feed_refresh Parameter

The feed_refresh parameter is a boolean flag in the For You API that controls whether API calls trigger asynchronous background cache updates.

Quick Reference

Behavior

When feed_refresh = true (default)

• Returns current cached feed recommendations
• Triggers background cache update via Kinesis or Lambda async invocation
• Update refreshes personalized recommendations with fresh engagement data, affinity scores, and new content

When feed_refresh = false

• Returns current cached feed recommendations
• Skips background cache update entirely
• No additional backend processing occurs

Cost Impact

The feed_refresh parameter determines which operation is billed:

Setting feed_refresh = false reduces costs by ~83% per request (125 units saved).

For current pricing details, see Compute Units Pricing.

Use Cases

Example Request

{
  "feed_id": "feed_390",
  "user_id": "1",
  "top_k": 25,
  "feed_refresh": false
}

When to Use false

Set feed_refresh to false when you:

1. Prefetch content - Loading feed data in the background before user views it
2. Poll for updates - Checking for new content at regular intervals
3. Run automated tests - Need consistent, repeatable responses
4. Optimize costs - Save 125 compute units per request (83% reduction)

Notes

• Setting feed_refresh to false does not affect the quality of the returned recommendations
• The response data is identical regardless of this parameter's value
• Only the background processing behavior changes