Old javascript files are being compiled into the var/clientlibs directory

Question

I just recently updated some javascript files in a CQ5.6 instance. I deleted the vars/clientlibs folder so that CQ would regenerate the appropriate files on next page load. When it regenerated them it still included the original javascript. I double checked and both the authoring and publishing instances had the new javascript so I do not know where it is holding onto the old stuff.

So, where does CQ cache the files that it generates its var files from?

Answer 1

CQs clientlibs are cached by the HtmlLibraryManager. Use jad, JDecompiler to see it's implementation.

One workaround I found is to rename the node of the clientlib. So if it is myClientLib, just rename it to myClientLib_somethingelse, then it will use the new js (It cleans HtmlLibraryManager's cache for the clientlib). After then you can rename it back.

Update:

I forgot to mention an url where you can rebuild the clientlibs and here you can also invalidate the cache: /libs/granite/ui/content/dumplibs.rebuild.html. It sometimes fails, but maybe it will work. :D

It is also an useful url for checking clientlibs: /libs/granite/ui/content/dumplibs.html

Answer 2

After deleting the /var/clientlibs cache you may also want to try restarting the Adobe Granite UI Commons (com.day.cq.cq-widgets) bundle from the /system/console/bundles view.

That bundle provides the com.day.cq.widget.impl.HtmlLibraryManagerImpl service, which is responsible for compiling the clientlibs and could theoretically hold some in-memory cache as well.

At one point this was definitely true for the JSP compiler, where removing the /var/classes/org/apache/jsp folder was not enough to force a recompile without also restarting the JSP scripting support bundle.

Answer 3

This is a generic problem, and it will be worst when CSS/JS got cached on client browser. I would recommend to use ACS Commons, Versioned Clientlibs feature in your site to add version number in css/js files. Please refer: http://adobe-consulting-services.github.io/acs-aem-commons/features/versioned-clientlibs.html