Cache Control - 🌲 Sonamu

Learn how to configure TanStack Query’s client caching and HTTP caching for SSR responses in Sonamu.

Cache Control Overview

TanStack Query

Client memory caching staleTime/gcTime

HTTP Cache

Cache-Control headers CDN/Browser caching

Revalidation

Auto/manual refresh Keep data fresh

Performance

Fast response Reduced server load

TanStack Query Client Caching

Basic Configuration

// entry-client.tsx
const queryClient = new QueryClient({
  defaultOptions: {
    queries: {
      // Cache settings
      staleTime: 5000, // 5 seconds (time data is fresh)
      gcTime: 5 * 60 * 1000, // 5 minutes (garbage collection time)

      // Revalidation settings
      refetchOnWindowFocus: false, // Don't revalidate on window focus
      refetchOnMount: true, // Revalidate on mount
      refetchOnReconnect: true, // Revalidate on reconnect

      // Retry settings
      retry: false, // Don't retry on failure
    },
  },
});

staleTime vs gcTime

// staleTime: Time data is "fresh"
// → No re-requests during this time
// → Default is 0 (always stale)

// gcTime: Time to keep in cache (formerly cacheTime)
// → Kept in memory during this time
// → Default is 5 minutes (300000ms)

const { data } = useQuery({
  queryKey: ["user", userId],
  queryFn: fetchUser,
  staleTime: 5000, // Fresh for 5 seconds
  gcTime: 10 * 60 * 1000, // Keep cache for 10 minutes
});

// Timeline:
// 0 sec: Data fetch → fresh
// 5 sec: Transition to stale state
//        (but still in cache)
//        Background refetch on re-request
// 10 min: Removed from cache (garbage collection)

Per-Query Cache Settings

Pass options to Service Hook for individual settings.

import { UserService } from "@/services/services.generated";

function UserProfile({ userId }: { userId: number }) {
  const { data } = UserService.useUser("C", userId, {
    // Settings for this query only
    staleTime: 10 * 60 * 1000,    // 10 min fresh
    gcTime: 30 * 60 * 1000,       // 30 min cache retention
    refetchOnWindowFocus: true,   // Revalidate on focus
  });

  return <div>{data?.user.username}</div>;
}

Caching Strategy by Data Type

// 1. Real-time data (stocks, chat, etc.)
const { data } = useQuery({
  queryKey: ["stock", symbol],
  queryFn: fetchStock,
  staleTime: 0, // Always stale
  refetchInterval: 5000, // Auto refetch every 5 seconds
});

// 2. Frequently changing data (feed, notifications, etc.)
const { data } = useQuery({
  queryKey: ["feed"],
  queryFn: fetchFeed,
  staleTime: 60 * 1000, // 1 min fresh
  refetchOnWindowFocus: true,
});

// 3. Occasionally changing data (profile, settings, etc.)
const { data } = useQuery({
  queryKey: ["profile"],
  queryFn: fetchProfile,
  staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000, // 5 min fresh
  refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
});

// 4. Rarely changing data (categories, country list, etc.)
const { data } = useQuery({
  queryKey: ["categories"],
  queryFn: fetchCategories,
  staleTime: Infinity, // Forever fresh
  gcTime: Infinity, // Forever cached
});

Manual Cache Control

Cache Invalidation

"use client";

import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
import { PostService } from "@/services/services.generated";

export function CreatePostForm() {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  async function handleSubmit(data: any) {
    // Create post
    await PostService.createPost(data);

    // Invalidate related cache
    queryClient.invalidateQueries({
      queryKey: ["Post", "list"], // Invalidate post list
    });

    // Or only specific query
    queryClient.invalidateQueries({
      queryKey: ["Post", "list", { page: 1 }],
    });
  }

  return <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>...</form>;
}

Direct Cache Update

"use client";

import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";

export function LikeButton({ postId }: { postId: number }) {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  async function handleLike() {
    // 1. Get current cache
    const queryKey = ["Post", "getPost", "C", postId];
    const previousPost = queryClient.getQueryData(queryKey);

