Two new HTTP caching specifications

HTTP enthusiasts,

I've just published -00 drafts of two new specifications.

- HTTP Cache Groups <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-nottingham-http-cache-groups/>

"This specification introduces a means of describing the relationships between stored responses in HTTP caches, 'grouping' them by associating a stored response with one or more opaque strings."

- An HTTP Cache Invalidation API <https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/draft-nottingham-http-invalidation/>

"This document specifies an HTTP-based API that gateway caches (such as those in reverse proxies and content delivery networks) can expose to allow origin servers to their invalidate stored responses."

Both of these describe functions that are pretty widely deployed in reverse proxies and content delivery networks, but aren't interoperable. Their aim is to create a target for interoperability for CDNs and reverse proxies, making it easier for origin servers -- especially, third-party software on origins like content management systems -- to integrate with them.

To help achieve that goal, the second specification defines a new format that expresses the CDN/reverse proxy-specific configuration that a CMS or similar origin software might need to know about. 

I'd love to hear what people think, both about the details of the specifications and (especially) whether there's implementation interest (either from caches or origin software like CMSs).

Tommy, I'd also like to get some time on the San Francisco agenda to briefly present these.

Cheers,

--
Mark Nottingham   https://www.mnot.net/

Received on Sunday, 25 June 2023 04:48:56 UTC