Cache Components (Next.js 16+)

Cache Components enable Partial Prerendering (PPR) - mix static, cached, and dynamic content in a single route.

Enable Cache Components

// next.config.ts import type { NextConfig } from 'next'

const nextConfig: NextConfig = { cacheComponents: true, }

export default nextConfig

This replaces the old experimental.ppr flag.

Three Content Types

With Cache Components enabled, content falls into three categories:

1. Static (Auto-Prerendered)

Synchronous code, imports, pure computations - prerendered at build time:

export default function Page() { return ( <header> <h1>Our Blog</h1> {/* Static - instant */} <nav>...</nav> </header> ) }

2. Cached (use cache )

Async data that doesn't need fresh fetches every request:

async function BlogPosts() { 'use cache' cacheLife('hours')

const posts = await db.posts.findMany() return <PostList posts={posts} /> }

3. Dynamic (Suspense)

Runtime data that must be fresh - wrap in Suspense:

import { Suspense } from 'react'

export default function Page() { return ( <> <BlogPosts /> {/* Cached */}

  <Suspense fallback={<p>Loading...</p>}>
    <UserPreferences />  {/* Dynamic - streams in */}
  </Suspense>
</>

) }

async function UserPreferences() { const theme = (await cookies()).get('theme')?.value return <p>Theme: {theme}</p> }

use cache Directive

File Level

'use cache'

export default async function Page() { // Entire page is cached const data = await fetchData() return <div>{data}</div> }

Component Level

export async function CachedComponent() { 'use cache' const data = await fetchData() return <div>{data}</div> }

Function Level

export async function getData() { 'use cache' return db.query('SELECT * FROM posts') }

Cache Profiles

Built-in Profiles

'use cache' // Default: 5m stale, 15m revalidate

'use cache: remote' // Platform-provided cache (Redis, KV)

'use cache: private' // For compliance, allows runtime APIs

cacheLife()

• Custom Lifetime

import { cacheLife } from 'next/cache'

async function getData() { 'use cache' cacheLife('hours') // Built-in profile return fetch('/api/data') }

Built-in profiles: 'default' , 'minutes' , 'hours' , 'days' , 'weeks' , 'max'

Inline Configuration

async function getData() { 'use cache' cacheLife({ stale: 3600, // 1 hour - serve stale while revalidating revalidate: 7200, // 2 hours - background revalidation interval expire: 86400, // 1 day - hard expiration }) return fetch('/api/data') }

Cache Invalidation

cacheTag()

• Tag Cached Content

import { cacheTag } from 'next/cache'

async function getProducts() { 'use cache' cacheTag('products') return db.products.findMany() }

async function getProduct(id: string) { 'use cache' cacheTag('products', product-${id}) return db.products.findUnique({ where: { id } }) }

updateTag()

• Immediate Invalidation

Use when you need the cache refreshed within the same request:

'use server'

import { updateTag } from 'next/cache'

export async function updateProduct(id: string, data: FormData) { await db.products.update({ where: { id }, data }) updateTag(product-${id}) // Immediate - same request sees fresh data }

revalidateTag()

• Background Revalidation

Use for stale-while-revalidate behavior:

'use server'

import { revalidateTag } from 'next/cache'

export async function createPost(data: FormData) { await db.posts.create({ data }) revalidateTag('posts') // Background - next request sees fresh data }

Runtime Data Constraint

Cannot access cookies() , headers() , or searchParams inside use cache .

Solution: Pass as Arguments

// Wrong - runtime API inside use cache async function CachedProfile() { 'use cache' const session = (await cookies()).get('session')?.value // Error! return <div>{session}</div> }

// Correct - extract outside, pass as argument async function ProfilePage() { const session = (await cookies()).get('session')?.value return <CachedProfile sessionId={session} /> }

async function CachedProfile({ sessionId }: { sessionId: string }) { 'use cache' // sessionId becomes part of cache key automatically const data = await fetchUserData(sessionId) return <div>{data.name}</div> }

Exception: use cache: private

For compliance requirements when you can't refactor:

async function getData() { 'use cache: private' const session = (await cookies()).get('session')?.value // Allowed return fetchData(session) }

Cache Key Generation

Cache keys are automatic based on:

• Build ID - invalidates all caches on deploy

• Function ID - hash of function location

• Serializable arguments - props become part of key

• Closure variables - outer scope values included

async function Component({ userId }: { userId: string }) { const getData = async (filter: string) => { 'use cache' // Cache key = userId (closure) + filter (argument) return fetch(/api/users/${userId}?filter=${filter}) } return getData('active') }

Complete Example

import { Suspense } from 'react' import { cookies } from 'next/headers' import { cacheLife, cacheTag } from 'next/cache'

export default function DashboardPage() { return ( <> {/* Static shell - instant from CDN */} <header><h1>Dashboard</h1></header> <nav>...</nav>

  {/* Cached - fast, revalidates hourly */}
  <Stats />

  {/* Dynamic - streams in with fresh data */}
  <Suspense fallback={<NotificationsSkeleton />}>
    <Notifications />
  </Suspense>
</>

) }

async function Stats() { 'use cache' cacheLife('hours') cacheTag('dashboard-stats')

const stats = await db.stats.aggregate() return <StatsDisplay stats={stats} /> }

async function Notifications() { const userId = (await cookies()).get('userId')?.value const notifications = await db.notifications.findMany({ where: { userId, read: false } }) return <NotificationList items={notifications} /> }

Migration from Previous Versions

Old Config Replacement

experimental.ppr

cacheComponents: true

dynamic = 'force-dynamic'

Remove (default behavior)

dynamic = 'force-static'

'use cache'

• cacheLife('max')

revalidate = N

cacheLife({ revalidate: N })

unstable_cache()

'use cache' directive

Limitations

• Edge runtime not supported - requires Node.js

• Static export not supported - needs server

• Non-deterministic values (Math.random() , Date.now() ) execute once at build time inside use cache

For request-time randomness outside cache:

import { connection } from 'next/server'

async function DynamicContent() { await connection() // Defer to request time const id = crypto.randomUUID() // Different per request return <div>{id}</div> }

Sources:

• Cache Components Guide

• use cache Directive