A Story of Cache


One day Mickey was watching TV at his home when he heard Minnie calling him out

Minnie: Hey Mickey

Mickey: Hi Minnie, how are you

Minnie: I need to talk to you

Mickey: Okay come inside


(Minnie came rushing through the door)

Mickey: Hi Minnie. Take a breath, What happened?

Minnie: I have a class today afternoon, where I need to explain about CACHE

Mickey: Okay, so what’s the problem

Minnie: You know I went for a short trip this weekend and almost forgot to prepare

Mickey: Okay, do not worry

Minnie: No Mickey, you do not understand, I have a class today and I do not know anything. What is cache? I don’t understand what it means

Mickey: Do not worry, You will know all about cookies in the next 5 min

Minnie: Wow

Mickey: Cache is like a temporary storage area where your computer stores information so it can be accessed faster in the future

Minnie: Can you give me an example of how it works?

Mickey: Sure! Let’s say you’re visiting a website for the first time. Your computer has to download all the pictures, text, and other information from the website so you can see it. This can take a few seconds or longer depending on how fast your internet connection is. But once your computer has downloaded all that information, it stores it in cache so the next time you visit that website, your computer can access the information much faster.

Minnie: Oh, so it’s like a shortcut?

Mickey: Yes, that’s a good way to think about it! It’s like having a shortcut to the website already stored on your computer.

Minnie: Can you give me another example?

Mickey: Sure! Think of cache like a backpack where you can store things you might need later, like a book or a snack. The first time you read a book, you have to go to the library and borrow it. But once you have the book, you can keep it in your backpack so you can access it again quickly and easily whenever you want.

Minnie: That makes sense. So there are different types of cache?

Mickey: Yes, there are different types of cache, including:

browser cache (which stores website data),

DNS cache (which stores website addresses), and

system cache (which stores data related to your computer’s operating system).

Minnie: Is cache always helpful?

Mickey: Cache can sometimes cause issues, especially if it’s not working properly. For example, if a website changes but your computer is still using old information stored in cache, you might not see the updated content until you clear your cache. But for the most part, cache is a helpful tool that makes our computers work more efficiently.

Minnie: I don’t understand why cache is important. Why can’t my computer just download everything every time?

Mickey: Well, downloading all the information every time you visit a website or open a file can take a long time, especially if you have a slow internet connection.

Minnie: Oh, I see. So cache helps make things faster?

Mickey: Exactly! When your computer stores information in cache, it can access that information much faster the next time you need it. This helps your computer work more efficiently and saves you time.

Minnie: Can you give me an example of how cache can save time?

Mickey: Sure! Let’s say you’re watching a video on YouTube. The first time you watch the video, your computer has to download all the information about the video, including the video itself, the sound, and the captions. But once your computer has downloaded all that information, it stores it in cache so the next time you watch the same video, your computer can access the information much faster. This means the video will start playing more quickly and you won’t have to wait as long.

Minnie: Oh, that makes sense! Thanks for explaining it to me.

Mickey: You’re welcome! And if you ever have any other questions about computers, feel free to ask me.

Minnie: I feel so good now

Mickey: So can you now explain What is Cache to your class

Minnie: Yes, with confidence

Mickey: So do you want to go home now

Minnie: No Mickey, let’s sit here for some more time. You are my best friend

Mickey: I am always here for you 🙂


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