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Cache-Control Header

Directives for caching mechanisms in both requests and responses.

Header TypeBidirectional (Request/Response)
SpecificationStandard RFC compliant
Associated CodesHTTP 200,HTTP 304

What is the Cache-Control header?

The Cache-Control header specifies instructions for caching in both client browsers and intermediary proxies (like CDNs).

API Usage & Best Practices

  • Disable caching for mutations: For POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE operations, ensure responses carry Cache-Control: no-store, max-age=0.
  • Use for static lookups: If an API returns static configurations (like country lists), use Cache-Control: public, max-age=86400 to encourage caching.

Examples

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Cache-Control: no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate

Associated HTTP Status Codes

HTTP 200 — OK

The request has succeeded. The response payload contains the requested resource representation.

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HTTP 304 — Not Modified

Instructs the client that the cached version of the resource is still valid.

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