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Created November 13, 2018 04:29
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no-cache.md

As porneL stated, what you want is not to deactivate the cache, but to deactivate the history buffer. Different browsers have their own subtle ways to disable the history buffer.

In Chrome (v28.0.1500.95 m) we can do this only by Cache-Control: no-store.

In FireFox (v23.0.1) any one of these will work:

  1. Cache-Control: no-store

  2. Cache-Control: no-cache (https only)

  3. Pragma: no-cache (https only)

  4. Vary: * (https only)

In Opera (v12.15) we only can do this by Cache-Control: must-revalidate (https only).

In Safari (v5.1.7, 7534.57.2) any one of these will work:

  1. Cache-Control: no-store
    <body onunload=""> in html

  2. Cache-Control: no-store (https only)

In IE8 (v8.0.6001.18702IC) any one of these will work:

  1. Cache-Control: must-revalidate, max-age=0

  2. Cache-Control: no-cache

  3. Cache-Control: no-store

  4. Cache-Control: must-revalidate
    Expires: 0

  5. Cache-Control: must-revalidate
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT

  6. Pragma: no-cache (https only)

  7. Vary: * (https only)

Combining the above gives us this solution which works for Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7, and Opera 12.15: Cache-Control: no-store, must-revalidate (https only)

Note that https is needed because Opera wouldn't deactivate history buffer for plain http pages. If you really can't get https and you are prepared to ignore Opera, the best you can do is this:

Cache-Control: no-store
<body onunload="">

Below shows the raw logs of my tests:

HTTP:

  1. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7

  2. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7

  3. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    Fail: Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8

  4. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, no-store, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    Fail: Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8

  5. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  6. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  7. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  8. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  9. Cache-Control: no-store
    Fail: Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8

  10. Cache-Control: no-store
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7

  11. Cache-Control: no-cache
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  12. Vary: *
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: none

  13. Pragma: no-cache
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: none

  14. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  15. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  16. Cache-Control: must-revalidate, max-age=0
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  17. Cache-Control: must-revalidate
    Expires: 0
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  18. Cache-Control: must-revalidate
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: IE8

  19. Cache-Control: private, must-revalidate, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: none

HTTPS:

  1. Cache-Control: private, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: none

  2. Cache-Control: private, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: none

  3. Vary: *
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8

  4. Pragma: no-cache
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8

  5. Cache-Control: no-cache
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8

  6. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8

  7. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8

  8. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8

  9. Cache-Control: must-revalidate
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7
    Success: Opera 12.15

  10. Cache-Control: private, must-revalidate, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7
    Success: Opera 12.15

  11. Cache-Control: must-revalidate, max-age=0
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7
    Success: IE8, Opera 12.15

  12. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8, Opera 12.15

  13. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8, Opera 12.15

  14. Cache-Control: no-store
    Fail: Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7

  15. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, no-store, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7

  16. Cache-Control: private, no-cache, no-store, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Opera 12.15
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7

  17. Cache-Control: private, no-cache
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8

  18. Cache-Control: must-revalidate
    Expires: 0
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7,
    Success: IE8, Opera 12.15

  19. Cache-Control: must-revalidate
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7,
    Success: IE8, Opera 12.15

  20. Cache-Control: private, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: 0
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7,
    Success: IE8, Opera 12.15

  21. Cache-Control: private, must-revalidate, max-age=0, proxy-revalidate, s-maxage=0
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    <body onunload="">
    Fail: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, Safari 5.1.7,
    Success: IE8, Opera 12.15

  22. Cache-Control: private, must-revalidate
    Expires: Sat, 12 Oct 1991 05:00:00 GMT
    Pragma: no-cache
    Vary: *
    Fail: Chrome 28, Safari 5.1.7
    Success: FireFox 23, IE8, Opera 12.15

  23. Cache-Control: no-store, must-revalidate
    Fail: none
    Success: Chrome 28, FireFox 23, IE8, Safari 5.1.7, Opera 12.15

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