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If the file changed but its URL did not, a browser, proxy, or CDN may still be serving a cached copy. For routine updates, publish the new file under a versioned filename or path, then update the page or manifest buyers use. If the URL must stay fixed or an old file needs urgent removal, invalidate the CDN cache—but check browser and intermediary caches separately.
Why buyers can still get the old file
Uploading a replacement to your origin—the server or storage location holding the current file—does not guarantee that every request reaches it. A browser, corporate proxy, or CDN (content delivery network) may have a stored response and serve it while its freshness rules still consider it valid. A successful upload therefore does not, by itself, show that the buyer-facing download URL now returns the new bytes.
Start with the exact URL buyers follow. If the URL is unchanged, check how that response is cached and which layers sit between the buyer and your origin. If the link points to an older filename or path, the page or manifest may simply still reference the previous release.
Choose the right fix
| Decision | Versioned filename or path | CDN invalidation |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Publish the new revision at a new URL, then update links or manifests. | Ask the CDN to remove a matching object from its edge caches so a later request can fetch it from the origin. |
| Best suited to | Planned releases, frequently updated files, and releases that may need rollback. | Urgent removal, an accidental upload, or a requirement to keep the public URL fixed. |
| Effect on other caches | A new URL helps avoid a cached response associated with the old URL. | A browser or proxy may still retain the old URL’s response until its own cache rules expire. |
| Operational care | Make sure every relevant page or manifest points to the new URL. | Follow the provider’s procedure and check the buyer-facing URL after invalidation. |
| Main limitation | Old pages or manifests can continue directing buyers to the previous file. | Removing the CDN copy does not guarantee that every other cache has been cleared. |
AWS recommends file versioning as the primary approach for frequently updated files. Separate URLs also make it easier to select a revision, roll forward or back, and distinguish file names in logs. Invalidation remains useful when the URL cannot change or a stale object must be removed urgently. The exact controls depend on your hosting configuration; see AWS guidance on updating existing CloudFront objects and CloudFront invalidation guidance.
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Update a file without serving an incomplete release
- Confirm the source and destination. Check that the origin contains the expected complete file and that the download link resolves to the URL you intend to serve.
- Publish dependencies first. If a page, manifest, or application reference depends on other files, make those files available before publishing the reference that points to them.
- Use a new URL for a routine release. Upload the complete revision under a versioned filename or path, then update the download page, manifest, or application reference. Keep the prior revision only as long as compatibility or rollback needs require.
- If the public URL cannot change, replace the file atomically. Where supported, upload to a temporary name and switch to the final name only when the upload is complete. This reduces the chance that a request—and a cache—captures a partial file during an overwrite. Google Cloud’s Cloud CDN best practices discuss versioning and atomic updates.
- Invalidate only when appropriate. If an unchanged URL must be refreshed urgently, invalidate the relevant CDN object using your provider’s documented procedure. Then test the real buyer-facing URL and account for browser or proxy caches separately.
Why adding a query string may not work
Appending a parameter such as ?v=2 can create a distinct cache key on some systems, but that behavior is not universal. It depends on the platform and on which parts of a URL its cache key includes. It also does not make an upload safe: Google Cloud warns that changing a query string does not prevent partial content from being cached during a nonatomic origin update.
Shopify asset URLs
Shopify’s behavior is platform-specific. Its March 2, 2026 changelog announced that bare query strings would stop refreshing cached assets from March 24, 2026. For Shopify themes, follow the platform’s current asset URL and supported version-parameter guidance rather than relying on an arbitrary query string. The change applies to Shopify; it is not a rule for every CDN or host. See the Shopify changelog notice.
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Track down the stale download
- The page links to the old filename or path: update the page, manifest, or application reference, then check the link buyers actually use.
- The URL is unchanged and the origin has the new file: inspect cache headers, CDN behavior, and browser or intermediary freshness rules before assuming the upload failed.
- The CDN appears to serve an old copy: use the provider’s invalidation controls if appropriate, then verify the buyer-facing URL. Do not assume this clears copies held by browsers or proxies.
- The new file is truncated or incomplete: check whether an overwrite was visible before it finished. Publish dependencies first and use an atomic switch where possible.
- A query-string change has no effect: verify whether the platform includes that parameter in its cache key. On Shopify, use the documented asset URL filters and supported version parameter.
For a deeper provider-specific explanation of cache behavior and safe delivery practices, consult Google Cloud CDN’s best practices and the Amazon CloudFront invalidation documentation.
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