Memory caching is a technique used in computing to temporarily store frequently accessed data in a faster storage area, known as a cache. This allows applications to retrieve data more quickly than if they had to access the slower main memory or disk storage each time. By keeping copies of popular data close at hand, systems can improve performance and reduce latency. When a program requests data, the system first checks the cache. If the data is found there, it’s called a cache hit, and the program can proceed quickly. If the data isn’t in the cache, it’s a cache miss, and the system must fetch it from the slower storage, which takes more time.