Laravel Cache Dependency

A dependency-based caching system for Laravel inspired by Yii2. Features tag dependencies with O(1) invalidation and database dependencies for automatic cache freshness.

Why This Package?

Laravel's built-in cache tags have fundamental limitations:

• Retrieval requires exact tag match — You must provide the exact same tags used when caching
• Limited driver support — Only works with Redis and Memcached
• No database dependencies — No automatic invalidation when data changes

This package solves all three problems.

Features

• Tag Dependencies: Tags stored as metadata, retrieval without tags, O(1) invalidation via version counters
• Database Dependencies: Automatic cache invalidation when query results change
• Universal Driver Support: Works with all Laravel cache drivers (file, array, database, Redis, Memcached)
• Cache Interoperability: Works seamlessly with Laravel's Cache facade
• Configurable Behavior: Fail-open or fail-closed when database queries fail

Installation

composer require lunzai/laravel-cache-dependency

Optionally publish the config:

php artisan vendor:publish --tag="cache-dependency-config"

Requirements

• PHP 8.2+
• Laravel 11+

Quick Start

use Lunzai\CacheDependency\Facades\CacheDependency;

// Cache with tags
CacheDependency::tags(['users', 'permissions'])
    ->put('user.1.permissions', $permissions, 3600);

// Retrieve WITHOUT tags
$permissions = CacheDependency::get('user.1.permissions');

// Invalidate — O(1) operation
CacheDependency::invalidateTags('users');

Tag Dependencies

How It Works

Tags are stored as metadata with the cached entry. A version counter is maintained for each tag. When you invalidate a tag, the counter increments. On retrieval, cached entries check if their stored tag versions match current versions. If any tag version has increased, the cache is stale.

This is an O(1) operation — no iteration over cached items needed.

Usage

// Cache with tags
CacheDependency::tags(['user.123', 'rbac'])
    ->put('user.123.permissions', $permissions, 3600);

// Cache with multiple tags
CacheDependency::tags(['user.123', 'role.5', 'rbac'])
    ->remember('user.123.permissions', 3600, function () {
        return $this->calculatePermissions(123);
    });

// Retrieve WITHOUT specifying tags
$permissions = CacheDependency::get('user.123.permissions');

// Also works with standard Cache facade
$permissions = Cache::get('user.123.permissions');

// Invalidate all caches with 'rbac' tag (O(1) operation)
CacheDependency::invalidateTags('rbac');

// Invalidate multiple tags at once
CacheDependency::invalidateTags(['user.123', 'role.5']);

// Store indefinitely with tags
CacheDependency::tags('config')->forever('app.settings', $settings);

Database Dependencies

How It Works

When caching, you provide a SQL query. The query result is stored as a "baseline". On retrieval, the query is re-executed and compared to the baseline. If they differ, the cache is stale.

Usage

// Simple DB dependency
CacheDependency::db('SELECT MAX(updated_at) FROM roles')
    ->remember('all.roles', 3600, fn() => Role::all());

// DB dependency with parameters
CacheDependency::db(
    'SELECT MAX(updated_at) FROM role_user WHERE user_id = ?',
    [$userId]
)->remember("user.{$userId}.roles", 3600, fn() => $user->roles);

// Using named connection
CacheDependency::db('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM audit_logs')
    ->connection('audit')
    ->put('audit.count', $count, 3600);

Failure Handling

When a database query fails during cache retrieval:

• Fail Closed (default): Treat as cache miss, fetch fresh data
• Fail Open: Return cached value (prioritize availability)

Configure in config/cache-dependency.php:

'db' => [
    'fail_open' => false, // Default: fail closed
],

Combined Dependencies

You can combine tags and database dependencies:

// Cache is invalidated if:
// - Any tag is invalidated, OR
// - DB query result changes
CacheDependency::tags(['rbac', 'permissions'])
    ->db('SELECT MAX(updated_at) FROM permissions')
    ->remember('all.permissions', 3600, fn() => Permission::all());

Tag Design Patterns

Since the package uses explicit tagging (no wildcards), proper tag design is essential:

