Caching Without Marshal Part 1: Marshal from the Inside Out

Caching Without Marshal Part 1: Marshal from the Inside Out

摘要

Caching is critical to how Rails applications work. At every layer, whether it be in page rendering, database querying, or external data retrieval, the cache is what ensures that no single bottleneck brings down an entire application.

But caching has a dirty secret, and that secret’s name is Marshal.

Marshal is Ruby’s ultimate sharp knife, able to transform almost any object into a binary blob and back. This makes it a natural match for the diverse needs of a cache, particularly the cache of a complex web framework like Rails. From actions, to pages, to partials, to queries—you name it, if Rails is touching it, Marshal is probably caching it.

Marshal’s magic, however, comes with risks.