rcache: observable and active ajax cacher for jQuery

https://github.com/itbrig/rcache

Report issues: https://github.com/itbrig/rcache/issues

Description

• rcache is an active cache. It adds a layer between the application and the jQuery ajax interface, enabling you to reuse stored resources without consulting the server.

• rcache is observable. The application can register callbacks that will fire when a resources is beeing updated or removed.

• rcache supports RESTful applications. It handles the standard HTTP methods GET, PUT, POST and DELETE.

jQuery version

rcache has been tested with jQuery 1.7.1 using QUnit unit test in /test

Tested browsers

Firefox 10, Chrome 16

License

Copyright (c) 2012 Hannes Forsgård Licensed under the WTFPL (http://sam.zoy.org/wtfpl/)

Conditional requests

rcache transparently supports conditional requests. If the server sends ETag or Last-Modified headers these are automatically returned as If-Unmodified-Since and If-Match headers for PUT and DELETE requests and as If-Modified-Since and If-None-Match headers for GET requests.

When not to use rcache

rcache is not a general purpose caching proxy. As such it does not honor no-store, no-cache, must-revalidate or vary headers. This kind of caching should not be implemented in clients, but rather through a forward proxy.

API

Some short usage examples. Checkout package and open the documentation for better coverage.

Access items

var jqXHR = $.rcache.item('/url/to/item').get();
jqXHR.done(function(){
    //Do something when data is ready
    //even if data is read from cache
});

RESTful applications

//Update an item using PUT
$.rcache.item('/url/to/item').put({data});

//Create a new item using POST
var jqXHR = $.rcache.item('/creator/resource').post({data});
jqXHR.done(function(){
    //A new item will be created in cache if response includes
    //a Content-Location or Location header.
});

//Delete an item using DELETE
$.rcache.item('/item/to/remove').del();

Observe cache changes

$.rcache.item('/url/to/item').onWrite(function(data, etag, modified, jqXHR){
    //Fired when cache item is updated (by a get, put, post or write action)
    //Params: reponse data, etag and last-modified headers, jqXHR object
});

$.rcache.item('/url/to/item').onRemove(function(data, etag, modified, jqXHR){
    //Fired when cache item is removed (by a del or remove action)
    //Params: reponse data, etag and last-modified headers, jqXHR object
});

Update items in cache

//Send a conditional get request
//if the server responds with fresh data a write event is fired
$.rcache.item('/url/to/item').update();

//Send an unconditional get request, write event will always be fired
$.rcache.item('/url/to/item').forceGet();

//Call .update() on all items with autoUpdate = true
$.rcache.updateAll();