Force-refreshing only JavaScript files in Firefox and Chrome

Question

I want to clear only JavaScript files from my web browsers (Firefox and Chrome). I am doing JavaScript debugging, and it's annoying that my JS just won't get updated whenever I change my JS files. The only thing I can do now is to clear my cookies, but doing that erases all of my browsing history.

How can I clear/refresh the JavaScript files that have been loaded into my browsers without clearing out other files?

Answer 1

I do this myself for development. I use CTRL-F5. Its like a force refresh. This refreshes the page including re-downloading any referenced JS files or CSS files even if they were cached.

It will NOT clear anything else such as your browsing history.

Answer 2

With Chrome:

Starting with Chrome 15, open the Developer Tools, click on the cogwheel at bottom left of the screen, and select the checkbox Disable cache.

This way, you will be sure that resources are always reloaded from the server, and you don't have to manually clear the cache, which might also remove cached data for unrelated sites.

Answer 3

You might want to try clearing just your cache, and not your entire browsing, history, cookies, passwords, saved form data, and whatnot (the default).

In Firefox 3.5, go to

Tools » Clear Recent History...

Then make sure only "Cache" is selected before selecting "Clear Now."

In Chrome (don't know what particular version you're using, as I use the dev builds), go to

Wrench Icon (Tools) » Options » Personal Stuff tab » Clear browsing data...

Again, make sure only "Empty the cache" is checked.

Alternatively, you can try opening up a new Private session in Firefox or Incognito window in Chrome; neither should cache any files (including your .JS files) you automatically download and process when browsing.

Answer 4

I've been using a little trick one a site that I'm working on...for the same reasons as you. I make small changes and have js loaded by js and want to make sure that I'm always working with the current (non-cached) script.

try making the JS you are loading into a php file...simply put <?php ?> at the beginning and put on the ext of .php.

var fileref=document.createElement('script');

fileref.setAttribute("type","text/javascript");

//the Date added to the file doesn't effect the results but helps IE be sure to refresh the data and not use cache

var d = new Date();

var t = d.getTime();

 fileref.setAttribute("src", filename+".php?date="+t);

 fileref.setAttribute("id", filename);

Because the name changes, IE thinks it a new file ;)

Answer 5

In chrome you can just press Ctrl and click the refresh button. I discovered this by chance.

Answer 6

I've not used it myself, but the Firefox Add-on "Clear Cache Button" might be of use. I read through their documentation, so I'm not sure if it clears your browsing history too.

Answer 7

It isn't possible in Chrome. Ctrl-F5 does not reload JavaScript. The Chrome issue for it is at http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=8742.