable information) should generally not be cached.

5. Temporary Data:

   • Data that is only relevant for a very short time and won’t be reused.