HTTP cache semantics

CachePolicy object that computes properties of a HTTP response, such as whether it's fresh or stale, and how long it can be cached for. Based on RFC 7234.

Usage

const cache = new CachePolicy(request, response, options);

// Age counts from the time response has been created
const secondsFresh = cache.maxAge();
const secondsOld = cache.age();

// Current state
const outOfDate = cache.stale();

Cacheability of response depends on how it was requested, so both request and response are required. Both are objects with headers property that is an object with lowercased header names as keys, e.g.

const request = {
    url: '/',
    method: 'GET',
    headers: {
        accept: '*/*',
    },
};

const response = {
    status: 200,
    headers: {
        'cache-control': 'public, max-age=7234',
    },
};

const options = {
    shared: true,
};

If options.shared is true (default), then response is evaluated from perspective of a shared cache (i.e. private is not cacheable and s-maxage is respected). If options.shared is false, then response is evaluated from perspective of a single-user cache (i.e. private is cacheable and s-maxage is ignored).

satisfiesWithoutRevalidation(request)

If it returns true, then the given request matches the response this cache policy has been created with, and the existing response can be used without contacting the server.

If it returns false, then the response may not be matching at all (e.g. it's different URL or method), or may require to be refreshed first.

storable()

Returns true if the response can be stored in a cache. If it's false then you MUST NOT store either request or the response.

stale()

Returns true if the response is stale (i.e. not fresh).

It generally means the response can't be used any more without revalidation with the server. However, there are exceptions, e.g. client can explicitly allow stale responses. A fresh response still may not be used if other conditions—such as Vary—are not satisfied.

Implemented

• Expires with check for bad clocks
• Cache-Control response header
• Pragma response header
• Age response header
• Default cacheability of statuses and methods
• Basic support for Vary

Unimplemented

• No support for revalidation and stale responses