Explanation of the Implementation

Oct 13, 2025 by vinooalluri.com 125 views

Introduction

In this article, we will explore a simple implementation of a Least Recently Used (LRU) cache in C++20. The LRU cache is a data structure that stores a limited number of items, and when the cache reaches its capacity, it discards the least recently used items to make room for new ones. This implementation will provide a basic understanding of how an LRU cache works and how it can be implemented in C++.

What is an LRU Cache?

An LRU cache is a type of cache that stores a limited number of items, and when the cache reaches its capacity, it discards the least recently used items to make room for new ones. The LRU cache is designed to optimize performance by storing frequently accessed items and discarding infrequently accessed items.

Why Use an LRU Cache?

LRU caches are commonly used in various applications, including:

Web browsers: Web browsers use LRU caches to store frequently accessed web pages and reduce the number of requests made to the server.
Database systems: Database systems use LRU caches to store frequently accessed data and reduce the number of queries made to the database.
Operating systems: Operating systems use LRU caches to store frequently accessed files and reduce the number of disk accesses.

Simple LRU Cache Implementation in C++20

Here is a simple implementation of an LRU cache in C++20:

#pragma once
#include <cassert>
#include <optional>
#include <unordered_map>
template <class Key, class Value>
class LRUCache {
public:
using Node = std::pair<Key, Value>;
using Cache = std::unordered_map<Key, Node>;
LRUCache(size_t capacity) : capacity_(capacity), cache_() {}

~LRUCache() = default;

void put(const Key&amp; key, const Value&amp; value) {
    if (cache_.find(key) != cache_.end()) {
        cache_.erase(key);
    }
    if (cache_.size() &gt;= capacity_) {
        auto it = cache_.begin();
        cache_.erase(it);
    }
    cache_[key] = {key, value};
}

std::optional&lt;Value&gt; get(const Key&amp; key) {
    if (cache_.find(key) != cache_.end()) {
        auto it = cache_.find(key);
        auto node = it-&gt;second;
        cache_.erase(it);
        cache_[key] = node;
        return node.second;
    }
    return std::nullopt;
}

size_t size() const {
    return cache_.size();
}

bool empty() const {
    return cache_.empty();
}

private:
size_t capacity_;
Cache cache_;
};

Explanation of the Implementation

The implementation consists of a Node struct that represents a key-value pair, a Cache struct that represents the LRU cache, and a LRUCache class that provides the LRU cache functionality.

The LRUCache class has the following methods:

put(const Key& key, const Value& value): This method adds a new key-value pair to the cache. If the key already exists in the cache, it updates the value. If the cache reaches its capacity, it discards the least recently used item.
get(const Key& key): This method retrieves the value associated with the given key from the cache. If the key does not exist in the cache, it returns an empty optional.
size() const: This method returns the number of items in the cache.
empty() const: This method returns true if the cache is empty, false otherwise.

Example Use Cases

Here are some example use cases for the LRU cache implementation:

int main() {
    LRUCache<int, int> cache(3);
cache.put(1, 10);
cache.put(2, 20);
cache.put(3, 30);

std::cout &lt;&lt; &quot;Size: &quot; &lt;&lt; cache.size() &lt;&lt; std::endl;
std::cout &lt;&lt; &quot;Empty: &quot; &lt;&lt; (cache.empty() ? &quot;true&quot; : &quot;false&quot;) &lt;&lt; std::endl;

cache.get(1);
std::cout &lt;&lt; &quot;Size: &quot; &lt;&lt; cache.size() &lt;&lt; std::endl;
std::cout &lt;&lt; &quot;Empty: &quot; &lt;&lt; (cache.empty() ? &quot;true&quot; : &quot;false&quot;) &lt;&lt; std::endl;

cache.put(4, 40);
std::cout &lt;&lt; &quot;Size: &quot; &lt;&lt; cache.size() &lt;&lt; std::endl;
std::cout &lt;&lt; &quot;Empty: &quot; &lt;&lt; (cache.empty() ? &quot;true&quot; : &quot;false&quot;) &lt;&lt; std::endl;

return 0;

}

Conclusion

In this article, we implemented a simple LRU cache in C++20. The implementation provides a basic understanding of how an LRU cache works and how it can be implemented in C++. We also provided example use cases to demonstrate the usage of the LRU cache implementation.

