Bytes #294, published June 3, 2024, linked two ideas in its title: Vercel “cashing” in and Next.js changing its caching defaults. The issue reported that Vercel had reached $100 million in annual revenue, attributing the figure to CEO Guillermo Rauch’s conference keynote. Its main technical story was the Next.js 15 release candidate, which changed several caching behaviors from opt-out to opt-in. Next.js 15 later became stable on October 21, 2024, so the announcement is now best understood as a change that shipped—not a current release-candidate notice.
What was the Vercel homophone?
“Cashing” and “caching” are the pun behind the title. Bytes used the reported Vercel revenue figure as the “cashing” side, then turned to Next.js 15’s caching changes as the main story. The revenue number is an archival claim from the June 3, 2024 issue, not a present-day metric: Bytes said Guillermo Rauch disclosed $100 million in annual revenue during a conference keynote. The issue did not give a more precise measurement date or point to a Vercel financial statement. Bytes #294
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What changed about caching in Next.js 15?
The May 23, 2024 release-candidate announcement changed three defaults: server-side fetch requests, GET Route Handlers, and page segments in the client Router Cache. These had been cached by default; in Next.js 15 they became uncached by default. The framework did not remove caching. Instead, developers need to opt in where they want the relevant behavior. Next.js 15 RC announcement
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →| Behavior | Next.js 15 default | How to opt into caching |
|---|---|---|
Server-side fetch requests |
Not cached by default | Set cache: 'force-cache' on an individual request, or use fetchCache = 'default-cache' for a layout or page. |
GET Route Handlers |
Not cached by default | Use a static route configuration such as export const dynamic = 'force-static'. |
| Page segments in the client Router Cache | Not cached by default for client navigation | The change is a default behavior, not a single fetch option; page segments can still be revisited through browser back and forward navigation. |
The configuration options come from the Next.js release-candidate announcement and upgrade guidance. RC announcement · Next.js 15 upgrade guide
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Which cache layer does each change affect?
“Caching” in Next.js refers to several mechanisms, so saying simply that Next.js 15 “stopped caching” is misleading. The framework distinguishes the Data Cache, Full Route Cache, and client-side Router Cache. The three defaults in the announcement concern request data, route handlers, and client navigation respectively; they are not one universal switch. Next.js caching guide
Data Cache: server-side fetch
A server-side fetch request no longer enters the Data Cache automatically. If a request should reuse cached data, opt in on that request with cache: 'force-cache', or configure a broader default for a layout or page. This makes the choice visible in the code instead of relying on an implicit default.
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Route behavior: GET Route Handlers
A GET Route Handler is not cached automatically in Next.js 15. When a handler is suitable for static behavior, a static route configuration can opt it into caching. The upgrade guide describes this route-level option; it is distinct from deciding whether an individual data request should be cached.
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Router Cache: page segments during navigation
Next.js 15 does not cache page segments by default in the client Router Cache. That does not mean every part of the interface is discarded on every navigation: layouts and loading states continue to be reused, and browser back or forward navigation can restore previously visited pages. Next.js caching guide
Why did Next.js change the defaults?
The release-candidate announcement said the team revisited caching heuristics after feedback, including issues involving third-party libraries that use fetch. With implicit caching, a library request could be cached even when the application developer did not expect that behavior. Making the defaults uncached reduces that surprise; developers can still choose caching when it fits the request or route. Next.js 15 RC announcement
How to read the June 2024 announcement now
Bytes published its issue on June 3, 2024, after Next.js announced the release candidate on May 23. Next.js 15 became stable on October 21, 2024. That chronology matters: the issue described an upcoming version at the time, but the uncached-by-default behavior became part of the stable release. Bytes #294 · Next.js 15 stable release
The newsletter also included unrelated roundup links, sponsorships, and an offer for a React Query course. Those were separate issue content, not part of the caching change; the dated course discount should not be treated as currently available.
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