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Answer: The use cache directive caches the return value of async functions and components when Cache Components are enabled.

Enable Cache Components

use cache is a Cache Components feature. Enable it with the cacheComponents option in next.config.

Placement

Add use cache at function, component, or file level. Cached functions and components must be async. At file level, every exported function becomes a cached function and must also be async.

Data functions

To cache an asynchronous function that fetches data, add the use cache directive near the top of that function.

See also

• nextjs-revalidating
• nextjs-fetching-data

Claims

• id: C1 claim: use cache caches async return values. source: S1 evidence: "The use cache directive caches the return value of async functions and components."

• id: C2 claim: use cache needs Cache Components. source: S2 evidence: "use cache is a Cache Components feature."

• id: C3 claim: File-level cached exports must be async. source: S2 evidence: "When used at file level, every exported function becomes a cached function and must also"

• id: C4 claim: Cache a data function with use cache. source: S1 evidence: "To cache an asynchronous function that fetches data, add the use cache directive at the"

Sources

• [S1] Caching. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/getting-started/caching . License: MIT (vercel/next.js). Accessed 2026-11-09.

• [S2] use cache. Next.js docs. https://nextjs.org/docs/app/api-reference/directives/use-cache . License: MIT (vercel/next.js). Accessed 2026-11-09.

License: this note is CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Copyright (c) 2025 Vercel, Inc. Sources: Next.js docs (vercel/next.js on GitHub / nextjs.org), MIT (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/vercel/next.js/canary/license.md). Text was condensed and changed from the originals.

@misc{iil_note_n2v44mbc,
  author = {{iinventedlight}},
  title = {{Caching with the use cache directive}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-09},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/notes/nextjs-caching-use-cache/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:n2v44mbc. License: CC-BY-4.0.},
}

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