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Cache
Cache (pronounced "cash") is memory that is used to temporarily store data (buffer).
The basic idea behind a cache is that a limited number of large accesses to a particular set of data requires less time than a large number of small accesses to the same data.
If it can be determined, from whatever context, which data will be required in the future, a large amount can be read into the buffer by requesting a number of smaller blocks of data. If the prediction was correct, the performance of the computer will be increased.
If it was incorrect, the other data blocks must be read in again and performance will be lost. The better the prediction methods, the more a cache improves the overall performance of the computer.
With a disk cache, access to the hard drive is buffered using an area in the system memory or an internal cache on the hard drive controller or the drive itself.
With processor cache, a fast cache memory ensures that the processor does not have to wait while individual accesses to the much slower system memory are carried out (the so-called L1 cache = first level cache because it is closest to the CPU).
Finally there is the cache used by Web browsers. This cache is used to store files that have already been accessed so that they do not have to be downloaded again. -> Increased speed.
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