Dynamic Page Cache & BigPipe

These modules cache pages for authenticated users while handling personalized content via placeholders.

When to Use

• Improving performance for logged-in users
• Debugging UNCACHEABLE responses
• Implementing personalized content that doesn't break caching
• Understanding BigPipe streaming behavior

How Dynamic Page Cache Works

Request → Check cache
├── HIT: Serve cached structure → Replace placeholders → Response
└── MISS: Render page → Auto-placeholder dynamic parts → Cache → Response

Response Headers

Auto-Placeholder Conditions

Content is automatically placeholdered when:

• max-age: 0
• Cache context user or session
• #create_placeholder is TRUE

Examples

Example 1: Check Dynamic Cache Status

Input: "How do I know if Dynamic Page Cache is working?"

Output:

# Check response header
curl -sI -H "Cookie: SESS123=abc" https://site.com/ | grep X-Drupal-Dynamic-Cache

# Expected results:
# X-Drupal-Dynamic-Cache: HIT    → Working, served from cache
# X-Drupal-Dynamic-Cache: MISS   → First request, now cached
# X-Drupal-Dynamic-Cache: UNCACHEABLE → Problem! Something has max-age:0

Example 2: Debug UNCACHEABLE Response

Input: "My page shows UNCACHEABLE, how do I fix it?"

Output:

// Enable debug headers to see what's wrong
// settings.local.php
$settings['http.response.debug_cacheability_headers'] = TRUE;

// Check headers:
// X-Drupal-Cache-Max-Age: 0  → Something set max-age:0

// Common culprits:
// 1. Block with max-age:0
// 2. Form without lazy builder
// 3. Custom module not setting cache metadata

// Find the source with Xdebug breakpoint:
// File: Cache.php, Method: mergeMaxAges(), Condition: $a === 0 || $b === 0

Example 3: Lazy Builder for User Content

Input: "I need to show user-specific data without breaking cache"

Output:

// DON'T do this - breaks page caching:
$build['greeting'] = [
  '#markup' => 'Hello ' . $user->getDisplayName(),
  '#cache' => ['contexts' => ['user']], // Page becomes per-user!
];

// DO this - use lazy builder:
$build['greeting'] = [
  '#lazy_builder' => ['my_module.lazy:userGreeting', [$user->id()]],
  '#create_placeholder' => TRUE,
];

// LazyBuilders service
class LazyBuilders implements TrustedCallbackInterface {

  public static function trustedCallbacks() {
    return ['userGreeting'];
  }

  public function userGreeting(int $uid): array {
    $user = User::load($uid);
    return [
      '#markup' => 'Hello ' . $user->getDisplayName(),
      '#cache' => [
        'contexts' => ['user'],
        'tags' => ['user:' . $uid],
      ],
    ];
  }
}

Example 4: BigPipe Streaming

Input: "How does BigPipe work with placeholders?"

Output:

<!-- Initial HTML sent immediately: -->
<div data-big-pipe-placeholder-id="callback=my_module.lazy%3AuserGreeting&args[0]=5">
  <span class="placeholder">Loading...</span>
</div>

<!-- Later, streamed via script tag: -->
<script type="application/vnd.drupal-ajax">
[{"command":"insert",
  "selector":"[data-big-pipe-placeholder-id='callback=my_module.lazy%3AuserGreeting&args[0]=5']",
  "data":"Hello John!"}]
</script>

<!-- JavaScript replaces placeholder content automatically -->

Example 5: Force Placeholder Creation

Input: "I want to placeholder content even without user context"

Output:

$build['dynamic'] = [
  '#lazy_builder' => ['my_module.lazy:dynamicContent', []],
  '#create_placeholder' => TRUE, // Force placeholder regardless of contexts
];

Example 6: Configure Auto-Placeholder Conditions

Input: "How do I customize what gets auto-placeholdered?"

Output:

# services.yml
parameters:
  renderer.config:
    auto_placeholder_conditions:
      max-age: 0
      contexts:
        - 'session'
        - 'user'
        - 'my_custom_context'  # Add custom context
      tags: []  # Tags that trigger placeholder (usually empty)

Example 7: BigPipe Requirements

Input: "BigPipe isn't working, what could be wrong?"

Output:

# Check server configuration:

# Nginx - disable buffering (auto-handled via X-Accel-Buffering header)
location ~ \.php$ {
  # BigPipe sends: X-Accel-Buffering: no
  # Nginx respects this automatically
}

# Apache - works by default

# Common issues:
# 1. Output buffering in PHP - check ob_start() calls
# 2. Reverse proxy buffering - configure Varnish/CDN
# 3. JavaScript disabled - falls back to non-streaming

# Verify BigPipe is enabled
drush pm:list | grep big_pipe

Example 8: Anonymous vs Authenticated Caching

Input: "Explain the caching difference between anonymous and logged-in users"

Output:

Anonymous User:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Page Cache → HIT → Full page served     │
│ (Dynamic Page Cache skipped)            │
│ No placeholders, no BigPipe             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

Authenticated User:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Page Cache → SKIP (has session cookie)  │
│ Dynamic Page Cache → HIT/MISS           │
│ Placeholders replaced via BigPipe       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘

// Check with curl:
// Anonymous
curl -sI https://site.com/ | grep X-Drupal
// X-Drupal-Cache: HIT

// Authenticated (with session cookie)
curl -sI -H "Cookie: SESSabc=xyz" https://site.com/ | grep X-Drupal
// X-Drupal-Dynamic-Cache: HIT

Common Mistakes

Debugging Checklist

# 1. Check Dynamic Cache status
curl -sI -H "Cookie: SESS=x" https://site.com/ | grep X-Drupal-Dynamic-Cache

# 2. Enable debug headers
# settings.local.php: $settings['http.response.debug_cacheability_headers'] = TRUE;

# 3. Check max-age
curl -sI https://site.com/ | grep X-Drupal-Cache-Max-Age

# 4. Verify BigPipe module
drush pm:list | grep big_pipe