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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. 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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