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HTTP Cache Headers Workflow

Configure HTTP cache headers for static assets and API responses to improve performance and reduce server load.

beginner~20 mincachinghttpworkflow

Objective

Set appropriate cache headers to optimize loading performance.

Environment

  • A web server or CDN configuration access
  • Understanding of Cache-Control and ETag headers
  • Static assets and API endpoints to configure

Steps

1. Identify cacheable resources

List static assets and API responses that can be safely cached.

Expected state: A list of cacheable resources with their cache strategies is created.

2. Set static asset headers

Configure long-lived cache headers with fingerprinted filenames for static assets.

Expected state: Static assets have Cache-Control: public, max-age=31536000, immutable.

3. Set API response headers

Configure appropriate cache headers for API responses, using ETag or Last-Modified.

Expected state: API responses have appropriate cache validation headers.

4. Verify with curl

Use curl -I to inspect the headers returned for each resource.

Expected state: The correct cache headers are present in responses.

Decision points

Use immutable for all static assets?

  • Yes, with fingerprinting
  • No, only for truly immutable files

Use immutable only when filenames are content-hashed; otherwise use a long max-age with revalidation.

Expected outcome

All cacheable resources have appropriate cache headers, verified with curl.

Verification

Run curl -I for each resource type and confirm the cache headers match the intended strategy.

Cleanup

No cleanup needed; cache configuration should be committed.

Cache headers are free performance

Proper cache headers dramatically reduce latency and server load. Static assets should be cached aggressively with fingerprinting.

curl -I https://example.com/static/app.abc123.js
# Should show: Cache-Control: public, max-age=31536000, immutable

Implementation Notes

This workflow provides a structured approach to ensure consistent results across team members and environments.

Common Pitfalls

Skipping verification steps or rushing through the process can lead to incomplete results. Always follow each step in order and verify before proceeding.