redis-patterns

Redis Patterns

Constraints

• Apply @rules/laravel/laravel.mdc — use the framework's facades (Cache, RateLimiter, Redis), not a raw client.
• Apply @rules/laravel/queue-debouncing.mdc for queue/job coalescing concerns when Redis backs the queue.
• Cross-link @rules/sql/optimalize.mdc (DB-level caching) — Redis caching sits in front of the query tuning that rule owns; cache the result, do not paper over an unindexed query.
• final classes, declare(strict_types=1), Pest tests (use the array cache driver in tests unless asserting Redis-specific behavior).
• Always set a TTL. Keys without expiry accumulate and cause memory pressure.

Use when

• Adding caching, rate limiting, distributed coordination, or pub/sub to a Laravel app.
• Choosing a cache strategy, protecting a cold cache from stampede, or designing key/TTL conventions.
• Configuring Redis as the session, cache, or queue store.

Use Laravel facades throughout. Reach for raw Redis::command(...) only for structures the Cache abstraction does not expose (sorted sets, streams).

Caching Strategies

Cache-Aside (default for read-heavy data)

$product = Cache::remember("product:{$id}", now()->addMinutes(10), fn () =>
    Product::findOrFail($id),
);

remember() is read-through cache-aside: returns the cached value or runs the closure, stores it, and returns it. Use rememberForever() only with an explicit invalidation path.

Write-Through (consistency required)

$product->update($data);
Cache::put("product:{$product->id}", $product->fresh(), now()->addMinutes(10));
// Or simply invalidate so the next read repopulates:
Cache::forget("product:{$product->id}");

Invalidate (forget) rather than rewrite when the cached shape may differ from the model.

Cache Tags (grouped invalidation)

Cache::tags(['products', "category:{$categoryId}"])
    ->remember("product:{$id}", now()->addMinutes(10), fn () => Product::findOrFail($id));

Cache::tags(["category:{$categoryId}"])->flush(); // drop the whole group at once