name: caching-strategy description: Define explicit caching strategies for different data access patterns and consistency requirements type: pattern version: 1.2.1

Caching Strategy Pattern

Purpose

Define explicit caching strategies for different data access patterns and consistency requirements.

Scope

Applies to:

• Application Layer
• Infrastructure Layer

Rules

• Cache is never source of truth
• Explicit cache invalidation strategies
• Appropriate TTL per data type
• Handle cache misses gracefully
• Support cache warming when needed
• Caching strategy interfaces defined in Application layer
• Strategy implementations in Infrastructure layer (Redis, in-memory, etc.)

Anti-Patterns

• Treating cache as source of truth
• No cache invalidation strategy
• Too long or too short TTL
• Caching everything without strategy
• Ignoring cache consistency requirements
• Cache keys without namespace/prefix

Minimal Example

// Application Layer
public interface ICachingStrategy
{
  Task<T?> GetAsync<T>(string key);
  Task SetAsync<T>(string key, T value, TimeSpan? ttl = null);
  Task InvalidateAsync(string key);
}

// Infrastructure Layer
public class RedisCachingStrategy : ICachingStrategy
{
  // Implementation...
}