Rails 5.2 adds built-in Redis Cache Store support

Rails 5.2 introduced native support for using Redis as a cache store with the :redis_cache_store option. Prior to this, developers relied on third-party gems to integrate Redis caching into Rails.

Why Redis?

Redis is an in-memory key-value store known for its speed, simplicity, and robustness, making it a great fit for caching.

How to configure

In config/environments/production.rb:

1config.cache_store = :redis_cache_store, {
2  url: ENV['REDIS_URL'],
3  namespace: 'cache'
4}

You can also configure options like expiration, compression, and error handling.

Features

• JSON and Marshal serialization
• Automatic connection pooling
• Fallbacks and rescue strategies
• Namespaced keys

Example usage

1Rails.cache.fetch('expensive-operation', expires_in: 12.hours) do
2  perform_expensive_task
3end

Links

• PR #31134 - Adds Built-in Redis cache store
• Rails documentation for Redis Cache Store

Summary

With native Redis support, Rails developers can take advantage of Redis' powerful caching features without needing extra gems or manual wiring. It’s fast, clean, and production-ready.