RBAC / Permission System

// Caching user permissions
CacheDependency::tags([
    "user.{$userId}.permissions",  // Specific cache
    "user.{$userId}",              // All caches for this user
    'user.permissions',            // All user permission caches
    'rbac',                        // All RBAC-related caches
])->remember("user.{$userId}.permissions", 3600, fn() => $this->calculatePermissions($userId));

// Invalidation scenarios:
CacheDependency::invalidateTags("user.{$userId}");      // User's roles changed
CacheDependency::invalidateTags('user.permissions');    // Permission logic changed
CacheDependency::invalidateTags('rbac');                // Clear all RBAC caches

E-commerce / Product Catalog

// Product cache
CacheDependency::tags([
    "product.{$productId}",
    "category.{$categoryId}.products",
    "vendor.{$vendorId}.products",
    'products',
])->remember("product.{$productId}", 3600, fn() => Product::find($productId));

// Invalidation:
CacheDependency::invalidateTags("product.{$productId}");           // Product updated
CacheDependency::invalidateTags("category.{$categoryId}.products"); // Category products changed

Multi-tenant Application

// Tenant-scoped cache
CacheDependency::tags([
    "tenant.{$tenantId}",
    "tenant.{$tenantId}.settings",
])->remember("tenant.{$tenantId}.config", 3600, fn() => $tenant->settings);

// Invalidation:
CacheDependency::invalidateTags("tenant.{$tenantId}");  // Clear all tenant caches

Tag Naming Conventions

Configuration

Publish the configuration file:

php artisan vendor:publish --tag="cache-dependency-config"

Available options:

return [
    // Cache store to use (null = default)
    'store' => env('CACHE_DEPENDENCY_STORE'),

    // Prefix for internal cache keys (tag versions)
    'prefix' => env('CACHE_DEPENDENCY_PREFIX', 'cdep'),

    // Tag version TTL (should be longer than longest cache TTL)
    'tag_version_ttl' => env('CACHE_DEPENDENCY_TAG_TTL', 86400 * 30), // 30 days

    'db' => [
        // Default database connection (null = default)
        'connection' => env('CACHE_DEPENDENCY_DB_CONNECTION'),

        // Query timeout in seconds
        'timeout' => env('CACHE_DEPENDENCY_DB_TIMEOUT', 5),

        // Behavior when DB query fails:
        // - false: Return null (cache miss) - fail closed
        // - true: Return cached value (fail open)
        'fail_open' => env('CACHE_DEPENDENCY_FAIL_OPEN', false),
    ],
];

API Reference

CacheDependency Facade

// Create pending dependency with tags
CacheDependency::tags(array|string $tags): PendingDependency

// Create pending dependency with DB query
CacheDependency::db(string $sql, array $params = []): PendingDependency

// Retrieve from cache
CacheDependency::get(string $key, mixed $default = null): mixed

// Store in cache (without dependencies)
CacheDependency::put(string $key, mixed $value, ?int $ttl = null): bool

// Remember pattern
CacheDependency::remember(string $key, ?int $ttl, Closure $callback): mixed

// Invalidate tags (O(1))
CacheDependency::invalidateTags(array|string $tags): void

// Get tag version
CacheDependency::getTagVersion(string $tag): int

// Check existence (checks staleness)
CacheDependency::has(string $key): bool

// Remove from cache
CacheDependency::forget(string $key): bool

// Retrieve and delete
CacheDependency::pull(string $key, mixed $default = null): mixed

// Get multiple
CacheDependency::many(array $keys): array

// Clear all
CacheDependency::flush(): bool

// Use different store
CacheDependency::store(?string $name = null): CacheDependencyManager

PendingDependency Methods

// Add tags (chainable)
->tags(array|string $tags): self

// Set DB dependency (chainable)
->db(string $sql, array $params = []): self

// Set DB connection (chainable)
->connection(string $connection): self

// Store with dependencies
->put(string $key, mixed $value, ?int $ttl = null): bool

// Remember with dependencies
->remember(string $key, ?int $ttl, Closure $callback): mixed

// Store forever with dependencies
->forever(string $key, mixed $value): bool

// Store multiple with dependencies
->putMany(array $values, ?int $ttl = null): bool

Testing

composer test

Credits

• HL (Lunzai)
• Inspired by Yii2's Cache Dependencies

License

The MIT License (MIT). Please see License File for more information.