Hosting terms
What is website caching, and will it hide my updates?
Key takeaway
Website caching reuses a saved copy to help a page or file load efficiently. It can happen in a browser, a CDN or the hosting setup. A good configuration keeps public files useful and current while handling private content separately. Caching should support your updates rather than leave old information in the way.
In this guide
A saved copy avoids repeating the work
Imagine a visitor opening three pages that use the same logo. Reusing a suitable saved copy means the website does not need to deliver that file from scratch every time. Browsers and delivery networks can both keep copies, under rules set by the website.
A website may also reuse work on its server. The important question for a business owner is whether the saved copy is appropriate, who can receive it and when it must be checked or replaced.
How a CDN delivers saved public files
Sources: MDN: how website caching works (opens in a new tab)
Freshness is part of the setup
A saved copy needs a rule for how long it can be reused and what happens when the original changes. In CloudFront, those settings influence how often the delivery network checks with the original server. Longer reuse can help delivery, but changing information needs the right policy.
Ask your provider how a corrected price, new photo or changed opening time reaches visitors. “We use a cache” is not enough detail to explain the update process.
How approved Arc changes publish
Sources: AWS: managing the freshness of CloudFront content (opens in a new tab)
Public pictures and private pages are different
A public team picture can be useful to many visitors. A private customer page belongs to the authorised person. A shared delivery cache should not turn personal account information into a public response.
On the Lightning platform, public images, fonts and scripts use versioned file addresses for delivery. Private portal pages and proofs require authorised access. The public-file approach is separate from the handling of live page content and private requests.
The other parts of secure web hosting
Sources: MDN: how website caching works (opens in a new tab)
If you still see old information
First check that the change was approved and published, rather than left in a draft. Note the exact page address, what you expected and what you can see. A reload or a second browser can help establish whether the issue is local to your device.
If other visitors also see the old information, give us those details so we can investigate. Repeatedly editing the same wording is less useful than checking which published version and saved copy are being shown.
Caching and easy updates belong together
CloudFront CDN is included with both Thunder and Lightning. On the Lightning plan, supported changes use a private proof, and publication starts immediately after you approve the ready revision. There is no additional manual publishing queue.
Thunder is NZ$55 + GST per website a month. Lightning is NZ$99 + GST and includes everyday Arc updates, subject to fair use. We assess the actual website and agree its setup before the move.