How to Purge the CDN Cache in the VergeCloud Panel
To purge the CDN cache in the VergeCloud CDN service, open your domain in the dashboard, go to Delivery → Caching, and scroll to Purge Cache. Use Selective URL Purge to clear specific files by their complete URL, or Purge All to clear all cached content for the domain, then click Delete to confirm.
Purge requests are applied instantaneously across VergeCloud edge locations. After a cached object is removed, the next request fetches the resource again from the origin. This guide also explains how to verify a purge using the x-cache-status header and how Purge All can temporarily increase load on your origin server.
Situation | Recommended action |
Few files or URLs changed | Selective URL Purge |
Major site-wide update or migration | Purge All |
Testing origin changes | Development Mode |
Content is outdated at the origin | Fix the origin first |
One browser shows old content | Hard refresh or clear browser cache |
When You Need to Purge the CDN Cache
Purge the CDN cache when the latest content is already available at the origin but VergeCloud is still serving an older cached version.
Signs Visitors Are Still Seeing an Old Version
Outdated resources after an origin update are a common sign that cached content needs refreshing.
Common signs include:
- An old image is still being displayed.
- CSS or JavaScript changes are not visible.
- A document still shows an earlier version.
- A page remains stale after deployment.
Before purging, confirm that the updated resource is available at the origin. Purging cannot correct content that is still outdated at the source.
Situations Where a Purge Is Not the Right Fix
Do not purge when the problem is outside the VergeCloud edge cache.
- Cache Level Off: Requests bypass the cache and go directly to the origin.
- One browser is stale: Check the browser cache first.
- Temporary testing: Use Development Mode to bypass caching without deleting existing cached objects.
Check the X-Cache Header Before You Purge Anything
Check the cache status first to confirm whether the resource is being served from the VergeCloud cache.
Use the following command:
"https://example.com/assets/style.css" \
| grep -i "^x-cache-status:"
A HIT means the resource was served from cache. A MISS means the resource was not available in that cache entry and had to be fetched again.
Purging Individual Files in the VergeCloud Panel
To purge individual files, use Selective URL Purge in the current VergeCloud panel. This option clears only the URLs you specify and leaves other cached resources unchanged.
Step by Step: Caching Settings, Then Purge Cache
To selectively purge a resource, open the domain's Caching settings and enter its complete URL.
- Sign in to the VergeCloud dashboard.
- Select the domain.
- Expand Delivery and select Caching.
- Scroll to Purge Cache.
- Click on Selective URL Purge.
- Enter the complete URL you want to clear.
- Enter additional URLs on separate lines if needed.
- Click Delete to confirm.
After a cached object is removed, the next request fetches the resource again from the origin.
URL Formatting Rules for Purge Requests
Enter the complete URL for each resource you want to purge.
For example:
- Enter multiple URLs on separate lines.
- Wildcards are not supported.
- Enter the complete URL for each resource.
- With Include QueryString, include the exact query string for the cache variant you want to remove.
How Your Cache Level Changes Which Variant Is Purged
Cache Level determines whether query-string variations are cached and purged separately or treated as one shared object.
Cache Level | Query-string behavior | Purge behavior |
Include QueryString | Each query-string variation is cached separately | Purging one exact variant leaves the other variants cached |
Ignore QueryString | Query-string variations share the same cached object | Purging one variation clears the shared cache entry |
Off | Requests bypass the VergeCloud cache | A cache purge is generally not required while caching is disabled |
Purging one exact variant does not purge the other.
Include QueryString is required for Image Resize so different requested dimensions can be cached and delivered independently.
Using Purge All and When to Avoid It
Use Purge All when you need to refresh cached content across the entire domain. In the current VergeCloud panel, this option is shown as Purge All.
It is appropriate for:
- Major deployments
- Website redesigns
- Migrations
- Major cache-policy changes
- Other site-wide updates
Avoid Purge All when only a small number of files or URLs have changed. Clearing the entire cache causes cached resources to be fetched again from the origin, which can temporarily increase request volume, bandwidth usage, and CPU usage.
For routine updates, use Selective URL Purge instead. You should also avoid a full purge when:
- Only one or a few resources need to be refreshed.
- The issue is caused by browser cache rather than the VergeCloud cache.
- The latest content is not yet available at the origin.
- You are only testing temporary changes and Development Mode is more appropriate.
- Your origin is already under heavy load and a full cache rebuild is unnecessary.
To use Purge All:
- Sign in to the VergeCloud dashboard.
- Select the domain.
- Expand Delivery and select Caching.
- Scroll to Purge Cache.
- Select Purge All.
- Review the confirmation message.
- Click Delete to confirm.
As resources are requested again, VergeCloud fetches fresh copies from the origin and caches eligible content again.