    // 2. Optimistic update
    queryClient.setQueryData(queryKey, (old: any) => ({
      ...old,
      post: {
        ...old.post,
        likes: old.post.likes + 1,
      },
    }));

    try {
      // 3. Request to server
      await PostService.likePost(postId);
    } catch (error) {
      // 4. Rollback on failure
      queryClient.setQueryData(queryKey, previousPost);
    }
  }

  return <button onClick={handleLike}>Like</button>;
}

Cache Query

const queryClient = useQueryClient();

// Query single cache
const userData = queryClient.getQueryData(["User", "getUser", "C", 123]);

// Query all caches
const allQueries = queryClient.getQueryCache().getAll();

// Query specific pattern caches
const postQueries = queryClient.getQueryCache().findAll({ queryKey: ["Post"] });

SSR Cache-Control

You can set HTTP Cache-Control headers in registerSSR.

Individual Route Caching

// api/src/application/sonamu.ts
import { registerSSR } from "sonamu";

registerSSR({
  path: "/posts/:id",
  preload: (params) => [
    /* ... */
  ],
  cacheControl: {
    maxAge: 3600, // 1 hour (browser cache)
    sMaxAge: 7200, // 2 hours (CDN cache)
    staleWhileRevalidate: 86400, // Serve stale content for 1 day
    public: true, // Allow public cache
  },
});

Generated header:

Cache-Control: public, max-age=3600, s-maxage=7200, stale-while-revalidate=86400

Caching Strategy Examples

// 1. Static content (long caching)
registerSSR({
  path: "/about",
  cacheControl: {
    maxAge: 86400, // 1 day
    sMaxAge: 604800, // 7 days (CDN)
    public: true,
  },
});

// 2. Dynamic content (short caching)
registerSSR({
  path: "/posts/:id",
  cacheControl: {
    maxAge: 300, // 5 minutes
    sMaxAge: 600, // 10 minutes (CDN)
    staleWhileRevalidate: 3600,
    public: true,
  },
});

// 3. Personalized content (no caching)
registerSSR({
  path: "/dashboard",
  cacheControl: {
    noStore: true, // Completely disable cache
    private: true, // Private only
  },
});

// 4. No cache (revalidate every time)
registerSSR({
  path: "/live-feed",
  cacheControl: {
    noCache: true, // Revalidation required
  },
});

CacheControlConfig Type

type CacheControlConfig = {
  maxAge?: number; // Browser cache time (seconds)
  sMaxAge?: number; // CDN cache time (seconds)
  staleWhileRevalidate?: number; // Stale content serve time (seconds)
  staleIfError?: number; // Stale content serve time on error (seconds)
  public?: boolean; // Allow public cache
  private?: boolean; // Private only (no CDN cache)
  noCache?: boolean; // Revalidation required
  noStore?: boolean; // Completely disable cache
  mustRevalidate?: boolean; // Force revalidation
  immutable?: boolean; // Immutable resource
};

Global Caching Handler

Set a global handler that applies to all SSR routes.

// api/src/application/sonamu.ts
import { SonamuFastifyConfig } from "sonamu";

const config: SonamuFastifyConfig = {
  cacheControlHandler: (req) => {
    // SSR request info
    const { type, url, path, method } = req;

    // Static pages
    if (path === "/about" || path === "/terms") {
      return {
        maxAge: 86400, // 1 day
        public: true,
      };
    }

    // Dynamic pages
    if (path.startsWith("/posts/")) {
      return {
        maxAge: 300, // 5 minutes
        staleWhileRevalidate: 3600,
        public: true,
      };
    }

    // Default: no caching
    return {
      noCache: true,
    };
  },
};

Hybrid Caching

Use SSR and client caching together.

// Server: HTTP caching (1 hour)
registerSSR({
  path: "/posts/:id",
  cacheControl: {
    maxAge: 3600,
  },
});

// Client: Memory caching (5 minutes)
const { data } = PostService.usePost("C", postId, {
  staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
});

Caching layers:

Browser HTTP cache: 1 hour (max-age=3600)
TanStack Query memory: 5 minutes (staleTime)
Server SSR rendering: Render on cache miss

Flow:

First visit: SSR → HTML + data → Store in browser cache
Re-visit within 5 min: Use TanStack Query memory cache
5 min ~ 1 hour: Use browser HTTP cache
After 1 hour: New request to server

