Skip to main content

Caching Control Headers

Caching control headers offer a layer of control over the caching behavior in Prerender, particularly when different versions of a web page need to be served to bots. These headers determine how and when the rendered pages are stored in the cache, which impacts how bots interact with your site.

What Are Caching Control Headers?​

Caching control headers influence how the Prerender service caches rendered pages. These headers are used to manage page versions based on attributes like language, user-agent, or any other criteria that is significant for your web content.

Why Use Caching Control Headers?​

  • Multi-Language Support: If your website supports multiple languages, then caching control headers can help manage how each version is cached. By considering the Accept-Language header, for instance, you can ensure that French, English, and Spanish versions of your site are cached separately.
  • Content Variability: If your site offers content that varies based on specific conditions or attributes, then these headers help maintain distinct cache entries for each variant.
  • Optimized Bot Interaction: Properly managed caching ensures that bots can access the most appropriate version of your content, making your site more bot-friendly and improving SEO.

How Do Caching Control Headers Work?​

Caching control headers come into play after a page is rendered by Prerender. These headers are used to create cache keys, which are unique identifiers that help store and retrieve the rendered page from the cache. When a bot sends a request that matches a particular cache key, the corresponding cached page is served, reducing latency and improving the bot's crawling efficiency.