/laravel-database-optimization

Use Cache::remember() Pattern

Impact: HIGH (Atomic cache population eliminates redundant database queries and race conditions)

Manually checking the cache and repopulating it in separate steps creates a race condition where multiple concurrent requests can miss the cache simultaneously and all hit the database. Cache::remember() handles this atomically in a single call.

Incorrect

// ❌ Manual get/put — race condition on cache miss
$products = Cache::get('products:featured');

if ($products === null) {
    // Multiple concurrent requests can reach here simultaneously
    $products = Product::where('featured', true)
        ->with('category')
        ->get();

    Cache::put('products:featured', $products, 3600);
}

return $products;

Problems:

• Race condition: concurrent requests during cache miss all execute the expensive query
• Cache stampede on high-traffic endpoints — database gets hammered when cache expires
• More code to maintain and more opportunities for bugs (e.g., forgetting to set TTL)
• No guarantee the cached value matches what was just queried (another request may overwrite)

Correct

// ✅ Cache::remember() — atomic get-or-set with TTL
$products = Cache::remember('products:featured', 3600, function () {
    return Product::where('featured', true)
        ->with('category')
        ->get();
});

// ✅ Cache::rememberForever() — for rarely-changing reference data
$countries = Cache::rememberForever('reference:countries', function () {
    return Country::orderBy('name')->get();
});

// ✅ With dynamic keys for per-user or per-entity caching
$userStats = Cache::remember(
    "users:{$user->id}:stats",
    now()->addMinutes(15),
    function () use ($user) {
        return [
            'posts_count' => $user->posts()->count(),
            'followers_count' => $user->followers()->count(),
            'total_likes' => $user->posts()->withSum('reactions', 'count')->sum('reactions_sum_count'),
        ];
    }
);

Benefits:

• Atomic operation: only one request regenerates the cache on miss
• Eliminates cache stampede — concurrent requests wait for or get the freshly cached value
• Cleaner, less error-prone code with TTL and closure in a single call
• rememberForever() variant for data that changes only via explicit invalidation

Reference: Laravel Cache Usage