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Web Page Caching: Cross-Browser Control

Emma Brown
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#java #general
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HTTP cache busting? Tried all the standard headers, but some browsers are ignoring them. Need a rock-solid, cross-browser solution (IE6+!) for *never* caching sensitive pages. Challenge accepted?

How can we prevent caching of specific pages across IE6+, Firefox 1.5+, Safari 3+, Opera 9+, and Chrome to address a security vulnerability (back button access after logout)?

Solution in a Nutshell

Controlling Web Page Caching in Spring Boot

Spring Boot offers several ways to manage browser and proxy caching, crucial for efficient content delivery and updates. Leverage HTTP headers via @Controller or @RestController methods:

1. Cache-Control Header: This header is paramount. Control max-age, must-revalidate, no-cache, no-store, etc.

@GetMapping("/mydata")
@ResponseBody
public String myData(HttpServletResponse response) {
    response.setHeader("Cache-Control", "max-age=3600, public"); // Cache for 1 hour
    return "My data";
}

max-age specifies cache duration (seconds). public allows proxies to cache. private restricts caching to the user's browser. no-cache requires revalidation. no-store prevents caching entirely.

2. Expires Header: Specifies an absolute expiration time. Less preferred than Cache-Control.

response.setHeader("Expires", "Thu, 01 Dec 2024 16:00:00 GMT");

3. ETag and Last-Modified Headers: For conditional caching. The browser sends these headers in subsequent requests, allowing the server to serve only updated content. Spring handles this automatically for static resources. For dynamic content, consider using a caching mechanism like EhCache or Redis.

4. Spring's @ConditionalOnRequest: For fine-grained control based on request parameters or headers. Useful for versioning or specific cache behavior.

Choosing the right strategy:

  • Static assets (images, CSS, JS): max-age with a long duration, public.
  • Dynamic content (frequently updated): Shorter max-age or no-cache.
  • Sensitive data: no-store.

Remember to configure your web server (e.g., Nginx, Apache) to respect these headers. Incorrect configuration can lead to stale content. Prioritize Cache-Control for compatibility and flexibility.