Written By :Gigde
Wed Aug 09 2023
5 min read
Cached Version of Website - Instant Access to Digital Time Capsule
Summary
A website's cached version resembles keeping a backup copy on your machine or a server. Storing portions of websites in your browser's memory speeds up website loading. You can view previous versions of websites even when they are unavailable or slow by using services like Google, Wayback Machine, or Archive.today. Researchers and anyone else who needs quick access to web content will find it handy.
Introduction
Have you ever felt the frustration of wanting to browse a website, but you couldn't because the website's server was down or your internet connection was too slow? Well, there's a nifty solution called a 'cached version of website.'
It's like storing a backup copy of the webpage on your computer or another server. You can still see its content as if you were visiting the real website using the cached version of website when the actual site is down.
The cached version of website ensures faster access and comes in handy for anyone who wants to revisit and track any past changes. When you visit a website, your browser saves parts of it in its memory. That's why cached websites loads faster, making browsing quicker and smoother.
So, next time you encounter a ‘404 error' or a sluggish connection, remember the magic of cached websites, keeping the online world at your fingertips!
Meaning of 'Cached Version of Website'
Website pages temporarily preserved as copies are known as the 'cached version of website.' A cache is the name of the storage space itself. Files from a web page are stored as part of caching to improve the speed of data retrieval. In other words, caching enables faster additional requests for the same material from users.
We'll look at two types of caches, ones in web browsers and ones on servers. The browser cache helps you access information faster when you revisit the same page.
The server's cache is like a storage space that keeps copies of website content (images, videos, and web pages) to make websites load faster when you revisit them. It's like having quick access to the content you've already seen. It's like temporary storage that helps speed up your web browsing experience. The trick is to save this cache on a server closest to you.
In addition to web browsers and servers, Google also implements its cached page system. After the Google crawler crawls and adds an index website on Google, it makes backups or cached version of website. These copies are displayed to users even if the live page is not accessible. You can get information quickly and easily, even without strong internet connectivity.
Importance of Cached Version of Website
Now that we understand what the cached version of website is, let us look at its importance:
- 'Cached version of website' is like pre-made meals for browsers, servers, and search engines. They store website data locally, making accessing or viewing old cached versions of websites faster.
- This speed boost is because browsers don't need to fetch fresh data from the website's server every time you visit, reducing loading times.
- For pages that rely on a database to show content, a cached version of website helps speed things up, resulting in quicker loading times for users.
- When you visit a website, you can see either the cached version or the live version (the current updates)
- Caching is especially useful for popular websites that get lots of visitors and heavily use databases, as it improves overall performance.
- It's important to realize that the cached version of website might not always have the latest updates, so sometimes you may have to access the live version to see the fresh content.
- All in all, caching improves user experience by making websites load faster and perform better. It's like having a quick, ready-to-serve meal instead of cooking everything from scratch each time you want to visit a website.
Types of Cached Version of Website
The following three forms of caching are crucial for you to understand:
1.Through servers
In other words, a content delivery network (CDN) is a team of super-fast messengers spread worldwide. These messengers have copies of popular websites or cached version of website saved in their backpacks.
Just think you want to read a webpage, like opening a favorite book. So, instead of going to the faraway library (the main server), you have a nearby friend (the proxy server) who already has a copy of that webpage. Your friend quickly hands you the page, saving you the time and effort of traveling to the library.
A CDN works in a similar manner. It stores a cached version of website on servers located in different regions of the global. When you want to access a website, the CDN finds the closest server and quickly gives you the webpage. This makes your internet experience faster and smoother because you don't have to wait for the information to travel long distances.
2.Through browser
Consider a browser as a magical portal that enables you to access various websites on the internet. The cached version of website is a smart memory mechanism that the browser has. It resembles a secret storage space inside your computer or phone.
The browser stores a small portion of the data from each website you view in this database. Ultimately, it will use this stored memory the next time you wish to visit the same website to rapidly display the content without having to download everything again.
The browser can rapidly display regularly visited pages to you thanks to the stored data. It's like having a secret internet shortcut to your favorite sites, which saves your data, and removes websites from Google search to clear up congestion for everyone else. To improve the speed and smoothness of your web experience, the cached version of website is a useful function for browsers.
3.Through a search engine
Little bots, commonly called spiders, are sent out by search engines like Google to visit websites and gather data when they cruise the internet. These bots capture web pages in their memory and save them as snapshots. We refer to these archived snapshots as cached version of website.
