[mod] remove option ui.static_use_hash (cache busting) (#5004)

Cache busting has caused serious problems for users in the past, here are two
examples:

- https://github.com/searxng/searxng/issues/4419
- https://github.com/searxng/searxng/issues/4481

And it makes development and deployment significantly more complex because it
binds the client side to the server side:

- https://github.com/searxng/searxng/pull/4466

In the light of a decoupled development of the WEB clients from the server side:

- https://github.com/searxng/searxng/pull/4988

is it appropriate to abandon this feature. In fact,  it has been ineffective
since #4436 anyway.

However, the benefit has always been questionable, since at best only a few kB
of data are saved (at least in the context of an image_proxy, the effect is below
the detection limit). Ultimately, the client is responsible for caching.

Related: https://github.com/searxng/searxng/issues?q=label%3A%22clear%20browser%20cache%22

Closes: https://github.com/searxng/searxng/pull/4466
Closes: https://github.com/searxng/searxng/issues/1326
Closes: https://github.com/searxng/searxng/issues/964

Signed-off-by: Markus Heiser <markus.heiser@darmarit.de>

docs/admin/architecture.rst

@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ up and maintained by the scripts from our :ref:`toolboxing`.
 
    Reference architecture of a public SearXNG setup.
 
-The reference installation activates ``server.limiter``, ``server.image_proxy``
+The reference installation activates ``server.limiter`` and
-and ``ui.static_use_hash`` (:origin:`/etc/searxng/settings.yml
+``server.image_proxy`` (:origin:`/etc/searxng/settings.yml
 <utils/templates/etc/searxng/settings.yml>`)
 
 .. literalinclude:: ../../utils/templates/etc/searxng/settings.yml

docs/admin/installation-searxng.rst

@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ below. This setup:
 
 - enables :ref:`limiter <limiter>` to protect against bots
 - enables :ref:`image proxy <image_proxy>` for better privacy
-- enables :ref:`cache busting <static_use_hash>` to save bandwidth
 
 Modify the ``/etc/searxng/settings.yml`` to your needs:
 
@@ -129,4 +128,3 @@ configuration file.
 If everything works fine, hit ``[CTRL-C]`` to stop the *webapp* and disable the
 debug option in ``settings.yml``. You can now exit SearXNG user bash session (enter exit
 command twice).  At this point SearXNG is not demonized; uwsgi allows this.
-

docs/admin/installation-uwsgi.rst

@@ -181,10 +181,7 @@ uWSGI setup
 
 Create the configuration ini-file according to your distribution and restart the
 uwsgi application.  As shown below, the :ref:`installation scripts` installs by
-default:
+default a uWSGI setup that listens on a socket.
-
-- a uWSGI setup that listens on a socket and
-- enables :ref:`cache busting <static_use_hash>`.
 
 .. tabs::
 

docs/admin/settings/settings_ui.rst

@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 .. code:: yaml
 
    ui:
-     static_use_hash: false
      default_locale: ""
      query_in_title: false
      infinite_scroll: false
@@ -23,11 +22,6 @@
      hotkeys: default
      url_formatting: pretty
 
-.. _static_use_hash:
-
-``static_use_hash`` : ``$SEARXNG_STATIC_USE_HASH``
-  Enables `cache busting`_ of static files.
-
 ``default_locale`` :
   SearXNG interface language.  If blank, the locale is detected by using the
   browser language.  If it doesn't work, or you are deploying a language

docs/admin/update-searxng.rst

@@ -58,10 +58,6 @@ and then, to name just a few:
 - Bot protection has been switched from filtron to SearXNG's :ref:`limiter
   <limiter>`, this requires a :ref:`Valkey <settings valkey>` database.
 
-- To save bandwidth :ref:`cache busting <static_use_hash>` has been implemented.
-  To get in use, the ``static-expires`` needs to be set in the :ref:`uwsgi
-  setup`.
-
 To stay tuned and get in use of the new features, instance maintainers have to
 update the SearXNG code regularly (see :ref:`update searxng`).  As the above
 examples show, this is not always enough, sometimes services have to be set up

searx/settings.yml

@@ -119,8 +119,6 @@ valkey:
 ui:
   # Custom static path - leave it blank if you didn't change
   static_path: ""
-  # Is overwritten by ${SEARXNG_STATIC_USE_HASH}.
-  static_use_hash: false
   # Custom templates path - leave it blank if you didn't change
   templates_path: ""
   # query_in_title: When true, the result page's titles contains the query

searx/settings_defaults.py

@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ SCHEMA = {
     },
     'ui': {
         'static_path': SettingsDirectoryValue(str, os.path.join(searx_dir, 'static')),
-        'static_use_hash': SettingsValue(bool, False, 'SEARXNG_STATIC_USE_HASH'),
         'templates_path': SettingsDirectoryValue(str, os.path.join(searx_dir, 'templates')),
         'default_theme': SettingsValue(str, 'simple'),
         'default_locale': SettingsValue(str, ''),

searx/webapp.py

@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ from searx.engines import (
 from searx import webutils
 from searx.webutils import (
     highlight_content,
-    get_static_files,
     get_result_templates,
     get_themes,
     exception_classname_to_text,
@@ -131,7 +130,6 @@ warnings.simplefilter("always")
 
