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cache-strategy skill

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This skill helps you design AI-powered API caching strategies with zero-setup guidance and actionable TTL and layer recommendations.

npx playbooks add skill openclaw/skills --skill cache-strategy

Review the files below or copy the command above to add this skill to your agents.

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SKILL.md

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---
name: cache-strategy
description: Get AI-powered caching strategy suggestions for your API. Use when performance matters.
---

# Cache Strategy

You know you should cache things but you're not sure what, where, or for how long. Point this tool at your API routes and get specific caching recommendations.

**One command. Zero config. Just works.**

## Quick Start

```bash
npx ai-cache-strategy ./src/api/
```

## What It Does

- Analyzes your API endpoints
- Identifies what should be cached
- Recommends TTL values based on data patterns
- Suggests caching layer (CDN, Redis, memory)

## Usage Examples

```bash
# Analyze API routes
npx ai-cache-strategy ./src/api/

# Analyze specific route file
npx ai-cache-strategy ./routes/products.ts

# Get Redis-specific recommendations
npx ai-cache-strategy ./src/api/ --layer redis
```

## Best Practices

- **Cache static data aggressively** - config, reference data, rarely changing content
- **Be careful with user data** - personalized responses need different strategies
- **Invalidate properly** - stale cache is worse than no cache
- **Monitor hit rates** - if nothing is hitting cache, something's wrong

## When to Use This

- API response times are too slow
- Database is getting hammered with repeated queries
- Scaling up and need to reduce load
- Building a new API and want to design caching upfront

## Part of the LXGIC Dev Toolkit

This is one of 110+ free developer tools built by LXGIC Studios. No paywalls, no sign-ups, no API keys on free tiers. Just tools that work.

**Find more:**
- GitHub: https://github.com/LXGIC-Studios
- Twitter: https://x.com/lxgicstudios
- Substack: https://lxgicstudios.substack.com
- Website: https://lxgic.dev

## Requirements

No install needed. Just run with npx. Node.js 18+ recommended. Needs OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable.

```bash
npx ai-cache-strategy --help
```

## How It Works

Reads your API route files, understands the data patterns and access patterns from the code, and recommends appropriate caching strategies. The AI considers factors like data freshness requirements, personalization, and common access patterns.

## License

MIT. Free forever. Use it however you want.

Overview

This skill gives AI-powered caching strategy suggestions for your API by scanning route files and recommending what to cache, where, and for how long. It outputs concrete TTL values, suggests the best caching layer (CDN, Redis, in-memory), and flags personalized or sensitive responses that need special handling. One command, no config required — designed to quickly improve latency and reduce backend load.

How this skill works

The tool reads your API route files to infer data shapes, access patterns, and freshness requirements from code and comments. It uses those signals to identify cacheable responses, estimate appropriate TTLs, and recommend invalidation approaches. It also maps endpoints to suitable layers (CDN for public assets, Redis for shared mutable data, in-process memory for ephemeral reads).

When to use it

When API response times are consistently high and you need quick wins.
When the database is receiving repeated identical queries and load needs reduction.
During design of a new API to bake caching into the architecture.
Before scaling to more users to avoid predictable bottlenecks.
When you want guided TTL values and layer recommendations without manual analysis.

Best practices

Cache static and reference data aggressively with long TTLs.
Treat personalized or user-specific responses carefully; prefer short TTLs or per-user caches.
Design clear invalidation or cache-busting strategies for writes and updates.
Monitor cache hit rates and latency to validate effectiveness.
Prefer layered caching: CDN for public reads, Redis for shared state, memory for single-instance speed.

Example use cases

Scan an entire API directory to get a prioritized list of cache targets and TTLs.
Analyze a single route file to decide whether to add CDN or Redis caching.
Generate Redis-specific recommendations when you plan to add a centralized cache.
Assess which endpoints are safe to cache aggressively and which require per-user handling.
Quickly prepare caching guidance before a major traffic spike or release.

FAQ

Do I need an account or install anything?

No account is required; run with npx. Node.js 18+ is recommended and an OPENAI_API_KEY is needed for analysis.

Can it suggest invalidation strategies?

Yes. It recommends invalidation and cache-busting approaches based on detected write paths and data freshness needs.