[HTTPCLIENT-1090] CachingHttpClient should be able to cache ResponseHandler responses (or the result of some new form of ResponseHandler)

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Open
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Unresolved
• Affects Version/s: 4.1.1
• Fix Version/s: Future
• Component/s: HttpClient (classic)
• Environment: Mac OS X 10.6.7 + Eclipse Helios SR2
• Assignee: Unassigned
• Reporter: David Waite
• Created: 13/May/11 20:55
• Updated: 10/Feb/12 10:20

Description

When creating a ResponseHandler to parse the response value into a usable java object, I notice that the code is executed every time, even if the response object is served from cache. It would be nice to have a system where a ResponseHandler can be written such that its value is also served from cache. This may require a different interface which:

• Exposes just the values which are not altered when served from a cache
• Returns objects which can be cached out of process ( through documentation, and having the return type extend Serializable)

Alternatively, if there is a header uniquely identifying a response, a WeakHashMap could be used to provide a cache associating a response with a created object (although such a cache would not correlate to the HTTP cache in terms of retention)