10 .NET Core Caching Best Practices

Caching is an important part of any application, and .NET Core is no exception. Caching can help improve the performance of your application by reducing the amount of data that needs to be retrieved from the database. It can also help reduce the load on the server by storing frequently used data in memory.

In this article, we will discuss 10 best practices for caching in .NET Core. We will look at how to use caching effectively, how to choose the right caching strategy, and how to ensure that your caching implementation is secure.

1. Use the right cache

Different caches have different features and capabilities, so it’s important to choose the right one for your application.

For example, if you need a cache that can store large amounts of data, then an in-memory cache like Redis might be the best choice. On the other hand, if you only need to store small amounts of data, then a distributed cache like Azure Cache for Redis might be more suitable.

It’s also important to consider the performance requirements of your application when choosing a cache. For instance, if you need low latency access to cached data, then an in-memory cache is probably the best option. However, if you don’t need such fast access times, then a distributed cache may be better suited.

2. Cache frequently used data

Caching data can help reduce the load on your server, as it eliminates the need to query a database or other source for the same information multiple times.

Caching also helps improve application performance by reducing latency and improving response time. This is especially important when dealing with large datasets that take longer to process. By caching frequently used data, you can ensure that users get the information they need quickly and efficiently.

Finally, caching can help reduce costs associated with hosting and bandwidth usage. Cached data takes up less space than non-cached data, so you don’t have to pay for additional storage or bandwidth.

3. Avoid caching large objects

Caching large objects can cause memory issues, as the cache will take up a lot of space in your application’s memory. This can lead to performance problems and even crashes if the memory usage gets too high.

To avoid this issue, it’s best to only cache small objects or data that is not likely to change often. If you need to cache larger objects, consider using an external caching solution such as Redis or Memcached. These solutions are designed for storing large amounts of data and can help reduce the strain on your application’s memory.

4. Evict items from the cache when they are no longer needed

When an item is stored in the cache, it takes up memory and other resources. If items are not evicted from the cache when they are no longer needed, then those resources will be wasted. This can lead to performance issues as more and more items are added to the cache without being removed.

To ensure that your .NET Core application is running optimally, you should always evict items from the cache when they are no longer needed. This can be done manually or by using a caching library such as Redis which has built-in eviction policies.

5. Consider using a distributed cache for scalability and high availability

Distributed caches are designed to be highly available and can scale up or down as needed. This means that if one node in the cache fails, another node will take its place without any interruption of service. Additionally, distributed caches allow for more efficient use of resources since they can spread out data across multiple nodes.

Finally, distributed caches provide better performance than a single-node cache because they can store larger amounts of data and process requests faster. All of these benefits make distributed caching an ideal solution for .NET Core applications that need scalability and high availability.

6. Be careful with concurrent access to cached data

When multiple threads try to access the same cached data at the same time, it can lead to race conditions and other issues. To avoid this, you should use a locking mechanism such as a ReaderWriterLockSlim or SemaphoreSlim when accessing cached data. This will ensure that only one thread is able to access the data at any given time, thus avoiding potential conflicts.

7. Use asynchronous methods to avoid blocking threads

When a thread is blocked, it can’t be used to process other requests. This means that if you have multiple threads waiting for the same resource, they will all be blocked until the resource is available. Asynchronous methods allow you to avoid this problem by allowing threads to continue processing other requests while they wait for the resource to become available.

Using asynchronous methods also helps improve performance because it reduces the amount of time spent waiting for resources. Additionally, using asynchronous methods allows your application to scale better since more requests can be processed in parallel.

8. Implement expiration policies

Caching data can help improve the performance of your application, but it also has a downside. If you don’t set an expiration policy for cached items, they will remain in memory indefinitely and take up valuable resources. This can lead to memory leaks and other issues.

To avoid this problem, make sure to implement expiration policies when caching data with .NET Core. You can do this by setting a time-to-live (TTL) value on each item that is cached. This TTL value determines how long the item should stay in cache before being evicted. Setting appropriate TTL values ensures that only relevant data remains in cache and helps prevent memory leaks.

9. Monitor your application performance

Caching can help improve the performance of your application, but it can also have a negative impact if not implemented correctly.

Monitoring your application performance will allow you to identify any issues that may arise from caching and make adjustments accordingly. You should monitor both the time it takes for requests to be processed as well as the amount of memory being used by your application. This will give you an idea of how effective your caching strategy is and whether or not changes need to be made.

10. Test your code thoroughly

Caching can be tricky to get right, and if you don’t test your code properly, you could end up with unexpected results.

For example, if you’re using a distributed cache like Redis, it’s important to make sure that the data is being stored correctly across all nodes in the cluster. If not, then you may experience issues such as stale data or inconsistent performance.

It’s also important to test for edge cases, such as what happens when the cache is full or when there are network issues. This will help ensure that your application behaves as expected under any circumstances.