Disabling premature optimization - Caching

[un33k]

Goals

1. Disable caching site-wide at all levels with a single flag or multiple flags.
2. Set the flags as default for new Next.js installations. (next.config.mjs)
3. Allow enabling of cache at any levels as per need.
4. Ensure zero changes for existing projects since their config files wouldn't have the future enduserCacheStrategy flag.

Non-Goals

1. Address performance issues directly.
2. Help with caching directly.
3. Change any other Next.js behavior.

Background

When we hire co-ops and new graduates, the first thing we teach them is to avoid premature optimization, often using the famous adage, "premature optimization is the root of all evil." Yet, Next.js is optimizing without understanding the specific architecture and design needs of the application. Next.js may have taken an undesired step by prematurely adopting a cache-everything strategy, while simultaneously creating numerous ways to disable caching in various places.

Proposal

Instead, Next.js architects and developers are encouraged to reverse this approach. By allowing the disabling of all caches at once through the configuration file; end users can then strategically cache what they need using in-file configurations / flags.

// next.config.mjs
const nextConfig = {
  reactStrictMode: true,
  enduserCacheStrategy: true   // let the end users decide on enabling cache strategically
};

export default nextConfig;

// layout.tsx
export const revalidate = 3600 // enable caching

Please note, this request is to have an option to disable caching altogether, instead of updating all files with various flags.
Then end users can optimize as per need and business requirement.

The quality of experience is not optimal with the current cache-everything-by-default strategy.