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→What is a Cache?
So why do we have so many types?
In an ideal world, the CPU would have lightning-fast access to all data on your machine at any given time to maximize the power and speed of modern-day CPUs. In reality, there are limitations and trade-offs when balancing speed, storage capacity, location, and cost. To compromise, a computer utilizes many types of memory. To name the important ones in the hierarchy, we have secondary memory like hard drives and SSDs which can permanently hold vast quantities of data but are slow. Next is Dynamic Random Access Memory(DRAM) which is much smaller, faster, and volatile. Last, we have the cache or Static Random Access Memory(SRAM), which is extremely fast, but even smaller and more expensive.
Near the bottom, we have secondary memory like hard drives, flash drives and SSDs which can permanently hold vast quantities of data, but are relatively slow. Hard drives in particular have mechanical parts that must physically move. If the CPU solely relied on getting data from secondary this memorytype, the slow access speed of the storage device speeds would become a massive bottleneck in computation time. There would be huge gaps The CPU will spend a majority of time where the CPU sits around doing nothing idling waiting for data. To the end user, your machine would appear to be extremely sluggish and non-responsive. Next is Dynamic Random Access Memory(DRAM) which use capacitors, transistors and electricity to store data. They require constant refreshing with electricity to store data making them volatile as their data disappears when power is cut. DRAM is more expensive, but smaller and faster. However, this is still not fast enough for the CPU. Last, we have Static Random Access Memory(SRAM), which is extremely fast, but even smaller and more expensive. This type of memory is what is used in the cache.
At the same time, only small amounts piece of data is needed at a given moment. Even if you brought everything in from memory, most of it will be unused. Using complex algorithms, the most relevant data can be stored ahead of time in the cache and RAM. When it needs data, the CPU can look for it in the cache. If it is there than it is a cache hit. If it is not there, it is a cache miss and the CPU must search main memory or even further down the hierarchy until it finds it. Minimizing the number of cache misses ensures the CPU has a steady flow of data it can quickly retrieve and compute.
