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A Comprehensive Guide to Integrating Laravel Cache in Your Web Application

Updated on July 14, 2023

12 Min Read
laravel cache

Are you looking to improve the performance of your Laravel web application? If so, then integrating cache is a must.

In today’s digital age, speed is everything. Whether it’s an e-commerce platform or a social network, users expect applications to load fast and respond quickly.

That’s where caching comes in – a powerful tool that can help speed up your web application reduces loading times, and provide a better user experience.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deeply into Laravel’s caching system and show you how to integrate it into your web application. I’ll cover the different types of caches available in Laravel, including file, database, and Redis caching.

If you have a Laravel website and are looking to speed it up, you’re in luck. In this article, I will demonstrate how to use various caching methods in Laravel.

In this article, I will demonstrate how to use various caching methods in Laravel.

Nothing as Easy as Deploying Laravel Apps on Cloud

With Cloudways, you can have your Laravel apps up and running on managed cloud servers in just a few minutes.

What Is Laravel Caching

Laravel caching is a powerful feature of the Laravel PHP framework that allows you to improve the performance and efficiency of your applications. With Laravel, you can easily configure and switch between various caching engines without writing code.

To configure Laravel’s caching options, you can use a single configuration file that contains all the necessary settings for your application. Plus, Laravel supports all popular caching backends like Memcached and Redis out of the box and provides a unified API for interacting with different caching frameworks.

One of the key benefits of Laravel caching is its automatic caching of Blade templates, which are the views used to render HTML pages in your application. Laravel parses Blade templates into a pure PHP and HTML format that can be cached and reused across multiple requests, improving the overall performance of your application.

Overall, Laravel caching is an essential feature for optimizing the performance of your PHP applications.

Why Caching Is Important

Caching is a method of temporarily storing data in a faster, more easily accessible location, reducing the need to retrieve it constantly from a slower storage layer. Caching is important because it can significantly improve application performance by reducing the time it takes to retrieve data, resulting in faster response times and a better user experience.

This is especially helpful for applications that handle large amounts of data, such as e-commerce sites, social networks, and search engines.

In addition to improving performance, caching can also help reduce server load. By retrieving data from cache memory instead of the original source, the application can send fewer requests to the server, reducing the server’s workload. This can improve application stability, prevent downtime, and reduce the costs associated with server resources such as CPU and memory usage.

Overall, caching is a powerful tool for improving application performance and efficiency and is an essential component of many high-traffic websites and applications.

Benefits of Using Laravel Cache

Laravel cache is a powerful caching system that can provide several benefits to your Laravel application. Here are some of the key benefits of using Laravel cache:

Improved Performance

Laravel cache improves application performance by caching frequently accessed data, which reduces data retrieval time from the database or external APIs. This results in faster application response times, reduced server load, and better user experience, especially during high-traffic periods. Laravel cache also offers flexibility to switch between caching engines easily.

Reduced Database Load

Caching data reduces the load on your database server by storing frequently accessed data in the cache. This avoids the need to retrieve the data from the database repeatedly, which reduces the number of queries executed and improves overall system performance.

Flexibility

Laravel cache offers flexibility by allowing you to choose from various caching drivers, including file-based, database-based, and Redis caching. You can select the caching strategy that best suits your application’s needs based on factors such as data type, volume, and expected traffic. Laravel cache is also easy to configure and manage, simplifying setup and maintenance.

Now that you know what Laravel caching is, its importance, and its benefits, let’s see how you can implement Laravel caching in your application

Prerequisite to Install Laravel Cache in Your Application on Cloudways

Before you can install Laravel Cache in your application on Cloudways, there are a few prerequisites that you need to fulfill.

These prerequisites are necessary to ensure that your application runs smoothly and without any issues after we install Laravel Cache.

Server Requirements

For the purpose of this tutorial, I assume that you have a Laravel application installed on a web server.

My setup is as follows:

To ensure I don’t get distracted by server-level issues, I decided to deploy my Laravel app on Cloudways managed hosting platform. Doing so not only assists users in hosting Laravel projects in quick steps but also takes care of server-level issues and offers a great devstack to take advantage of. You can try out Cloudways for free by quickly signing up for an account.

