Laravel Caching with File, Redis and Database Drivers

Summary:
Implement cache strategies in Laravel for faster apps.

Caching is a critical aspect of web application development. It speeds up your app, reduces database load, and improves user experience. Laravel, one of the most popular PHP frameworks, ships with powerful caching abstractions that support a variety of backends including File, Redis, and Database drivers. In this guide, you’ll learn how to set up and use each of these caching drivers in Laravel, and discover strategies to make your apps faster.

Introduction to Laravel Caching

Laravel provides a unified API for various cache backends, allowing you to easily switch between drivers without changing your application code. Whether you’re developing a small project or a high-load enterprise application, choosing the right cache driver and strategy is vital.

Benefits of Caching

Performance: Serving cached data is much faster than querying a database.
Scalability: Reduced load on primary databases.
Reduced Latency: Quicker responses for frequent queries.

Cache Configuration in Laravel

All cache configuration happens in config/cache.php. The CACHE_DRIVER in your .env file sets the default cache backend:

CACHE_DRIVER=file

Available drivers out of the box:

file
database
redis
memcached
array (in-memory, for testing)

1. File Cache Driver

How it works:
Stores cached items as individual files in storage/framework/cache/data.

When to Use

Small to medium applications.
Simple setups where performance is less critical.

Setup

In .env:
```
CACHE_DRIVER=file
```
No extra dependencies are required.

Usage Example

// Storing data
Cache::put('key', 'value', 600); // cache for 10 minutes

// Retrieving data
$value = Cache::get('key');

// Removing data
Cache::forget('key');

Pros:

Easy to set up
No additional services needed

Cons:

Not optimal for distributed systems or high traffic
File I/O can be slow

2. Redis Cache Driver

How it works:
Leverages the in-memory Redis data store for ultra-fast caching. Recommended for production environments needing high performance.

When to Use

Medium to large applications
Applications needing advanced cache features (tags, atomic increment, etc.)
Multi-server/distributed systems

Setup

Install Redis Server
```
sudo apt install redis-server
```
Install PHP Redis client
```
composer require predis/predis
```
Or use the phpredis extension.

Configure .env:

CACHE_DRIVER=redis
REDIS_HOST=127.0.0.1
REDIS_PORT=6379

Configure config/database.php: (Usually good default settings are present)

Usage Example

Cache::put('users_count', 145, 600);

$count = Cache::get('users_count');

Pros:

Blazing fast performance
Great for distributed, scalable apps
Supports advanced cache operations

Cons:

Requires external service (Redis)
Slightly more complex setup

3. Database Cache Driver

How it works:
Stores cached items as rows in a database table.

When to Use

Environments where file/Redis/memcached are unavailable.
Apps already running a reliable database (e.g., shared hosting).

Setup

Migrate the cache table

Laravel provides an artisan command to create the cache table migration:
```
php artisan cache:table
php artisan migrate
```

Set .env:

CACHE_DRIVER=database
CACHE_TABLE=cache  # (optional, default is 'cache')

Usage Example

Cache::put('settings', $settingsArray, now()->addHours(2));

$settings = Cache::get('settings');

Pros:

Easy integration in most shared hosting environments
Uses existing database

Cons:

Slower than in-memory drivers
Can add load to your main DB

Using Cache Tags & Advanced Features

Tags are only available with Redis and Memcached drivers.
Tags allow you to group cache entries and flush them all at once.

Cache::tags(['people', 'authors'])->put('John', $johnData, 3600);
Cache::tags(['people', 'authors'])->flush();

Cache Strategies and Best Practices

Cache Invalidation: Always set sensible expirations to avoid stale data.
Cache Forever: Use Cache::forever() cautiously; it never expires.

Remember Pattern: Lazily cache values if they are missing.

$data = Cache::remember('popular_posts', 3600, function () {
    return Post::popular()->get();
});

Clear Cache on Deploy: Automate cache clearing during CI/CD.
Monitor Cache Hit/Miss: Use Laravel Telescope or logging to measure effectiveness.

Conclusion

Implementing a proper caching strategy in Laravel can dramatically improve your application’s speed and scalability. Start simple with the file or database driver, and upgrade to Redis as your requirements grow. Use the unified cache API, apply best practices, and your Laravel app will serve users faster and more efficiently.

Further Reading: