Origin Server Caching
Origin server caching is a web performance optimization technique where static or dynamic content is stored in memory or on disk at the origin server (the original source of the content) to reduce processing load and improve response times. It involves caching responses generated by the server before they are sent to clients or intermediate caches like CDNs. This reduces redundant computations, database queries, or API calls for identical requests.
Developers should implement origin server caching when building high-traffic web applications, APIs, or services to handle scalability and reduce latency. It's particularly useful for content that changes infrequently (e.g., product listings, blog posts) or for computationally expensive operations (e.g., data aggregations, template rendering). By caching at the origin, you can lower server costs, improve user experience with faster load times, and reduce backend strain during traffic spikes.