How to Clear Cloudfront Cache

In this article you will learn how to clear Cloudfront cache and purge files to empty cache across the Amazon CDN. This will refresh files and update your website look and content. I use their amazingly fast CDN service and had some difficulty in finding a way to purge files. My blog would simply not refresh content cached in Cloudfront even after changing files.

CloudFront is an popular caching and content delivery network service provided by the Amazon Web Services. It delivers data to users though its global data centers. CloudFront also make a local cache of content on its servers, which is further uses to quickie fulfill users requests.

What is Amazon Cloudfront Cache

Cloudfront is the content delivery network service of Amazon Web Services (AWS) which allows users to host files that can be accessed at the fastest speed from server nearest to them. Typically CDN‘s help to make sites faster as the content is delivered at a much faster speed from geographically nearby servers, rather than searching for that content from your webhosting server.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to remove cloudfront cache using AWS CLI or management console. Use one of the blelow methods to create CloudFront invalidations and remove object from cache.

Create CloudFront Invalidation using AWS CLI

Assuming you already have installed AWS CLI on your system. If not, use this tutorial to install and configure aws cli on your system.

Now use the following example commands to create CloudFront invalidations and clear files from cache.

1.Remove specific files from cache. You can define multiple files with full path to remove from cache.

# aws cloudfront create-invalidation \
    --distribution-id EXSE2W0DCDBPB \
    --paths "/path/to/example-file.css" "/path/to/example-file-2.jpg"

2.Remove all content from a specific directory

# aws cloudfront create-invalidation \
    --distribution-id EXSE2W0DCDBPB \
    --paths "/static/content/*"

3.Remove all objects stored in cache

aws cloudfront create-invalidation \
    --distribution-id EXSE2W0DCDBPB \
    --paths "/*"

Create CloudFront Invalidation using AWS ConsoleYou can also create invalidation request from AWS Management Console. Follow the below instructions to create Cloudfront invalidation:

1. Head to CloudFront in AWS Management Console
2. Click on CloudFront ID from list to open its configuration
3. Open “Invalidations” tab
4. Click on “Create Invalidation” button
5. Enter file names with full paths to remove from cache. You can also use “*” as wildcard names.

 

6. To clear all cache use “/*“. Then click Invalidate button.

7. Wait for the invalidation process completed

That’s all!