---
url: /errors/pinia_colada_r0002.md
---
# PINIA\_COLADA\_R0002: the cache cannot be directly set

* Level: error (logged, dev only)

## What happened

The query cache or the mutation cache was replaced by assigning to it (e.g. `queryCache.caches = ...`). The caches are internal reactive structures that must be modified through the cache methods, never swapped out. **This will fail in production** where the development check (and its error message) is removed.

## How to fix it

Use the cache methods to modify entries instead of replacing the cache:

```ts
const queryCache = useQueryCache()

// ✅ modify data
queryCache.setQueryData(['todos'], newTodos)

// ✅ invalidate entries
queryCache.invalidateQueries({ key: ['todos'] })

// ❌ never replace the cache itself
queryCache.caches = new Map()
```

### Deleting entries completely

If you actually want to *remove* entries from the cache (not just invalidate them), use `remove()` on the entries instead of clearing the cache. `remove()` takes a single entry, so combine it with `getEntries()` to delete one or many:

```ts
const queryCache = useQueryCache()

// remove a single entry by key (if it exists)
const entry = queryCache.get(['todos'])
if (entry) queryCache.remove(entry)

// remove every matching entry (omit the filter to clear everything)
// `active: false` skips entries still used by a mounted `useQuery()`,
// which would otherwise be recreated and refetched right away
for (const entry of queryCache.getEntries({ key: ['todos'], active: false })) {
  queryCache.remove(entry)
}
```

Keep these pitfalls in mind:

* `remove()` clears the entry's garbage-collection timeout and deletes it from the cache, but it does **not** abort an in-flight request. Call `queryCache.cancel(entry)` (or `cancelQueries(filters)`) first if a fetch might still be pending.
* Removing an entry that is still **active** (used by a mounted `useQuery()`) will cause it to be recreated and refetched on the next access, so removing rarely makes sense for active entries — prefer `invalidateQueries()` there.
* `getEntries()` with no filter returns every entry, and `getEntries({ key: ['todos'] })` matches the key *and all its children*. Pass `exact: true` to match only the exact key.

## Common causes

* Trying to "reset" the cache by assigning a new object to it
* Spreading or cloning the cache store and writing it back
* State management devtools or plugins replacing store state wholesale (e.g. naive store `$patch`/hydration logic)