Memoization cache lifetime
ID: memoization-cache-lifetime
A memoization cache lifetime is the interval over which retained entries are available and valid. One table per top-level request shares recursive subproblems within that request; keeping a table between requests also allows the warm and incremental examples. Clearing it loses those savings. Evicting a correct answer can preserve correctness for a terminating pure function, while forcing recomputation; changing an input without invalidating an obsolete answer can break correctness.
Specify who owns the table, when context changes invalidate it, and how long keys and results occupy computer memory. In a concrete implementation, retained references can keep arguments and answers alive until removal or clearing.[ref]
functools — Higher-order functions and operations on callable objects (Python 3.14 documentation). Python documentation, functools.lru_cache: cache_clear and retention of argument and return-value references until eviction or clearing
The memoization promise is conditional reuse of valid completed answers, not an automatic guarantee of freshness, termination or bounded computer memory.// Target: computer-science.bigb
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