Future Improvements

There are several ways to improve the LRU cache implementation:

Use a more efficient data structure: The current implementation uses an unordered map, which has an average time complexity of O(1) for insertions and deletions. However, it may not be the most efficient data structure for large caches.
Implement a more efficient eviction policy: The current implementation uses a simple LRU eviction policy, which may not be the most efficient policy for all use cases.
Add more features: The current implementation only provides basic LRU cache functionality. It may be beneficial to add more features, such as support for multiple cache sizes, support for cache expiration, etc.

Introduction

In our previous article, we implemented a simple LRU cache in C++20. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions about the LRU cache implementation.

Q: What is the purpose of the LRU cache?

A: The LRU cache is a data structure that stores a limited number of items, and when the cache reaches its capacity, it discards the least recently used items to make room for new ones. The purpose of the LRU cache is to optimize performance by storing frequently accessed items and discarding infrequently accessed items.

Q: What are the benefits of using an LRU cache?

A: The benefits of using an LRU cache include:

Improved performance: By storing frequently accessed items, the LRU cache can reduce the number of requests made to the underlying data source, resulting in improved performance.
Reduced latency: By storing frequently accessed items, the LRU cache can reduce the latency associated with retrieving data from the underlying data source.
Increased scalability: By storing frequently accessed items, the LRU cache can increase the scalability of the system by reducing the number of requests made to the underlying data source.

Q: How does the LRU cache implementation work?

A: The LRU cache implementation works as follows:

Initialization: The LRU cache is initialized with a specified capacity.
Insertion: When a new item is inserted into the cache, the cache checks if the item already exists. If it does, the cache updates the item's value. If it doesn't, the cache adds the item to the cache.
Eviction: When the cache reaches its capacity, the cache discards the least recently used item to make room for new ones.
Retrieval: When an item is retrieved from the cache, the cache updates the item's access time to mark it as recently used.

Q: What are the trade-offs of using an LRU cache?

A: The trade-offs of using an LRU cache include:

Cache size: The LRU cache has a limited size, which means that it can only store a certain number of items.
Eviction policy: The LRU cache uses a simple eviction policy, which may not be the most efficient policy for all use cases.
Cache expiration: The LRU cache does not support cache expiration, which means that items can remain in the cache indefinitely.

Q: How can I improve the LRU cache implementation?

A: There are several ways to improve the LRU cache implementation, including:

Using a more efficient data structure: The current implementation uses an unordered map, which has an average time complexity of O(1) for insertions and deletions. However, it may not be the most efficient data structure for large caches.
Implementing a more efficient eviction policy: The current implementation uses a simple LRU eviction policy, which may not be the most efficient policy for all use cases.
Adding more features: The current implementation only provides basic LRU cache functionality. It may be beneficial to add more features, such as support for multiple cache sizes, support for cache expiration, etc.

Q: Can I use the LRU cache implementation in a production environment?

A: Yes, you can use the LRU cache implementation in a production environment. However, you should consider the trade-offs of using an LRU cache, including the cache size, eviction policy, and cache expiration.

Conclusion

In this article, we answered some frequently asked questions about the LRU cache implementation. We discussed the benefits and trade-offs of using an LRU cache, as well as ways to improve the implementation. We also provided guidance on using the LRU cache implementation in a production environment.

Future Improvements

There are several ways to improve the LRU cache implementation, including:

Using a more efficient data structure: The current implementation uses an unordered map, which has an average time complexity of O(1) for insertions and deletions. However, it may not be the most efficient data structure for large caches.
Implementing a more efficient eviction policy: The current implementation uses a simple LRU eviction policy, which may not be the most efficient policy for all use cases.
Adding more features: The current implementation only provides basic LRU cache functionality. It may be beneficial to add more features, such as support for multiple cache sizes, support for cache expiration, etc.

By improving the LRU cache implementation, we can make it more efficient, scalable, and useful for a wider range of applications.