Nothing as Easy as Deploying Laravel Apps on Cloud

With Cloudways, you can have your Laravel apps up and running on managed cloud servers in just a few minutes.

Choosing Laravel Cache Driver

Laravel provides an efficient and effective API for different caching backends. You can find the configuration for Laravel cache within config/cache.php folder.

Inside the file, you can specify which cache driver you wish to use as a default one. Some of the popular Laravel caching backends are:

  1. Memcached
  2. Redis
  3. Database
  4. File
  5. Array

To change the cache driver, simply open the .env file and edit the Cache_Driver = file.

Why Cloudways?

Cloudways offers a range of optimized tools to simplify your web development process. With just a single click, you can install Laravel and other packages, including cache configuration tools. This seamless accessibility not only expedites web application setup but also aligns perfectly with the efficiency of Laravel hosting.

Cloudways also offers an optimized stack of tools, including Nginx, Laravel Varnish, Memcached, Apache HTTP accelerator, PHP 8.x, MySQL, and many others, which are designed to improve your application’s performance. These tools are pre-configured, so you don’t have to worry about making any changes.

If you need to add advanced scripts to your application, Cloudways makes it easy to do so without any external configurations. For example, you can add Redis cache or Elasticsearch to your app without any hassle.

To cut things short, Cloudways simplifies the web development process, enabling you to focus on building your application without worrying about server setup or configurations.

How to Integrate Laravel Cache in Your Application

To show how caching impacts a Laravel web app’s performance, I added Laravel cache to the Cloudways managed hosting platform.
I have first installed a new Laravel application through the 1-click quick installation process.

  • For the app deployment, you can always choose your desired cloud infrastructure.
  • For this tutorial, I have launched my application on the DigitalOcean cloud server.

DO installation

  • Once your managed server is launched > Head over to Access details.

Access details

  • Now, move toward the servers and use master credentials to login into your installed Laravel files.

installed Laravel files

Creating Database Model and Migration

After successful installation, it is time to create model and migration by pasting the following code:

php artisan make:model Employee-m

  • Next, open the migration folder, employee migration file and paste the code mentioned below.
public function up() {

   Schema::create('articles', function (Blueprint $table) {

       $table->increments('id');

      $table->string("emp_name");

       $table->string("emp_details");

       $table->timestamps();

   });

}
  • After setting up migration fields successfully, run the migration command as follows:
PHP artisan migrate

database

Implementing Database Seeding

Now the next step is to seed the ‘articles’ table. To do that, open the database/seeds/DatabaseSeeder.php file and update the Run() code:

<?php

use Illuminate\Database\Seeder;

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;

use App\Employee;

use Faker\Factory as Faker;

class DatabaseSeeder extends Seeder

{

   /**

    * Seed the application's database.

    *

    * @return void

    */

   public function run()

   {

   $faker = Faker::create();

   foreach(range(1, 30) as $index) {

       Employee::create([

           'emp_name' => $faker->sentence(5),

           'emp_deatils' => $faker->paragraph(6)

       ]);

   }

   }

}

The Faker library in Laravel generates fake demo data for the testing purpose. For now, I am using PHP range() method to generate 30 columns of demo data. Just copy and paste the following command to seed the data into the fields.

Php artisan db:seed

Now, open Cloudways database manager, where you will see dozens of tables filled with fake demo data.

Using Database Controller

Now, create a controller that will process the requests and caching as per your requirements. Just copy and paste the following command:

php artisan make:controller EmployeeController

Creating Database Route

Now, add a route in the app/Http/routes.php file which will point to the controller’s index method:

Route::group(['prefix' => 'api'], function() {

   Route::get('employee', 'EmployeeController@index');

});

Testing Without Laravel Cache

Now the application is ready, but not integrated with Laravel caching as of yet. For now, let’s test the application without Laravel cache using POSTMAN:

Let’s open the Employeecontroller file and paste the following code in index() function.

