Here's All You Need to Know About Cached Websites
If you want to know all about cached websites, this article is for you. There is a secret tip for all the aspiring website developers in this article as well. Read on to know it.
The most important question: what is cache?
Think of a scenario. You are going to a Cafe. You have never been to that side of the town before. What will you do? You will look up the address of that café and then drive/walk to it. What will happen the second time you go there? Will you look up the address again? No, right? You will remember the address of the café from the last time that you went there. That's so because your mind stored that little piece of information so that whenever you need it again you can access it. For the first time, we need to be told something but afterward, our mind usually retains that information for future use.
Similarly, the cache is storage space. It temporarily stores data that we might need in the future. Cache makes it easier for us to access data the second time; taking less time as compared to the first time to retrieve it. So, the cache is a storage location. It can be on hardware or software.
Source: Unsplash
What are cached websites?
Have you ever noticed that whenever we visit a website for the very first time, it takes a little longer to load it? Whereas, on the second visit the loading time is reduced. Do you know why does that happen? It happens because after the first time you access cached websites.
The web browser temporarily stores websites and web documents. The web browser does this so that whenever you open that website for the second time it will directly access the temporary storage to load the old cached websites fast.
Why does the cached version of a website exist?
The answer to this is easy and pretty straight forward. As discussed earlier, cache site makes it easier to access the webpages for the second time. This caching mechanism improves the overall user experience and reduces the load on the browser as well.
The sole purpose of having cached websites is to quicken up things for the user. These days everyone is in a hurry. Everyone wants to get things quickly. Old cached websites do this job for the users who are always in a hurry.
How do caching websites work?
Think of how you access a website? You request a website by entering its URL. This request is sent to the server. The server processes your request and then the website that you requested is sent to your browser in the form of an HTML file. If your browser saves that HTML file then this website becomes a cached website. Now, whenever you request for this website again, your browser will access the HTML rather than sending the request to the server.
Source: Unsplash
When do cached websites come in handy?
Cache site comes in handy when you access a website/webpage frequently. If you visit a webpage almost every day or many times a day, then this feature helps you a lot. For example, if you are a student and access your student portal every day then the cached version of a website makes things easy for you.
When do old cached websites become a hassle?
If you visit a website as a one-time thing then cached websites can become a hassle for you. Your browser might save data from websites that you don't need and occupy unnecessary space on your mobile or computer. That's why you need to clean old cached websites frequently.
What is a Google cached website?
A Google cache website is the stored version of the HTML page that the server sends to the browser, in this case, the browser is google, hence the name Google cached website. It serves the same purpose as described earlier. If you visit a website that is temporarily down then google will show you the cached version of website.
Source: Unsplash
What is cache clearing? Should I clear my browser's cache or google cached website?
If you are facing a shortage of storage or if you feel like your system/mobile is lagging then clearing the cache is a good idea. Clearing cache will remove cached websites and data (cookies, etc.). So, when you visit a website after caching, it will be like you are visiting it for the first time. Another benefit of clearing cache is that it will fix any formatting issues that you were facing and it will protect your privacy.
Source: Unsplash
A downside of cache clearing is that it will remove any saved login details and saved cookies.
For website developers: Should I enable the caching of my website?
Cached websites surely enhance the user experience. Even though these days the loading time of websites is quite less but caching still speeds up things a lot. If your website is down and the browser cached it, your visitor will be able to view the cached version of website. So, enabling the caching of your website is a good idea.
The secret tip for website developers:
If you are an aspiring website developer, it is highly recommended that you prototype your website before designing it. Wondershare Mockitt is one of the best online prototyping software. If you prototype your website on Mockitt, be assured that your website will turn out exactly how you want it to be.
Mockitt allows you to create the website of your dreams. It offers diverse templates to choose from. You can choose a template and then start prototyping right away. For beginners, all the steps are clearly defined so you don't need to worry about being sucked into a complicated process.
The reason why we recommend prototyping so much is that prototyping is the step that makes or breaks your website. You can add whatever options you like to the website (like cached websites), but if you don't prototype it firstly, you are bound to miss something which will ruin the whole user experience.
