Caching means storing data or rendering output so it can be reused without recalculating or refetching. By default, Next.js caches aggressively to improve page load speed and reduce server load. Static routes and data requests are cached unless explicitly disabled.
Next.js automatically memoizes GET fetches during rendering. If the same URL is fetched multiple times, it only hits the network once.
Control with cache and next.revalidate options. Example:
{ next: { revalidate: 3600 } }
Refreshes data every hour. You can also revalidate manually using revalidateTag or revalidatePath.
Static routes are cached by default at build time. Using dynamic APIs like cookies disables this cache.
Client-side RSC payloads are cached for faster navigation. Cleared on page refresh or after timeout.
To disable data caching:
{ cache: 'no-store' }To disable route caching:
dynamic = 'force-dynamic'orrevalidate = 0
revalidateTag or revalidatePath<Link>router.prefetchfetchrevalidatePathCaching in Next.js plays a vital role in optimizing performance and scalability. By understanding the different caching layers and how to manage them, you can build fast, efficient, and cost-effective applications.