PEAR::Cache_Lite is a little cache system. It's optimized for high traffic
websites so it is really fast and safe (because it uses file locking and/or
anti-corruption tests).
Goals and technical details
speed
Before all, PEAR::Cache_Lite has to be extremely fast. That returns the
use of PEAR possible on sites with high traffic without falling in hi-level
hardware solutions.
You can find more details about cache_lite technical choices on the
this document.
but the main idea is to include PEAR.php file ONLY when
an error occurs (very rare).
simplicity
Because the cache system is often embedded in the application layer,
PEAR::Cache_Lite kernel has to be small and flexible with an adapted licence (LGPL).
Advanced functionnalities are then seconded to files that extends the core.
security
On high traffic websites, the cache system has to be really protected against
cache files corruptions (because of competior accesses in read/write mode).
Very few cache systems offer a protection against this problem.
File locking is not a perfect solution because it is useless with NFS
or multithreaded servers. So in addition to it, PEAR::Cache_Lite offers two
fully transparent mechanisms (based on hash keys) to guarantee the security
of the datas in all circumstances. Just have a look at the link given in
a previous paragraph for more details.
Usage
general usage
Every module of Cache_Lite follows the same philophy.
Parameters (others than default ones) are passed to the constructor
by using an associative array.
A cache file is identified by a cache ID (and eventually a group).
For obvious flexibility reasons, the logic of IDs choice is left to the
developer.
core
Let's start with a simple example : the page is built then recovered in
an unique variable (string):
<?php
// Include the package
require_once('Cache/Lite.php');
// Set a id for this cache
$id = '123';
// Set a few options
$options = array(
'cacheDir' => '/tmp/',
'lifeTime' => 3600
);
// Create a Cache_Lite object
$Cache_Lite = new Cache_Lite($options);
// Test if thereis a valide cache for this id
if ($data = $Cache_Lite->get($id)) {
// Cache hit !
// Content is in $data
// (...)
} else { // No valid cache found (you have to make the page)
// Cache miss !
// Put in $data datas to put in cache
// (...)
$Cache_Lite->save($data);
}
?>
If you wish use a cache per block and not a global cache, take as
example the following script:
<?php
require_once('Cache/Lite.php');
$options = array(
'cacheDir' => '/tmp/',
'lifeTime' => 3600
);
// Create a Cache_Lite object
$Cache_Lite = new Cache_Lite($options);
if ($data = $Cache_Lite->get('block1')) {
echo($data);
} else {
$data = 'Data of the block 1';
$Cache_Lite->save($data);
}
echo('<br><br>Non cached line !<br><br>');
if ($data = $Cache_Lite->get('block2')) {
echo($data);
} else {
$data = 'Data of the block 2';
$Cache_Lite->save($data);
}
?>
core
However, it is not always possible to recover all the contents of a page in
a single string variable. Thus Cache_Lite_Output comes to our help :
<?php
require_once('Cache/Lite/Output.php');
$options = array(
'cacheDir' => '/tmp/',
'lifeTime' => 10
);
$cache = new Cache_Lite_Output($options);
if (!($cache->start('123'))) {
// Cache missed...
for($i=0;$i<1000;$i++) { // Making of the page...
echo('0123456789');
}
$cache->end();
}
?>
The idea is the same for a per block usage :
<?php
require_once('Cache/Lite/Output.php');
$options = array(
'cacheDir' => '/tmp/',
'lifeTime' => 10
);
$cache = new Cache_Lite_Output($options);
if (!($cache->start('block1'))) {
// Cache missed...
echo('Data of the block 1 !');
$cache->end();
}
echo('Non cached line !');
if (!($cache->start('block2'))) {
// Cache missed...
echo('Data of the block 2 !');
$cache->end();
}
?>
very important comment
For a maximum efficiency with Cache_Lite, do not include systematically
any others packages in your page. Load the modules which you have need
ONLY when the page is not in the cache (and has
to be recomputed) by using a conditionnal inclusion.
The BAD way :
<?php
require_once("Cache/Lite.php");
require_once("...")
require_once("...")
// (...)
$cache = new Cache_Lite();
if ($data = $Cache_Lite->get($id)) { // cache hit !
echo($data);
} else { // page has to be (re)constructed in $data
// (...)
$Cache_Lite->save($data);
}
?>
Here is the good way (often more than two times faster) :
<?php
require_once("Cache/Lite.php");
// (...)
$cache = new Cache_Lite();
if ($data = $Cache_Lite->get($id)) { // cache hit !
echo($data);
} else { // page has to be (re)constructed in $data
require_once("...")
require_once("...")
// (...)
$Cache_Lite->save($data);
}
?>
Conclusion
To go more far with Cache_Lite, just have a look at examples and technical
details given with the package.
