# Smarter Caching with DataLoader: Add a 2nd-Level Cache!

> Add a second-level cache to DataLoader to cache entities across requests and give your GraphQL API a real performance boost.

Canonical source: https://chillicream.com/videos/2025-04-09-dataloader-second-level-cache

Episode 07

![](https://chillicream.com/_optimized/images/remote/2bb0dd6e1b9347a1d3732300ea752f39f1ac4f1f76587433ca3a407245b31786.jpg)

[Michael Staib](https://chillicream.com/authors/michael-staib)Apr 9, 2025

[Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6GDT9l-4zQ)

Hi everyone!

In this episode, we’re going to look at how to add a second-level cache to DataLoader, so you can cache entities across requests and give your GraphQL API a real performance boost.

So buckle up, and let’s jump in! 🚀

Hot Chocolate version used in this video: [15.1.3](https://www.nuget.org/packages/HotChocolate/15.1.3)

- DataLoader
- Caching
- Entity Framework
- Hot Chocolate