Question 1

How do I use go-cache with pointers for better performance?

Accepted Answer

Store pointers to structs instead of values to avoid copying. When retrieving, use type assertion to cast back to the pointer type, as shown in the README example with &MyStruct. This reduces memory overhead and improves speed for large objects.

Question 2

go-cache vs Redis: which one should I use for my Go app?

Accepted Answer

Use go-cache for single-machine, in-memory caching with zero network overhead, ideal for local performance boosts. Choose Redis if you need distributed caching across multiple servers, persistence, or advanced data structures like sets and lists.

Question 3

How to save go-cache data to a file for persistence?

Accepted Answer

Use c.Items() to retrieve the items map, serialize it to a file using formats like JSON or gob, and then use NewFrom() to recreate the cache from the deserialized map. Note the README's caveats about potential issues with this approach.

Question 4

Is go-cache thread-safe for concurrent access in Go?

Accepted Answer

Yes, go-cache is explicitly designed to be thread-safe and can be safely used by multiple goroutines. It implements a concurrent-safe map, eliminating data races as highlighted in the project description.

Question 5

How to handle type assertion errors when retrieving from go-cache?

Accepted Answer

Always check the 'found' flag when using Get(), and use type assertions with caution. Consider implementing helper functions that validate types or use reflection to reduce errors, though this adds complexity.

Question 6

Can go-cache be used in a distributed microservices setup?

Accepted Answer

No, go-cache is not suitable for distributed systems because it's limited to a single process and machine. For microservices requiring shared cache, opt for networked solutions like Memcached or etcd.

Question 7

How do I set the automatic cleanup interval for expired items?

Accepted Answer

Specify the cleanup interval as the second parameter when creating a cache with cache.New(defaultExpiration, cleanupInterval). Expired items are purged periodically based on this interval, as shown in the usage example with 10-minute cleanup.

go-cache

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