Are hashes in the names Javascript and CSS files used for integrity checking?
Many websites use hashes in Javacript and CSS file's name. For example, this page, as of writing, uses a file referred to with URL .../stacks.min.js?v=b0f9a80d741d
. Other sites just place a short hash in the file's name: main.abcd123.js
- Is this used automated integrity checking? For example, when the browser loads
stacks.min.js?v=b0f9a80d741d
, does is verify that a hash or digest of this file matchesb0f9a...
. - Does this pattern have a name?
Solution 1:
Nope its not for integrety checking. It for cache busting. Browsers cache static files. Everytime a new version of this script is uploaded the ?v=X
part changes (by the bundler/packager/...) so the browser thinks its a new file and downloades it again, instead of reading from the local cache.