Next.js 16 introduced cache components, a fundamentally new approach to caching that replaces implicit behavior with explicit, composable control. In this talk, I'll build a dashboard from scratch to show you how cache components work in practice: how the static shell gets prerendered and served instantly from the edge, how 'use cache' caches expensive data on your schedule, and how Suspense streams dynamic content in real time, all in the same route. You'll see the three 'use cache' variants in action, learn the donut pattern for maximum performance, understand why generateStaticParams matters more than you think, and walk away with practical patterns for cache invalidation that work in production.