Development Environment Debugging

React Query Devtools

// web/src/routes/__root.tsx
import { ReactQueryDevtools } from "@tanstack/react-query-devtools";

function RootComponent() {
  return (
    <html>
      <body>
        <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
          <Outlet />
          <ReactQueryDevtools initialIsOpen={false} />
        </QueryClientProvider>
      </body>
    </html>
  );
}

Check Cache State

"use client";

import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";

export function CacheDebugger() {
  const queryClient = useQueryClient();

  function showCache() {
    const cache = queryClient.getQueryCache();
    console.log("Total queries:", cache.getAll().length);

    cache.getAll().forEach((query) => {
      console.log({
        queryKey: query.queryKey,
        state: query.state.status,
        dataUpdatedAt: new Date(query.state.dataUpdatedAt),
        staleTime: query.options.staleTime,
      });
    });
  }

  return <button onClick={showCache}>Show Cache</button>;
}

Check HTTP Cache Headers

Check response headers in Browser Developer Tools → Network tab:

Cache-Control: public, max-age=3600, s-maxage=7200, stale-while-revalidate=86400
Age: 1234
X-Cache: HIT

Performance Optimization Strategies

1. Use Subsets

Cache only needed fields to save memory:

// ❌ Cache all fields (large)
UserService.useUser("C", userId, {
  staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
});

// ✅ Cache only needed fields (small)
UserService.useUser("A", userId, {
  staleTime: 5 * 60 * 1000,
});

2. Selective Revalidation

Actively revalidate only important data:

// Important data
const { data: user } = UserService.useUser("C", userId, {
  refetchOnWindowFocus: true,
  refetchOnMount: true,
});

// Less important data
const { data: posts } = PostService.usePosts("A", {
  refetchOnWindowFocus: false,
  refetchOnMount: false,
});

3. Cache Prefetching

Pre-cache data that will be needed next:

const queryClient = useQueryClient();

function prefetchPost(postId: number) {
  queryClient.prefetchQuery({
    queryKey: ["Post", "getPost", "C", postId],
    queryFn: () => PostService.getPost("C", postId),
  });
}

// Prefetch on link hover
<Link
  to={`/posts/${postId}`}
  onMouseEnter={() => prefetchPost(postId)}
>
  Read more
</Link>

Cautions

Cautions when using cache: 1. staleTime setting required: Default 0 always refetches 2. Private for personal data: No public caching 3. Sensitive data: Disable caching with noStore 4. SSR cacheControl: Individual settings take precedence over global handler 5. Memory management: Remove unnecessary cache with gcTime

Next Steps

SSR Setup

SSR basic structure

Data Preloading

How to use registerSSR

Hydration Strategies

Hydration optimization

TanStack Query Docs

Query detailed guide

Get Started

Core Concepts

Database

API Development

Frontend Integration

Testing

Advanced Features

Tools & CLI

Configuration

API Reference

Troubleshooting

FAQ

​Cache Control Overview

TanStack Query

HTTP Cache

Revalidation

Performance

​TanStack Query Client Caching

​Basic Configuration

​staleTime vs gcTime

​Per-Query Cache Settings

​Caching Strategy by Data Type

​Manual Cache Control

​Cache Invalidation

​Direct Cache Update

​Cache Query

​SSR Cache-Control

​Individual Route Caching

​Caching Strategy Examples

​CacheControlConfig Type

​Global Caching Handler

​Hybrid Caching

​Development Environment Debugging

​React Query Devtools

​Check Cache State

​Check HTTP Cache Headers

​Performance Optimization Strategies

​1. Use Subsets

​2. Selective Revalidation

​3. Cache Prefetching

​Cautions

​Next Steps

SSR Setup

Data Preloading

Hydration Strategies

TanStack Query Docs

Cache Control Overview

TanStack Query Client Caching

Basic Configuration

staleTime vs gcTime

Per-Query Cache Settings

Caching Strategy by Data Type

Manual Cache Control

Cache Invalidation

Direct Cache Update

Cache Query

SSR Cache-Control

Individual Route Caching

Caching Strategy Examples

CacheControlConfig Type

Global Caching Handler

Hybrid Caching

Development Environment Debugging

React Query Devtools

Check Cache State

Check HTTP Cache Headers

Performance Optimization Strategies

1. Use Subsets

2. Selective Revalidation

3. Cache Prefetching

Cautions

Next Steps