What is Caching and How it Works

Have you ever noticed that a website loads slowly the first time you visit it, but loads much faster when you return? That’s because of caching—spelled caching, not cashing.

There are plenty of great benefits to enabling caching on your website. But there are also times when it can make you want to scream at your computer because your latest updates aren’t showing up. (Yep, been there, too.)

This article will walk you through the basics of caching—how it works, why it matters, why your updates may not appear right away, and how to configure caching on your WordPress site using the Bluehost plugin, which is automatically included with new WordPress installations created through Softaculous.

What is cache?

A cache is a temporary storage area where your website’s data is saved. When someone visits your site, their browser first checks its cache for the web files. If the visitor has been to your site before, their browser may already have a stored copy of your site’s content. This allows the browser to load the page quickly without retrieving all the files again from your hosting account.

There are different caching systems available. Browser caching and server caching are the most common among them.

Browser caching

Browser caching refers to how a visitor’s web browser stores website resources—such as text, images, videos, and scripts—in its local cache. When the user returns to the site, the browser can load these files directly from the stored cache instead of downloading them again. This results in faster page loading and reduced bandwidth usage.

If you’ve made updates to your website, but it still loads an older version, your browser cache is likely the cause. You may need to clear your browser’s cache through its settings. The steps vary depending on which browser you’re using. For detailed instructions on clearing your browser cache, please refer to the following article.

• How to Clear Browser Cache

Server caching

Another type of caching is server caching. This method stores website resources—such as text, scripts, and multimedia content—on your server or hosting account. Each time a visitor requests a page, the server processes that request. Like a browser, the server checks whether the same request has been made before and whether a cached version exists. If it does, the server delivers the stored content immediately for faster loading.
While server caching can take some time to process each request, it can store far more content than browser caching. All caching operations at this level are managed directly on the server.

If you’ve made changes to your website but still can’t see them in your browser—even after clearing your browser cache—your server cache may be the cause. To help you address cache‑related issues, we’ve provided a way to manage your cache through Bluehost Cache using the Bluehost plugin. See the section below for more details.

Why is cache important?

Caching itself does not make a website fast. It only cuts down its delivery time. While it plays a role in helping speed up websites, you still need to address other underlying problems slowing down your website, which involves site optimization.

Caching reduces the resources needed to fetch information and improves the network's load and accessibility. It allows your visitors to load your web page content faster. Faster load speed impacts your organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Specifics of SEO are described in detail in the article, Website SEO Basics - How to Optimize your Content.

Why can't I see my changes?

Suppose you’ve spent a lot of time building your WordPress website, but now it’s loading slower than before, or your recent updates aren’t appearing. That can be incredibly frustrating! You might find yourself wondering, “What am I doing wrong? I already cleared my browser cache. My internet is fine. Why can’t I see my changes?”
More often than not, the issue has to do with how your website is storing—or caching—information on your hosting account (your server). In many cases, the server is still serving an older, cached version of your site.

To resolve cache-related issues, clearing your cache is recommended. If clearing the cache of your browser didn't work, you'll need to clear your server cache, so the world can see your updated WordPress website. Bluehost provides you the ability to clear your cache within your WordPress Dashboard using the

Bluehostplugin.

Aside from clearing the cache, the cache settings within the Bluehost plugin include the following:

• Disabled - No cache is enabled. (This setting is not recommended.)
• Asset Only - Cache static assets, such as images and site appearance, for 1 hour. It is recommended for e-commerce and sites that update frequently or display information in real-time.
• Assets & Web Pages - Cache static assets for 24 hours and web pages for 2 hours. This is recommended for blogs, educational sites, and sites that update at least weekly.
• Assets & Web Pages - Extended - Cache static assets for 1 week and web pages for 8 hours. It is recommended for portfolios, brochure sites, and sites that update monthly or less often.

Select your preferred cache settings or click on the Clear All Cache Now button to clear your cache and start seeing the updates on your website!

Cache using the Bluehost plugin

Bluehost worked hard to make it easier for you to manage your cache within your WordPress Dashboard. You may have heard of different caching plugins available on WordPress.org, which require you to search, check compatibility with your hosting account, activate, and wait for the results. With the Bluehost plugin, you no longer need to do all of that. New WordPress installations will now have the Bluehost plugin pre-installed within the WordPress Dashboard.

For detailed instructions on where to find and how to use the caching feature of the Bluehost plugin, please check the following article.

• How to Clear WordPress Cache and Optimize Performance

Related Articles

• How to Clear Browser Cache
• Getting Started with WordPress
• Unlocking WordPress: A Guide to the Bluehost Plugin

Summary

Caching stores website data for faster loading. Clear the browser or server cache to see updates. Use Bluehost’s plugin for easy WordPress cache control.