 # about static
 logger.debug('static directory is %s', settings['ui']['static_path'])
-static_files = get_static_files(settings['ui']['static_path'])
 
 # about templates
 logger.debug('templates directory is %s', settings['ui']['templates_path'])
@@ -239,25 +237,44 @@ def get_result_template(theme_name: str, template_name: str):
     return 'result_templates/' + template_name
 
 
+_STATIC_FILES: list[str] = []
+
+
 def custom_url_for(endpoint: str, **values):
-    suffix = ""
+    global _STATIC_FILES  # pylint: disable=global-statement
-    if endpoint == 'static' and values.get('filename'):
+    if not _STATIC_FILES:
-        file_hash = static_files.get(values['filename'])
+        _STATIC_FILES = webutils.get_static_file_list()
-        if not file_hash:
+
+    if endpoint == "static" and values.get("filename"):
+
+        # We need to verify the "filename" argument: in the jinja templates
+        # there could be call like:
+        #     url_for('static', filename='img/favicon.png')
+        # which should map to:
+        #     static/themes/<theme_name>/img/favicon.png
+
+        arg_filename = values["filename"]
+        if arg_filename not in _STATIC_FILES:
             # try file in the current theme
-            theme_name = sxng_request.preferences.get_value('theme')
+            theme_name = sxng_request.preferences.get_value("theme")
-            filename_with_theme = "themes/{}/{}".format(theme_name, values['filename'])
+            arg_filename = f"themes/{theme_name}/{arg_filename}"
-            file_hash = static_files.get(filename_with_theme)
+            if arg_filename in _STATIC_FILES:
-            if file_hash:
+                values["filename"] = arg_filename
-                values['filename'] = filename_with_theme
+
-        if get_setting('ui.static_use_hash') and file_hash:
+    if endpoint == "info" and "locale" not in values:
-            suffix = "?" + file_hash
+
-    if endpoint == 'info' and 'locale' not in values:
+        # We need to verify the "locale" argument: in the jinja templates there
-        locale = sxng_request.preferences.get_value('locale')
+        # could be call like:
-        if infopage.INFO_PAGES.get_page(values['pagename'], locale) is None:
+        #     url_for('info', pagename='about')
+        # which should map to:
+        #     info/<locale>/about
+
+        locale = sxng_request.preferences.get_value("locale")
+        if infopage.INFO_PAGES.get_page(values["pagename"], locale) is None:
             locale = infopage.INFO_PAGES.locale_default
-        values['locale'] = locale
+        values["locale"] = locale
-    return url_for(endpoint, **values) + suffix
+
+    return url_for(endpoint, **values)
 
 
 def image_proxify(url: str):

searx/webutils.py

@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@ import re
 import itertools
 import json
 from datetime import datetime, timedelta
-from typing import Iterable, List, Tuple, Dict, TYPE_CHECKING
+from typing import Iterable, List, Tuple, TYPE_CHECKING
 
 from io import StringIO
 from codecs import getincrementalencoder
 
 from flask_babel import gettext, format_date  # type: ignore
 
-from searx import logger, settings
+from searx import logger, get_setting
+
 from searx.engines import DEFAULT_CATEGORY
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -177,30 +178,22 @@ def get_themes(templates_path):
     return os.listdir(templates_path)
 
 
-def get_hash_for_file(file: pathlib.Path) -> str:
+def get_static_file_list() -> list[str]:
-    m = hashlib.sha1()
+    file_list = []
-    with file.open('rb') as f:
+    static_path = pathlib.Path(str(get_setting("ui.static_path")))
-        m.update(f.read())
-    return m.hexdigest()
 
-
+    def _walk(path: pathlib.Path):
-def get_static_files(static_path: str) -> Dict[str, str]:
+        for f in path.iterdir():
-    static_files: Dict[str, str] = {}
+            if f.name.startswith('.'):
-    static_path_path = pathlib.Path(static_path)
-
-    def walk(path: pathlib.Path):
-        for file in path.iterdir():
-            if file.name.startswith('.'):
                 # ignore hidden file
                 continue
-            if file.is_file():
+            if f.is_file():
-                static_files[str(file.relative_to(static_path_path))] = get_hash_for_file(file)
+                file_list.append(str(f.relative_to(static_path)))
-            if file.is_dir() and file.name not in ('node_modules', 'src'):
+            if f.is_dir():
-                # ignore "src" and "node_modules" directories
+                _walk(f)
-                walk(file)
 
