The Smart Waiter: Understanding Cache Placement

Imagine you're at a busy restaurant. You place an order, and instead of the waiter running to the kitchen every single time, there's a smart waiter who remembers popular orders and keeps them ready nearby.

This is exactly how cache works in your application!

Your cache sits between your API and database - like that smart waiter between you and the kitchen. When someone asks for data:

1. API checks the cache first (the waiter's memory)
2. If found → instant delivery! 🚀
3. If not found → API goes to database, gets data, saves copy in cache for next time

Key Insight: Cache is your application's short-term memory - it remembers frequently asked questions so it can answer them lightning fast!