Artifact CacheΒΆ
The cache is used to store unzipped data on disk in a predictable and user controlled location. This allows us to skip constantly zipping and unzipping large amounts of data and taking up CPU time when storage space is not an issue. It also allows us to know exactly what data has been created and where.
By default, a cache will be created under $TMPDIR/qiime2/$USER and all intermediate data created by QIIME 2 as it executes will be written into that directory. This means QIIME 2 reserves usage of the $TMPDIR/qiime2 directory. The user may also specify a new location to be used in place of this default directory. This location must meet a few criteria.
1. It must be writable from any and all locations the QIIME 2 command intending to use it will be running. This means that in an HPC context, the location specified for the cache must be writable from the node QIIME 2 will be executing on.
2. It must either not exist or already be a cache. The first time a directory is specified to be used as a cache, it should not exist. QIIME 2 will create a cache structure on disk at that location. Any existing directory you attempt to use as a cache should have been created as a cache by QIIME 2.
