What is a cache?
In short
- A cache is a saved copy of a file kept somewhere fast, so the next request can be answered without fetching the file again.
- Browsers cache on your own machine, and a CDN caches on servers near the visitor.
- Caching is the main reason a page loads faster when you open it again.
A cache is a stored copy kept close to where it will be needed next. Your browser keeps images and scripts on your own machine, so a page you revisit does not download everything again. A CDN keeps files on servers near visitors, so each request can skip the trip back to the origin. Both follow the same idea of doing the work once and reusing the result.
For shared files, this is why a second open can be quicker than the first. On NudgeHost the only cached copy sits in the visitor's own browser, because hosted files are kept off shared caches like an edge network. A zipped site's pages are never cached, and its other files stay in the browser for up to five minutes. A page you host as a plain HTML page gets a new signed link from storage each time the link is opened, so the browser fetches it again rather than reusing a copy. A smaller file loads faster on every open, so it pays to turn large PNGs into WebP before uploading.
Caching has one wrinkle. When you replace a zipped site, a returning visitor's browser can keep an older copy of a script, a stylesheet or an image for up to five minutes. The pages themselves update on the next load, and a single file shows the new version as soon as the link is opened again. Hosting starts free, and an upgraded plan raises the file limits. None of the caching needs configuring on your side, because NudgeHost sets the rules for every file it serves.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Why does my updated file still show the old version?
A returning visitor's browser can keep an older copy of a site's script, stylesheet or image for up to five minutes after you replace the site. It refreshes by itself after that, and the pages update on the next load.
Do I control the caching myself?
No configuration is needed. NudgeHost sets caching rules so files load fast on repeat visits without any input from you.
Does caching affect a file only I open?
A zipped site's files still stay in your browser, so your own repeat visits to the site are quicker. NudgeHost keeps no shared copy on its servers, so each visitor's browser keeps its own.
Put it into practice.
Drop a file and get a shareable link in seconds. Free, no card needed.