How to Reliably Clear the Browser Cache and Ensure Users See the Latest JavaScript Code?

Clear the Browser's Cache with JavaScript

Clearing the browser's cache can be essential when deploying new JavaScript code and ensuring that users access the latest version. However, the traditional approach of using window.location.reload() is no longer the optimal solution.

Solution with window.location.reload(true)

The window.location.reload(true) method forcibly reloads the current page, disregarding cached items. While it effectively clears the cache for the page, it does not clear the entire cache. This approach is outdated and may not work consistently across modern browsers.

Recommended Approach: Versioning Files

Instead of relying on cache-clearing methods, the preferred strategy is to version path or filenames. This involves appending a version number to the end of the resource path to ensure that browsers always load the latest version. Avoid using query strings (?v=n) for versioning, as they can cause caching issues.

To prevent caching altogether, you can use a header that sets the cache-control to 'no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate'. This will tell the browser to not cache the response at all.

In summary, while window.location.reload(true) can be used to clear the cache for a specific page, versioning files is a more reliable and recommended approach for managing cache and ensuring that users always access the latest version of your JavaScript code.

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