Caching data

[3P]

I want to cache readonly data at application start and have it in cache
till application stops/restarts.
I can use static fields, Cache object or Application object.
Which is best? I've read that Application is for compatibility with ASP
and shouldn't be used for caching.

 

[Patrice]

As said Mark it won't make a huge difference. Else what matters is not what
is the best practice but *why* it is the best practice.

One advantage of the cache object i can think of, is that it allows also to
handle the lifetime (see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.web.caching.cache.aspx). In
your case it doesn't seem to matter so keep whatever is in use and works...
Hence perhaps this advice you saw...

In all cases it's likely better to hide this from your main app so that you
can change the implementation at will...

 

[3P]

Practically, there is very little difference...



Where have you read that...?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q312607

ASP.NET includes application state primarily for compatibility with
classic ASP so that it is easier to migrate existing applications to
ASP.NET. It is recommended that you store data in static members of the
application class instead of in the Application object. This increases
performance because you can access a static variable faster than you can
access an item in the Application dictionary.

 

[3P]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q312607

Last Review: January 21, 2004
APPLIES TO
Microsoft ASP.NET 1.1
Microsoft ASP.NET 1.0

OK. But if it was for compatibility with ASP in ASP.NET 1.0 it's now for
compatibility with ASP.NET 1.0 in ASP.NET 2.0.

And this will be true always

"...you can access a static variable faster than you can access an item in
the Application dictionary."

 

[3P]

Not true.



Again, not true.



Once again, not true.

And what about boxing/unboxing?

 

[3P]

Negligible

But it is slower and that's the point. You said it isn't.

 

[3P]

I have never, not even once, used the word "slower" anywhere in this
thread...

For the record, I said:

"Practically, there is very little difference..."
"There really is *no* appreciable difference"
"Negligible"

That's what I'm saying

I cited

"...you can access a static variable faster than you can access an item
in the Application dictionary."

And You said

Once again, not true.

It is slower but it's neglibible. But IT IS slower.