The Origin Load Spike That Follows a Full Purge
Purge All can temporarily increase origin load because previously cached resources need to be fetched again.
While the cache repopulates, you may see higher:
- Request volume
- Bandwidth usage
- CPU usage
If only a few resources have changed, use Selective URL Purge instead of clearing the entire cache.
Safer Alternatives: Cache Max Age and Development Mode
Use Cache Max Age, Development Mode, or Selective URL Purge when you do not need to clear the complete cache.
- Use Cache Max Age to control how long cached content remains fresh before VergeCloud checks the origin again.
- Use Development Mode when you need to test changes directly from the origin.
- Use Selective URL Purge when only specific cached resources need to be refreshed.
Shorter Cache Max Age values favor freshness, while longer values reduce requests to the origin.
If a cached file is not accessed for more than 24 hours, it may be removed automatically.
Learn more about CDN caching settings.
Development Mode as an Alternative to Repeated Purges
Use Development Mode when you need to temporarily bypass the VergeCloud cache while testing changes at the origin.
When Development Mode is enabled:
- Requests go directly to the origin.
- Origin bandwidth usage can increase.
- Origin CPU usage can increase.
- Existing cached objects are not deleted.
- A manual purge may still be required after Development Mode expires.
For routine content updates, Selective URL Purge is usually more appropriate.
Purging the Cache Through the VergeCloud API
Use the VergeCloud CDN API when cache invalidation needs to be automated as part of a deployment or publishing workflow.
This is useful when an application or deployment pipeline needs to clear cached content programmatically instead of using the VergeCloud dashboard.
See the VergeCloud CDN API documentation.
Confirming That the Purge Actually Worked
Confirm a purge by requesting the affected resource again and checking whether its cache status changes as expected.
Reading HIT and MISS Values in the X-Cache Header
A MISS followed by a HIT indicates that the resource was fetched again after the purge and then cached.
Expected sequence:
"https://example.com/assets/style.css" \
| grep -i "^x-cache-status:"
Testing With curl From More Than One Location
Test the same URL from different geographic locations when you want to compare cache behavior across edge locations.
Run the same cache-status command from each test location and compare the returned HIT or MISS value.
Common Purge Problems and How to Fix Them
If stale content remains after a purge, check whether the cause is browser cache, a query-string variant, or a caching rule.
The File Is Purged, but the Browser Still Shows the Old Copy
If the CDN cache was purged but a browser still displays the old version, the resource may still be stored in the browser cache.
Browser Cache TTL controls how long the browser retains its local copy.
Try:
- Opening the page in a private or incognito window.
- Performing a hard refresh.
- Waiting for the Browser Cache TTL to expire.
Optimized Image Variants That Were Not Cleared
Purge the exact resized-image URL when Image Resize variants are stored as separate query-string cache entries.
With Include QueryString:
https://example.com/assets/resource.jpg?width=300is a separate cache entry.https://example.com/assets/resource.jpg?width=600is a separate cache entry.- Purging only
https://example.com/assets/resource.jpgdoes not clear those resized variants. - Purge All clears the original and its cached resized variants.
Do not use Ignore QueryString with Image Resize. If one resized version is cached first, a later request for another size can reuse the existing cached version instead of creating the correct resized variant.
After enabling image optimization, purge the cache.
A Page Rule Overriding Your Caching Settings
Check Page Rules when cache behavior does not match the global Caching settings.
HTML pages are not cached by default. To cache HTML, create a Page Rule for the required URL pattern and make sure its priority is configured correctly.
Purge Habits That Keep Delivery Stable
Use the smallest purge scope that solves the issue.
- Prefer Selective URL Purge for routine updates.
- Verify that the latest content is available at the origin before purging.
- Check query-string behavior when multiple variants exist.
- Use Purge All only for broad changes.
- Confirm the expected MISS->HIT transition after purging.
- Avoid unnecessary full purges to reduce load on the origin.
If the issue remains unresolved, contact VergeCloud 24/7 technical support.
Common Questions About Purging CDN Cache in VergeCloud
How long does a purge take to apply across VergeCloud edge locations?
Purge requests are applied instantaneously across VergeCloud edge locations.
Does purging the CDN cache also clear the visitor's browser cache?
No. Browser cache and VergeCloud edge cache are separate. Browser Cache TTL controls how long the browser retains its local copy.
Will Purge All cause downtime or a traffic spike on my origin server?
Purge All can temporarily increase request volume, bandwidth usage, and CPU usage while the cache repopulates. The impact depends on the capacity of the origin server.
Can I purge a whole directory or use a wildcard in the VergeCloud panel?
No. Selective URL Purge does not support wildcards. Enter the complete URL for each resource you want to purge.
Do I need to purge the cache after enabling image optimization?
Yes. Purge the cache after enabling image optimization.