Implementing Distributed Caching with PostgreSQL in .NET: Sats.PostgresDistributedCache

In the world of modern software architecture, distributed caching has become a pivotal element for optimizing application performance. Utilizing a distributed caching system allows for faster data retrieval and can significantly reduce the load on your databases. In this blog post, we will explore how to implement distributed caching using PostgreSQL with the help of the Sats.PostgresDistributedCache library in .NET.

What is Distributed Caching?

Distributed caching is a caching mechanism that allows multiple instances of an application to share the same cache. This is particularly useful in cloud environments or microservices architecture where several instances of an application may be running concurrently. By implementing distributed caching, you can achieve:

Improved Performance: Reduced database load and faster response times.
Scalability: Easier to scale applications without performance degradation.
Consistency: Shared cache allows multiple service instances to access the same cached data.

Introducing Sats.PostgresDistributedCache

Sats.PostgresDistributedCache is a library that allows you to use PostgreSQL as a distributed cache in .NET applications. This library simplifies the caching process by leveraging PostgreSQL’s capabilities to store and retrieve cached items efficiently.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

To get started with Sats.PostgresDistributedCache, follow these steps:

Ensure you have a .NET project set up (preferably a .NET Core application).
Install the Sats.PostgresDistributedCache package via NuGet:

dotnet add package Sats.PostgresDistributedCache

Additionally, you will need to have access to a running PostgreSQL instance. If you don’t have PostgreSQL installed, consider setting it up using Docker:

docker run --name postgres -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=mysecretpassword -d -p 5432:5432 postgres

Configuring The Cache

Now that you have everything set up, the next step is to configure the distributed cache in your application. Here’s how you can do this in the Startup class:

public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)
{
    services.AddDistributedPostgresCache(options =>
    {
        options.ConnectionString = "Host=localhost;Port=5432;Username=postgres;Password=mysecretpassword;Database=mydatabase";
        options.SchemaName = "public";
    });
}

Using the Cache in Your Application

With the cache configured, you can now inject IDistributedCache into your services and begin caching data. Here’s a simple example of how to set and get cached values:

public class ExampleService
{
    private readonly IDistributedCache _cache;

    public ExampleService(IDistributedCache cache)
    {
        _cache = cache;
    }

    public async Task CacheDataAsync(string key, string value)
    {
        await _cache.SetStringAsync(key, value);
    }

    public async Task GetCachedDataAsync(string key)
    {
        return await _cache.GetStringAsync(key);
    }
}

Implementing Distributed Caching with PostgreSQL in .NET: Sats.PostgresDistributedCache