What is the difference between Cache-Control and Expires headers?

What is the difference between Cache-Control and Expires headers?

Cache-Control is a HTTP header that specifies directives for caching mechanisms in both requests and responses. Expires, on the other hand, is a header that provides a specific date and time after which the response is considered stale.

Can you give me an example of how each one is used?

Sure! For Cache-Control, you might see something like 'Cache-Control: no-cache' to prevent caching. For Expires, it could be 'Expires: Wed, 21 Oct 2023 07:28:00 GMT' to indicate when the content should be considered outdated.

Which one is preferred in modern web development?

Cache-Control is generally preferred in modern web development because it offers more flexibility and control over caching behavior compared to Expires.

Are there any scenarios where Expires is still useful?

Yes, Expires can still be useful for backward compatibility with older HTTP/1.0 clients that may not understand Cache-Control.