---
url: /config/cache.md
---

# cache 

* **Type:** `boolean`
* **Default:** `true`
* **CLI:** `--cache`, `--no-cache`

Store the results of test runs on the file system. Vitest uses them to run failed and longer test files first and to select tests with [`--last-failed`](/guide/cli#last-failed).

For every test file, Vitest stores whether the file failed, which tests failed, how long it ran and when it ran last. A run that did not execute the whole file (for example, a run filtered with [`--testNamePattern`](/config/testnamepattern) or cancelled by [`bail`](/config/bail)) can mark the file as failed, but it cannot mark it as passed.

You can delete the cache by running [`vitest --clearCache`](/guide/cli#clearcache).

The cache directory is controlled by the Vite's [`cacheDir`](https://vitejs.dev/config/shared-options.html#cachedir) option:

```ts
import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'

export default defineConfig({
  cacheDir: 'custom-folder/.vitest'
})
```

You can limit the directory only for Vitest by using `process.env.VITEST`:

```ts
import { defineConfig } from 'vitest/config'

export default defineConfig({
  cacheDir: process.env.VITEST ? 'custom-folder/.vitest' : undefined
})
```

::: warning
The deprecated `cache.dir` option has no effect anymore. Use `cacheDir` to change the cache directory.
:::