What is the difference between Session and Cache in Laravel?

Question

What is the difference between Session and Cache in Laravel?

Answer

Session

Session data is per-user and persists across multiple HTTP requests for the duration of a user's visit. It is identified by a session ID stored in a cookie.

// Store
session(['cart' => $items]);
// or
$request->session()->put('cart', $items);

// Retrieve
$cart = session('cart');

// Flash (available only for next request)
session()->flash('success', 'Order placed!');

// Remove
session()->forget('cart');

Cache

Cache data is application-wide and shared across all users. It is used to store expensive computation results or query results that rarely change.

// Store for 1 hour
Cache::put('settings', $settings, now()->addHour());

// Retrieve or compute
$settings = Cache::remember('settings', 3600, fn () => Setting::all());

// Remove
Cache::forget('settings');

Quick Comparison