Caching options in ASP.NET Web API

Question

Why doesn't Web API come with caching features like MVC actions? Is it because these are HTTP based services so no state in between calls?

I have seen a few open sources like CacheCow and Strathweb, but not sure whom to pick and why? What are the best and standard options for caching with ASP.NET Web API?

If you are looking for HTTP Caching, have a look at (CacheCow)[github.com/aliostad/CacheCow]. — Aliostad
– Aliostad, Commented Oct 8, 2014 at 10:21

JotaBe · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-21 08:27:07Z

2

This is an extensive article that explains the principal options, and contains links to many more information:

EXPLORING WEB API 2 CACHING

It includes information about:

CacheCow, explained also in this article by Scott Hanselmman.
AspNetWebApi-OutputCache
Your own implementation

The poor man's implementation consist in:

implement a cache store that supports storing and retrieving values by key
generate a key from the request properties, like action parameters, method, headers, and so on, to generate a key
check if a value for that key is available in the cache store:
- if it is available, return it
- if it isn't generate it, store it and return it
var result = cacheStore.GetValue(keyFromRequest); if (result == null) { result = MyClass.ExpensiveFunctionCall(params); cacheStore.Store(keyFromRequest, result); } return result;

The cache store can be, for example, a database, a memory cache like MemoryCache class, or a Redis server.

The evolution of this idea is to use MVC action filters to make this cache cheking automatic, or to use a fully implemented solution like the aforementioned CacheCow

edited Jul 21, 2016 at 8:27

answered Oct 8, 2014 at 11:07

JotaBe

39.3k9 gold badges102 silver badges121 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

F11 Over a year ago

Could you help me out in this problem stackoverflow.com/questions/26398129/…

user1451111 Over a year ago

Will a database as a cache store not violate of definition of a cache which is there to prevent database queries at the first place!

JotaBe Over a year ago

@user1451111 No. A cache is something able to return a value in a faster or "cheaper" way that the usual method you'd use to get it. In your example , memory is faster than DB. But imagine you need to serve a request involving complicated calcultaions and queries to several external services. In that case getting the data from the DB is much faster than the original method to get it.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Caching options in ASP.NET Web API

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related