Multi-Level Caching

Multi-level caching is a strategy that uses multiple layers of cache to improve performance and reduce latency in mobile applications.

Overview

Multi-level caching combines different types of cache (memory, disk, network) to create a hierarchical caching system that optimizes data access patterns.

Implementation

// Example implementation in Swift
class MultiLevelCache {
    private let memoryCache: NSCache<NSString, AnyObject>
    private let diskCache: DiskCache
    
    init() {
        memoryCache = NSCache<NSString, AnyObject>()
        diskCache = DiskCache()
    }
    
    func get(key: String) -> AnyObject? {
        // First try memory cache
        if let cached = memoryCache.object(forKey: key as NSString) {
            return cached
        }
        
        // Then try disk cache
        if let diskCached = diskCache.get(key: key) {
            // Update memory cache
            memoryCache.setObject(diskCached, forKey: key as NSString)
            return diskCached
        }
        
        return nil
    }
}

Best Practices

1. Use memory cache for frequently accessed data
2. Use disk cache for larger datasets
3. Implement cache invalidation strategies
4. Monitor cache hit rates
5. Set appropriate cache sizes