<?php

namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use Illuminate\Http\Request;

use App\Employee;

class EmployeeController extends Controller

{

   //

public function index() {

   $employee= Employee::all();

//dd($employee);

   return response()->json($employee);

}

}

You can see the screenshot above which clearly shows that without having Laravel cache in the app, the time taken to complete the request is approx. 472 ms.

Laravel Cache Testing and Monitoring in Laravel Application

  • Now, we will integrate Laravel cache and test the application again. You just have to replace the code for index() function.
  • For this purpose, I have selected Cache = File, and as you can see, the time taken to complete the requests is approx. 284 ms, which is quite less than the last value.

Integrate Redis on Laravel With Cloudways

  • As Cloudways provides 1-click Redis setup, it’s time to test the request with Redis.

 

  • To integrate Redis in Laravel , first you have to run the command to install predis in your Laravel application. Next, go to the database.php file and change settings according to Redis configuration.
  • Once done, open the config/cache.php file and change connection => cache to connection => default.

  • You can also use Laravel memcached by tweaking the .env file. Simply edit the file type Redis to memcached in your Laravel project and that’s it!

You Might Also Like: Learn How to Integrate Memcached in PHP

Integrate Varnish on Laravel With Cloudways

PHP Varnish is a caching HTTP reverse proxy tool. It basically means that instead of a web server, Varnish is authorized to listen to the HTTP requests once it is installed.

When a request comes in the first time, it passes on to the web server as usual. The web server, after completing its work, passes on the request to the Varnish. Varnish then caches that response and sends it back to the website visitors.

So, when the request comes in the next time, they are easily served by the Varnish with the earlier cached responses.

You can use this package to integrate Varnish in Laravel for better website performance.

How to Enable Varnish On Cloudways

Here is how you can enable or disable Varnish on the server using the Cloudways Platform.

  • Log in to your Cloudways Platform using your credentials.
  • From the top menu bar, open Servers.
  • Next, choose your desired server.

  • Under Server Management, select Manage Services.
  • Next, click Enable in front of Varnish to activate the service. Likewise, you can disable Varnish by clicking Disable.

Laravel Cache Usage and Methods

To enable Laravel caching services, first use the Illuminate\Contracts\Cache\Factory and Illuminate\Contracts\Cache\Repository, as they provide access to the Laravel caching services.

The Factory contract gives access to all the cache drivers of your application. Meanwhile, the repository contract implements the default cache driver for your web application.

Laravel Cache has different functions such as

  • Cache::Put ()
  • Cache::Get()
  • Cache::Forever()
  • Cache::Has()

Store Cache

Cache :: Put()i takes three parameter keys, values and time in minutes to cache the entire application data. For testing purposes, you can paste the following code in your routes:

Cache ::put(key, value , 15);

Basically, the key is a unique cache identifier that you can use to retrieve it when you need the data. You can also use remember() method to automate the cache updating process. This method first checks the key, if found, it returns it with the true result. Otherwise, it creates a new key with the value. Check the following code.

Cache::remember('articles', 15, function() {

   return Article::all();

});

The given value, ‘15’ is the total number of minutes to be cached. By using this, you don’t have to bother about checking the cache every time. Instead, Laravel will do that for you and will retrieve the cache automatically every time.

Cache Retrieve

If you have stored your data somewhere, and would like to retrieve it, you can use the Get() method. Just copy and paste the following code in your routes file:

Route::get('/', function()

{

return Cache::get( 'key' );

});

Incrementing / Decrementing Values

To adjust the values of cache integer items, you can use the increment and decrement methods. Both of these methods accept an optional argument indicating the incremented or decremented amount.

Cache::increment('key');

Cache::increment('key', $amount);

Cache::decrement('key');

Cache::decrement('key', $amount);

Existence Cache:: Has()

If you want to check whether the key exists or not before retrieving data, use Has() as defined below:

Route::get('/', function()

{

if (Cache::has('key')){

   Cache::get('key');

} else {

   Cache::put('key', $values, 20);

}});

Remove Cache Value

To clear Laravel cache, simply use the forget() function as shown below:

Cache::forget('key');

You can also retrieve a cache value and can delete it immediately. Technically, you can call it one time caching.

