Can your database do this? Ep. 1: Magic caching

In this discussion, Jamie Turner explores the concept of "jank" in web applications, particularly focusing on a DMV wait time tracker built with Next.js and backed by a Convex deployment. Convex, a reactive database and backend as a service, allows for dynamic data updates through its unique approach of caching subscriptions rather than just values. This method ensures data consistency and eliminates the need for manual cache invalidation, thus addressing the "jank" issue where pages unnecessarily redraw when navigating through browser history. By integrating a ConvexQueryCacheProvider and a caching library into the application, Turner demonstrates how this setup leads to smoother user experiences with instantaneous data updates and minimal performance trade-offs. Additionally, a cron job is introduced to keep the DMV time updated every three seconds, showcasing the seamless integration and automatic deployment capabilities of Convex, which is built using regular TypeScript, enabling real-time updates and consistent transactional windows without the typical issues associated with traditional databases and backends.