Now picture yourself conducting a Google search. When you enter your search term and press Enter, Google immediately searches its cached sites to discover related results. Instead of returning to the original website to acquire the most recent data, it can offer you a cached copy of a page that fits your search immediately if it finds one. This accelerates and improves the process overall.
When websites are delayed or unavailable, this caching technique speeds up information delivery from search engines and saves you time. However, keep in mind that, depending on when the search engine last searched that specific website, the cached version of website might not necessarily contain the most recent information.
How to access the Cached Version of Website?
Think of time traveling to the past to see old websites, just like looking at an old photo album. Google and the Wayback Machine save copies of websites on their servers by taking pictures of web pages. Later, they let people see these saved web pages, like going back in time and visiting the website when it was working.
These services are helpful because sometimes a website may be down or unavailable, but you can still access the information from the cached version website with the saved copies. It's like having a backup of the website from different points in time.
So, you can use these services to view old cached versions of websites content and get the valuable information you need, even when the original site is not accessible; submit the URL to search engines, and you are good to go.
1.Google
Google has a fantastic web search engine and keeps the cached version of website in its database. You can view a cached version of a website on the Google page cache checker if you need to access one currently down.
Here is how:
- Use your web browser to access Google.
- Then put the URL in the search bar.
- Tap on the three dots next to the website link in the search results to select.
- Check your browser settings on Android or iOS for the desktop site option. Enable it to view the full desktop version of websites.
- To see the web page that has been cached, click the Cached button on the window that appears.
- You can read the website's source code or switch to full-content mode to only see the content by using Google to access a cached version of website.
- Google will also display the date when the cached version of website was saved.
Alternatively, you can enter the cache before the website's URL in the address box if you know it, and Google will display the cached version of website.
For instance, the URL for the cached copy of the Gigde website would be cache:gigde.com.
2.Wayback Machine
The Internet Archive, a nonprofit company, runs an online platform called the Wayback Machine. It stores software, websites, webpages, texts, movies, and other media. The best part is that all of the cached version of the website can be accessed for free.
Here is how:
- Open your web browser and go to the official site at https://archive.org/web/
- On the homepage, you'll find a text field where you can submit URL to search engines of the website you want to see the cached version of website.
- Click on the "Browse History" button to see cached versions of that website.
- Unlike Google, the Wayback Machine doesn't just show current websites; it saves cached version of websites, even those that no longer exist today.
- You can browse through the internet's past and see how websites looked and what content they had in the past.
- Wayback Machine stores a wide range of content like books, videos, audio, images, software, and websites.
This platform allows you to find old media and resources that are no longer available through regular search engines. If you don't have a specific website URL, you can explore their collection of books, audio, videos, images, and software by clicking on the icons on the Wayback Machine homepage.
3. Archive.today
Archive.today is a service similar to Wayback Machine that lets you view old cached version of websites. Additionally, Archive.today has a Chrome extension you can install. Once installed, you can use it to view cached versions of any site you visit.
Here is how:
- Go to the Archive.today website (https://archive.ph/).
- Once you open the website, look for the search bar.
- Enter your topic in the search bar.
- Click on the search button to start the search.
- The results will be displayed. Click on the link that corresponds to the web page you want to view the cached version of website.
- This will open the archived version of the web page you selected
- If you have your own website and want to archive its content, find the text field labeled "My URL is alive, and I want to archive its content.
- Type or paste your website's URL into this text field.
- Click on the "Save" button to archive your website's content.
Following these steps will allow you to use the Archive. today's website for searching and archiving web pages.
There are other similar extensions for cached versions of websites, like Web Cache Viewer, available for Chrome and Firefox browsers, which you can install for free.
Conclusion
The 'Cached Version of Website' works like a backup of a web page stored on your computer or another server. It saves parts of the site in your browser's memory or on distant servers, making accessing websites faster.
This is vital for popular sites with many visitors, as it improves performance and loading speed. You can use tools like the Wayback Machine, Google's cached page system, or Archive.today to see cached version of website when a site is down or slow.
These tools help find information from saved copies. For better website visibility in search engines, explore Gigde's SEO services. Don't rely only on cached versions; optimize your site now for the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Q1. What are the advantages of using a cached version of the website?
Ans. Cached versions of websites offer faster loading times, improved performance, and easy access to historical content for researchers and historians.
Q2. How often are cached versions of websites get updated, and can I rely on them for the latest information?
Ans. The cached version of website updates is based on caching mechanisms. Browser caching updates when revisiting a site, while server-side caching depends on set rules. However, they might not always have the latest updates, so accessing the live version is necessary for the most current information.
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