$articles = Cache::pull('key');

Clear Laravel Cache

You can also clear Laravel cache even before it expires from the console using:

php artisan cache:clear

Clear route cache

To clear route cache of your Laravel application issue below command from terminal.

php artisan route:cache

Clear config cache

To clear config cache of your Laravel application issue below command from terminal.

php artisan config:cache

Clear compiled view files

To clear compiled view files of your Laravel application issue below command from terminal.

php artisan view:clear

Database Cache

When using the Laravel database cache driver, you will need to setup a table to contain the Laravel caching items. You’ll find an example Schema declaration for the table below:

Schema::create('cache', function ($table) {

   $table->string('key')->unique();

   $table->text('value');

   $table->integer('expiration');

});

Best Practices for Maintaining and Updating Laravel Cache

Laravel Cache is a powerful tool for improving the performance of web applications. However, like any caching system, it requires regular maintenance and updates to ensure optimal performance.

Here are some best practices for maintaining and updating Laravel Cache:

  • Use Appropriate Cache Driver: Laravel provides several cache drivers, including file, database, Redis, and Memcached. Choose the appropriate cache driver based on your application’s needs and server environment. For example, Redis and Memcached are best suited for high-traffic applications, while the file cache driver is suitable for small applications.
  • Monitor Cache Usage: Regularly monitor cache usage to identify any potential issues. Use tools such as Laravel Telescope or Cache Monitor to monitor cache hits and misses, cache size, and cache lifetime.
  • Set Appropriate Cache Lifetime: Set an appropriate cache lifetime based on your application’s needs. A shorter cache lifetime can help ensure that the cached data is always up-to-date, but it can also increase the load on the server. A longer cache lifetime can reduce server load but may result in stale data being served.
  • Clear Cache Regularly: Regularly clear the cache to prevent it from becoming too large and to ensure that stale data is not served. Use Laravel’s built-in Artisan command to clear the cache manually or set up a cron job to clear the cache automatically.
  • Use Cache Tags: Use cache tags to group related cached items together. This allows you to easily clear a group of cached items instead of clearing the entire cache.
  • Update Laravel and Cache Packages Regularly: Keep your Laravel application and cache packages up-to-date with the latest security patches and bug fixes. This ensures that your application remains secure and performs optimally

Don’t Let Slow Load Times Hold You Back!

Cloudways offers you dedicated servers with SSD storage, custom performance, an optimized stack, and more for 300% faster load times.

Final Words

In this blog, I covers step-by-step tutorial that explains how to implement caching in a Laravel web application and to improve its performance. The Laravel cache helps improve your website speed and augments its performance tremendously.

We’ve covered complete cache integration in Laravel and demonstrated how to use other tools like Laravel memcached etc.

Overall, the blog is a comprehensive guide for developers who want to enhance their Laravel web application’s performance by implementing caching.

Q: How to reset Laravel cache?

A: To clear cache in Laravel applications, open your terminal and write the following command:

$ php artisan cache:clear
To clear route cache of your Laravel application, execute the following command:
$ php artisan route:clear

Similarly, to clear config cache of the Laravel application, use the following command:

$ php artisan config:clear

Q: How to resolve “Laravel failed to clear cache” error?

A: This error mostly appears when the data path does not exists under the storage/framework/cache/data directory. To resolve this error, simple create a data directory manually under the storage/framework/cache directory.

Q: How to disable the Laravel cache?

A: To disable Laravel cache, simple use the following command in your .env file:

CACHE_EXPIRE=-1

Q: Does Laravel cache queries?

A: Yes, you can cache queries in Laravel using a very simple chained method call:

$users = DB::table('users')
->orderBy('latest_activity', 'desc')
->take(10)
->remember(60)
->get();

 

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Inshal Ali

Inshal is a Content Marketer at Cloudways. With background in computer science, skill of content and a whole lot of creativity, he helps business reach the sky and go beyond through content that speaks the language of their customers. Apart from work, you will see him mostly in some online games or on a football field.

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