The query cache plugin will cache all queries regardless if the query string begins with the SQL hint which enables caching or not, if the PHP configuration directive mysqlnd_qc.cache_by_default is set to 1. The setting mysqlnd_qc.cache_by_default is evaluated by the core of the query cache plugins. Neither the built-in nor user-defined storage handler can overrule the setting.
The SQL hint /*qc=off*/ can be used to disable caching of individual queries if mysqlnd_qc.cache_by_default = 1 It is recommended to use the PHP constant MYSQLND_QC_DISABLE_SWITCH instead of using the string value.
<?php
/* Enable default caching of all statements */
ini_set("mysqlnd_qc.cache_by_default", 1);
/* Connect, create and populate test table */
$mysqli = new mysqli("host", "user", "password", "schema", "port", "socket");
$mysqli->query("DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test");
$mysqli->query("CREATE TABLE test(id INT)");
$mysqli->query("INSERT INTO test(id) VALUES (1), (2)");
/* Will be cached although no SQL hint is present because of mysqlnd_qc.cache_by_default = 1*/
$res = $mysqli->query("SELECT id FROM test WHERE id = 1");
var_dump($res->fetch_assoc());
$res->free();
$mysqli->query("DELETE FROM test WHERE id = 1");
/* Cache hit - no automatic invalidation and still valid! */
$res = $mysqli->query("SELECT id FROM test WHERE id = 1");
var_dump($res->fetch_assoc());
$res->free();
/* Cache miss - query must not be cached or served from cache because of the SQL hint */
$res = $mysqli->query("/*" . MYSQLND_QC_DISABLE_SWITCH . "*/SELECT id FROM test WHERE id = 1");
var_dump($res->fetch_assoc());
$res->free();
?>
The above examples will output:
array(1) { ["id"]=> string(1) "1" } array(1) { ["id"]=> string(1) "1" } NULL