Array Adapter Laravel Package

Getting Started

Start by installing the package: composer require cache/array-adapter. Then instantiate the pool directly with $pool = new Cache\ArrayAdapter\ArrayCachePool();. Its zero-configuration nature makes it perfect for:

• Writing unit tests (e.g., mocking cache in PHPUnit without external dependencies)
• Local development where Redis/Memcached isn’t configured yet
• Temporary caching within a single request lifecycle (e.g., caching computed values in a CLI script)

Use standard PSR-6 methods: getItem($key), save($item), clear(), and hasItem($key).

Implementation Patterns

• Testing Infrastructure: Use as a drop-in mock for cache-dependent services in tests — state resets automatically between tests, ensuring isolation.
• Request-Local Caching: Cache expensive operations within one request (e.g., in a command handler or controller action) to avoid redundant computation.
• Fallback Chain: Combine with persistent pools using Cache\Pool\ChainCachePool for graceful degradation during development — e.g., try Redis first, fall back to array if unavailable.
• Debugging & Inspection: Call $pool->getItems() or $pool->debug() (if exposed) to introspect cached items, useful during development to verify cache hits/misses without external tools.

Gotchas and Tips

• ❗ No Persistence: All data vanishes at request end. Never use in production — Laravel expects persistent storage (Redis, file, database), not in-memory arrays.
• ⚠️ Memory Pressure: In long-running SAPIs (e.g., Apache mod_php) or workers (Swoole), large or uncleared caches can exhaust memory. Explicitly clear() after heavy use.
• 🔍 Lazy Expiration: Expired items may still be returned unless you manually iterate (getItems()) or call clear() — the adapter doesn’t auto-gc during reads.
• 🔄 Non-Thread-Safe: Each PHP process has its own array — useless for shared caching across workers (e.g., Horizon workers, Swoole coroutines).
• 📦 PSR-6 vs PSR-16: Laravel uses PSR-16 (Cache::remember()), not PSR-6. This adapter won’t plug in to Laravel’s native Cache facade without a bridge — better suited for PSR-6-aware libraries or custom test harnesses.