Resolving Cache Upload Errors and Stuck Cache Issues in CircleCI

Overview

Encountering a Error uploading archive: upload canceled error in CircleCI can disrupt your workflow, especially when a job is canceled during cache upload. This situation often results in a corrupted cache state, causing subsequent jobs to fail due to missing dependencies. This article explains how to manage and resolve such issues using versioned cache keys. By adopting versioned cache keys, you can effectively manage cache states and prevent disruptions in your CircleCI workflows.

Prerequisites

Access to your CircleCI configuration file.
Understanding of how cache keys are generated in your CircleCI setup.

Solution

When a job is canceled during cache upload, the cache may become corrupted, and CircleCI will not allow you to delete or modify it. To resolve this, use versioned cache keys. This approach allows you to create a new cache namespace, effectively bypassing the corrupted cache.

Steps to Implement Versioned Cache Keys

Modify Your Cache Key:
- Instead of using a static cache key, incorporate a version prefix. This allows you to easily invalidate and regenerate caches when issues arise.
```
   - restore_cache:
             keys:
               - v1-deps-{{ checksum "package.json" }}
```
Increment the Version When Needed:
- If you encounter a stuck cache, increment the version prefix to create a new cache.
```
   - restore_cache:
             keys:
               - v2-deps-{{ checksum "package.json" }}
```

Benefits of Versioned Cache Keys

Cache Invalidation Control: Easily manage cache states by incrementing the version prefix.
Prevent Lock Situations: Avoid being stuck with a corrupted cache by creating a new cache namespace.
Deterministic Recovery: Quickly regenerate caches by changing the cache key, ensuring a smooth workflow.

Additional Resources