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I have a small website (hosted on a shared Linux/PHP server) where I allow users to download my software. It comes in a form of a ZIP file that people can download. I just noticed today after having updated that download package (or .ZIP file) that when I try to download it myself with a Firefox web browser v.62.0.3, it fetches the old version, which I no longer have on my server. I also noticed that Chrome doesn't do it and fetches the latest version.

Why is Firefox doing it and what shall I do (on my server's end) to prevent it from caching it like that?

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  • Just to make sure: You did download the old version with Chrome before, too (in about the same timeframe like with Firefox), yes?
    – unor
    Mar 11, 2019 at 3:46
  • @unor: No. Chrome downloaded the correct (updated) version. While Firefox still doesn't.
    – c00000fd
    Mar 11, 2019 at 3:55
  • I mean before you uploaded the new version. Had Chrome the chance to cache the old version, too?
    – unor
    Mar 11, 2019 at 7:15
  • @unor: Oh, yes. I test it multiple times with all available browsers.
    – c00000fd
    Mar 11, 2019 at 8:02

1 Answer 1

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I would just add the version to the filename and you will circumvent the caching.

or maybe change the caching headers: (Apache .htaccess file)

<IfModule mod_expires.c>
  ExpiresActive On
  ExpiresByType application/zip "access plus 0 seconds"
</IfModule>
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  • The version in the file name will break up the download link. I don't want to update it with all the vendors that link to it.
    – c00000fd
    Mar 11, 2019 at 18:24
  • If all else fails, you could add the file to a CDN which may give you more control over caching. If you are using cloudflare you may have to delete all caching each time you update the file.
    – Keith Tysinger
    Mar 12, 2019 at 20:48
  • No, I don't use any caching service. All my files are stored on a shared DreamHost server. Do you think signing up for a CloudFlare account could resolve it?
    – c00000fd
    Mar 12, 2019 at 21:22

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