LRU (Least Recently Used) Cache Visualizer

Animate LRU cache replacement step by step. Watch hits, misses, and evictions as the cache tracks the least recently used item.

LRU Cache: how it works

What is LRU?
Least Recently Used evicts whichever item was accessed least recently. The idea: if you haven't used something in a while, you probably won't need it soon.
Data Structure
LRU is implemented with a hash map (O(1) lookup) + doubly-linked list (O(1) move-to-front). Python's OrderedDict combines both.
When to use
Great for general-purpose caching, CPU page replacement, and browser history. Works best when recently-accessed items are likely to be reused (temporal locality).

Animate LRU cache replacement step by step. Watch hits, misses, and evictions as the cache tracks the least recently used item.

What is LRU?
Least Recently Used evicts whichever item was accessed least recently. The idea: if you haven't used something in a while, you probably won't need it soon.
Data Structure
LRU is implemented with a hash map (O(1) lookup) + doubly-linked list (O(1) move-to-front). Python's OrderedDict combines both.
When to use
Great for general-purpose caching, CPU page replacement, and browser history. Works best when recently-accessed items are likely to be reused (temporal locality).