The aim of this project was to optimize the performance of a multi-tenant e-commerce platform through the use of Varnish Cache. The platform is used by various clients and is designed for high loads, which requires fast loading times and stable access. With a sophisticated caching strategy, rate limiting and a special deployment setup, efficiency was maximized and scaling optimized while ensuring a secure, reliable user experience. The solution reduces server costs and the need for horizontal scaling through the use of a powerful server.
Functionalities in detail
Varnish Cache for high performance and protection
By using Varnish Cache, loading times are greatly reduced, which improves the user experience on the platform.
Varnish serves as an additional layer of security by blocking malicious bots and attackers through integrated rate limiting.
This solution avoids the cost and complexity of horizontal scaling as the powerful server, together with Varnish, is sufficient to handle the load.
Blue-Green deployment with page preheating
During deployment, key pages are pre-cached (pre-warmed) to ensure uninterrupted transition between environments.
The blue-green deployment enables smooth activation of the new version without any loss of performance after the switch.
Docker-based setup on Microsoft Azure
The application runs in a specialized Docker container setup on Microsoft Azure, which starts, prepares, preheats and activates the entire application.
This simplifies deployment and ensures that the platform is optimally loaded and cached after each deployment.
Integration with Laravel and dynamic cache management
Varnish Cache has been configured with Laravel so that by using special cache tags, content that is used on multiple pages can be specifically deleted from the cache.
This keeps the pages up-to-date and changes are efficiently displayed on all affected pages.
Edge Side Includes (ESI) for fragmented caching
ESI blocks allow individual, repeating page elements to be cached independently of the rest of the content, increasing caching flexibility and efficiency.
This ensures that static content remains in the cache for longer, while dynamic content remains up-to-date and synchronized.
Fallback mechanisms for rate limiting
In a few cases where legitimate customers encounter rate limiting, special fallback solutions have been implemented to recognize these cases and provide alternative access.
This protects the customer experience even with increased usage.
GraphQL API Caching
API accesses via GraphQL are also specially configured so that certain frequently used queries are cached.
This API caching strategy improves performance for external applications and reduces the load on the server.