How To Fix The "Specify A Cache Validator" Error?

Harshita Bhatia Blog / Magazine Aug 31, 2022

Have you ever encountered the "Specify a Cache Validator" error when trying to upload files to your website? Don't worry, and you're not alone. This pesky little error can be difficult to fix, but with some know-how, you can fix it in no time. In this blog post, we'll walk you through the steps of fixing the "Specify a Cache Validator" error and getting your website back up and running. So what are you waiting for? Let's get started!

What Is The "Specify A Cache Validator" Error?

This error means that the cache validator is either missing or invalid. A cache validator is used to tell the caching system whether or not the cached copy of a page is still valid. If the cache validator is missing or invalid, the caching system cannot determine if the cached copy is still valid and will serve an error page instead of the cached copy.

There are two possible causes for this error:

1) The cache validator may be missing from the cached copy of the page. This can happen if the page is cached before the cache validator is added to the page.

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2) The cache validator may be invalid. This can happen if the cache validator is modified after the page is cached.

Why Does The "Specify A Cache Validator" Error Occurs?

The "Specify a Cache Validator" error can occur for several reasons. One common reason is that the server does not have the correct MIME type configured for the file extension of the requested file.

For example, if you are trying to access a file with the .htm extension, but the server is configured to send files with that extension as text/plain, the browser will not be able to render the page correctly. It will show the "Specify a Cache Validator" error.

Another common reason for this error is that the server is not configured to send the proper cache headers with the response. The cache headers tell the browser how long it can cache the response before it needs to check with the server again.

If the cache headers are not set correctly, the browser will not be able to cache the response and will show the "Specify a Cache Validator" error.

Finally, this error can also occur if the file you are trying to access is not found on the server. This is usually due to a typo in the URL or a file that has been moved or deleted.

How To Specify A Cache Validator On WordPress?

When adding a Cache Validator to your WordPress site, you need to specify the type of cache validator you want. There are three types of validators: the Last-Modified header, ETag, and If-Modified-Since header. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

The Last-Modified header is the most common type of cache validator. It tells the browser when the last time the page was modified. The disadvantage of this type of validator is that it can be inaccurate. If you make a change to your WordPress site and someone else visits the site before you, they may see the old version of the page.

The ETag is a more accurate cache validator. It uses a unique identifier for each version of a page. It uses a unique identifier for each file, so it can tell whether the content of the file has actually changed—even if the file modification time has changed.

This makes it ideal for use with dynamic content or content that changes frequently. The disadvantage of this type of validator is that it can be slower than the Last-Modified header.

The If-Modified-Since header is the fastest cache validator. It tells the browser whether or not the page has been modified since the last time it was requested. The disadvantage of this type of validator is that it can be bypassed if the browser cache is turned off.

When choosing a cache validator, you need to decide which type of validator is best for your WordPress site. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. It would be best if you also considered the speed of your WordPress site when choosing a cache validator.

Conclusion

The "Specify a Cache Validator" error is a problem that can occur when trying to access certain websites. This error is caused by the website not having a valid cache validator, which is necessary in order for the website to be accessed properly.

There are a few ways to fix this error, including using a different browser or clearing your cache. If you are still having trouble accessing the website, you may want to contact the website's administrator to get further assistance.

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