About HTTP Cache Policy Builder
An HTTP cache policy builder helps you assemble a Cache-Control header for browsers, CDNs, immutable assets, and API responses without memorizing every directive. It is useful when you need to balance freshness, performance, and invalidation strategy across different routes before you update a server config or framework response helper.
How to Use HTTP Cache Policy Builder
- 1Choose the caching behavior you want, such as browser max-age, shared cache lifetime, revalidation rules, or no-store handling.
- 2Adjust the directive values until the policy matches the route you are configuring, whether that is an API response, HTML page, or versioned static asset.
- 3Copy the generated Cache-Control header into your application, edge platform, or infrastructure configuration and retest the response behavior.
Common Use Cases for HTTP Cache Policy Builder
Static asset caching
Create long-lived policies for hashed JavaScript, CSS, or image files so browsers and CDNs can reuse them safely between releases.
API freshness control
Tune response lifetimes for JSON endpoints where users need fast updates but shared caches can still reduce repeat load.
Platform migration reviews
Translate an existing caching strategy into a new framework, CDN, or reverse proxy without re-deriving each directive from scratch.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between max-age and s-maxage?
max-age controls how long a browser can reuse a response, while s-maxage targets shared caches such as CDNs or proxies. Use both when you want different behavior for end users and intermediary caches.
When should I use no-store instead of no-cache?
Use no-store when the response should not be kept at all, such as highly sensitive account data. Use no-cache when a cached copy can exist but must be revalidated before reuse.