About Memcached
Memcached is a free, open source, distributed memory caching system. It holds small pieces of data in RAM so that web applications can avoid repeating slow database calls.
What it does
Memcached stores key-value pairs in memory, and reading them back is much faster than running the same query again. Applications store the results of database calls, API responses or rendered page fragments under a key, then check the cache first. Its protocol is simple, and client libraries exist for most popular programming languages. Operators can check usage with a stats command and run the service across several servers.
Key features
- Key-value cache held in RAM
- Simple get and set commands
- Spread the cache across multiple servers
- Stats command for checking usage
- Client libraries for most popular languages
Who it's for
Web developers who want to reduce database load, operations teams that run caches at scale, and projects that need a plain cache without extra features. It is a common choice for sites with many repeated reads of the same content.
Pricing and good to know
Memcached is free and open source under the BSD 3-Clause license. Data is kept only in memory, so cached items are lost when a server restarts. Treat it as a cache that speeds up your application, and keep the source of truth in a durable database.
Highlights
- Cache database results and API responses in RAM
- Read and write keys with simple commands
- Run the cache across several servers
- Check usage with a built-in stats command
- Use client libraries for most languages
