Definition
Google Cache is a feature that allows the search engine operator to periodically make copies of the web pages that have been indexed by its Search Engine are found, to be stored. These copies are also called "cache" because they are a copy of the original content. The Google Cache can be used by users as a tool to search and find content on the Internet.
What is caching?
Caching is a component that improves performance by transparently storing data closer to end users so that future requests for that data can be served more quickly without having to return to the origin server. Through Caching both reduces the load on the origin server and speeds up the user's online experience.
There are two types of caches: Browser-caches, which reside on the user's computer, and proxy caches, which reside on the network and serve one or more users.
What is the Google Cache?
The Google Cache is nothing more than a snapshot or copy of a page that Google stores as a backup. Google usually takes a snapshot of every page it examines and saves this version in the cache or as a backup.
Google uses the cached version to judge whether a page is a good match for our search query. Google's servers are usually much faster than many web servers, so we can often access the cached version of a page faster than the page itself.
Basically, each result of our search contains a cached link. If you click on this link, you will be taken to the cached version of the web page in question by Google, instead of being taken to the current version of the page.
This is useful when the original page is not available for one of the following reasons:
- Internet overload
- A non-functioning, overloaded or simply slow website
- The owner has recently taken the site off the web.
Sometimes a page that requires registration or subscription can access the cached version of that page. You can always access the cached version of the page faster than the page itself, because we all know that Google's servers are usually much faster than all web servers.
If you find that Google returns a link to a page that seems to have little to do with your query, or if you can't find the information you're looking for in the current version of the page, you can simply take a look at the cached version.
On the other hand, almost every page you come across when using Google offers the option to access the cached version directly in the search results. If you click on "Cache", you'll immediately be taken to the last copy Google made of the page in question.
Google Cache is a great and practical solution when a website you want to visit is unavailable or not working. If you visit a website and receive a 404 error message, you can either search for that website on Google by prepending the parameters of the cache: operator to your search query, so that your search query reads something like this: cache:Google
How to access the Google cache:
1) Just go to the Google Web Search text box and add the keyword cache: in front of the URL that you want to see. Example: cache:eukhost.com
2) In the Google Web Search results, there is a "Cache" link, except for the web pages that do not allow Google Web Search to cache or grab them. If there is this "Cached" link, just click on it.
In the Google Webmaster Tools help for removing a page or website from Google search results indicates that a web page is not available in the Google cache database if it is not accessible to the crawler of the Search Engine is not visible.
3) In Google Chrome web browser, just use the address bar as the text field for Google web search.
Google Cache displays a page as it was the last time Google successfully crawled it, so it may be out of date. Google does not store images, scripts and other embedded objects, but tries to retrieve them from their original location. If the page is not accessible, most external resources are not accessible and the page loads slowly.
Reasons for using Google Cache?
Google Cache can be used for various purposes, some of which are listed below:
- To see the content of the page (if the original website is temporarily unavailable)
- To see the contents of the dynamically generated page (if the original page has been updated since the cache and no longer contains the information you need. So if Google returns a link to a page that seems to have little to do with your actual query, or if you can't find the information you're looking for in the current version of the page, take a look at the cached version).
- To access websites that are blocked in your country (or require registration/subscription)
- To access the information of a slow loading page faster.
Advantages
Has the following advantages Google Cache:
- Improved speed: When you view the cached version of a page, it loads faster because it's already stored on your computer and doesn't need to be downloaded again from a server.
- Content availability: If a website is down, you may still be able to access its content by displaying the cached version of the page. This can be helpful when a website is down due to maintenance or technical issues.
- Content archiving: Google's cache also serves as an archive for past versions of websites. You can view the cached version of a page to see how it looked at an earlier time.
- Saving data: When you view the cached version of a page, less data is used because the page doesn't have to be downloaded again. This can be especially helpful if you have a limited amount of data or a slow Internet connection.
Disadvantages
Has the following disadvantages Google Cache:
- Not always up to date: The cached version of a page may not always be the current version. If the page has been updated since then, you may not see all the new content when you view the cached version.
- Not all content included: The cached version of a page might not contain all the content that is present on the current page. For example, certain images or videos might be missing if they were not cached by Google.
- Delayed update: The cached version of a page may not be updated immediately when the page is refreshed. So you might still see the old version even if the current page has already been updated.
- No interactivity: The cached version of a page is usually static and does not offer any interaction. For example, you can't comment or fill out forms when viewing the cached version.
- No personalized content: The cached version of a page is displayed the same for all users. So you may not see personalized content, such as ads tailored to your interests.
Use cases
The Google Cache can be useful in many different use cases. For example, it can help users view older versions of a web page if they can no longer retrieve it from the original server. It can also help page content load faster as it is to be loaded from the cache. In addition, the Google Cache used to find content that has been unavailable for a long time.
Examples
A common application example for the Google Cache is when a user wants to view an older version of a web page. In this case, the user can use the URL of the web page in the search bar, and click the "cache" option to display the older version. Another example of use is when a web page is no longer available. In this case, the user can use the URL in the Google Cache to search for content that existed before the page was unavailable.
Conclusion
Google Cache is a pretty cool feature that is often underestimated. Basically, Google creates a snapshot of web pages while the Googlebot searches them. These snapshots, i.e. the "cache", are like a time travel window that allows you to see the content of a page as it was at a certain point in time in the past.
For users is Google Cache a kind of life saver when websites are temporarily unavailable or when you want to see the original content of a page that might have been changed. It's like having a little time machine in your hand that takes you back and shows you how a page used to look.
For website operators and SEO expertn is the Google Cache a valuable tool to check if Google correctly captures the content of a webpage and indexed has. By analyzing the cache content, they can identify indexing issues and make adjustments to the website if necessary to achieve better visibility in search results.
But all that glitters is not gold. Sometimes the cache may be outdated or not reflect the current state of a website. In such cases, users and website owners may find the cache misleading. Therefore, it is important not to rely exclusively on the Google Cache but always to take into account the current content of a web page.
By and large Google Cache a helpful feature for anyone on the web. It provides useful insight into past versions of web pages and helps identify content indexing issues. Remember the Google Cache as a kind of archivist that preserves the history of the Internet and helps you trace the evolution of websites.
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