ElI5 why is the ‘cache’ this all powerful crasher of apps and causer of problems? Why does clearing it fix things?
In: 101
A cache is an area of storage memory space. Think of it like this:
You have a 5 gallon bucket. You have a cup. You use the cup to dip water from the bucket, and occasionally refill the bucket. (You can also use a hose to fill the bucket.)
The bucket is your Random Access Memory, or RAM. It is used to run your apps. The cup is the cache. The hose is the Internet bandwidth connection.
Sometimes the bucket overflows. That’s a crash. Sometimes the water is dirty, either from the cup or the hose. That can cause a crash.
The REAL reason that crashes happen is because the code used to run all this is flawed. It has this thing called ‘garbage collection.’ When memory becomes corrupted, it causes a crash. The garbage collection is supposed to prevent that, but almost ALL code does this poorly.
Clearing the cache allows the garbage collection code to complete emptying the trash, so to speak. And then, it all starts again, until the next time.
Latest Answers