-    walk(static_path_path)
+    _walk(static_path)
-    return static_files
+    return file_list
 
 
 def get_result_templates(templates_path):
@@ -331,7 +324,7 @@ def group_engines_in_tab(engines: Iterable[Engine]) -> List[Tuple[str, Iterable[
     def engine_sort_key(engine):
         return (engine.about.get('language', ''), engine.name)
 
-    tabs = list(settings['categories_as_tabs'].keys())
+    tabs = list(get_setting('categories_as_tabs').keys())
     subgroups = itertools.groupby(sorted(engines, key=get_subgroup), get_subgroup)
     sorted_groups = sorted(((name, list(engines)) for name, engines in subgroups), key=group_sort_key)
 

tests/unit/test_webapp.py

@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ class ViewsTestCase(SearxTestCase):  # pylint: disable=too-many-public-methods
             pass
 
         self.setattr4test(searx.search.processors, 'initialize_processor', dummy)
-        # remove sha for the static file so the tests don't have to care about
-        # the changing URLs
-        self.setattr4test(searx.webapp, 'static_files', {})
 
         # set some defaults
         test_results = [

utils/templates/etc/httpd/sites-available/searxng.conf

@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ LoadModule proxy_http_module    ${APACHE_MODULES}/mod_proxy_http.so
 
 </Location>
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the HTTP server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
 #
 # Alias ${SEARXNG_URL_PATH}/static/ ${SEARXNG_STATIC}/

utils/templates/etc/httpd/sites-available/searxng.conf:socket

@@ -33,9 +33,6 @@ LoadModule proxy_uwsgi_module   ${APACHE_MODULES}/mod_proxy_uwsgi.so
 
 </Location>
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the HTTP server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
 #
 # Alias ${SEARXNG_URL_PATH}/static/ ${SEARXNG_STATIC}/

utils/templates/etc/nginx/default.apps-available/searxng.conf

@@ -19,10 +19,7 @@ location ${SEARXNG_URL_PATH} {
 
 }
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the HTTP server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
 #
 # location ${SEARXNG_URL_PATH}/static/ {
 #     alias ${SEARXNG_STATIC}/;

utils/templates/etc/nginx/default.apps-available/searxng.conf:socket

@@ -16,10 +16,7 @@ location ${SEARXNG_URL_PATH} {
     uwsgi_param    HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR  \$proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
 }
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the HTTP server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
 #
 # location ${SEARXNG_URL_PATH}/static/ {
 #     alias ${SEARXNG_STATIC}/;

utils/templates/etc/searxng/settings.yml

@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@ valkey:
   # URL to connect valkey database. Is overwritten by ${SEARXNG_VALKEY_URL}.
   url: valkey://localhost:6379/0
 
-ui:
-  static_use_hash: true
-
 # preferences:
 #   lock:
 #     - autocomplete

utils/templates/etc/uwsgi/apps-archlinux/searxng.ini

@@ -75,11 +75,7 @@ pythonpath = ${SEARXNG_SRC}
 http = ${SEARXNG_INTERNAL_HTTP}
 buffer-size = 8192
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the WSGI server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
-#
 static-map = /static=${SEARXNG_STATIC}
 static-gzip-all = True
 offload-threads = %k

utils/templates/etc/uwsgi/apps-archlinux/searxng.ini:socket

@@ -72,11 +72,7 @@ pythonpath = ${SEARXNG_SRC}
 socket = ${SEARXNG_UWSGI_SOCKET}
 buffer-size = 8192
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the WSGI server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
-#
 static-map = /static=${SEARXNG_STATIC}
 static-gzip-all = True
 offload-threads = %k

utils/templates/etc/uwsgi/apps-available/searxng.ini

@@ -78,11 +78,7 @@ pythonpath = ${SEARXNG_SRC}
 http = ${SEARXNG_INTERNAL_HTTP}
 buffer-size = 8192
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the WSGI server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
-#
 static-map = /static=${SEARXNG_STATIC}
 static-gzip-all = True
 offload-threads = %k

utils/templates/etc/uwsgi/apps-available/searxng.ini:socket

@@ -75,11 +75,7 @@ pythonpath = ${SEARXNG_SRC}
 socket = ${SEARXNG_UWSGI_SOCKET}
 buffer-size = 8192
 
-# uWSGI serves the static files and in settings.yml we use::
+# To serve the static files via the WSGI server
-#
-#   ui:
-#     static_use_hash: true
-#
 static-map = /static=${SEARXNG_STATIC}
 static-gzip-all = True
 offload-threads = %k