Cache memory

A cache memory is a memory region that stores program instructions or data, usually instructions or data that have been accessed recently, for future use. The primary purpose of cache memory is to increase the speed of repeatedly accessing the same memory location or nearby memory locations. To be effective, accessing the cached data must be significantly faster than accessing the original source of the data, referred to as the backing store.

When caching is in use, each attempt to access a memory location begins with a search of the cache. If the data is present, the processor retrieves and uses it immediately. This is called a cache hit. If the cache search is unsuccessful (a cache miss), the data must be retrieved from the backing store. In the process of retrieving the requested data, a copy is added to the cache for anticipated future use.

Cache memory is used for a variety of purposes in computer systems. Some examples of cache memory applications are:

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