Since the cache is essentially a collection of nodes, aspects such as clustering, persistence, eviction, etc. need to be applied to these nodes when operations are invoked on the cache as a whole or on individual nodes. To achieve this in a clean, modular and extensible manner, an interceptor chain is used. The chain is built up of a series of interceptors, each one adding an aspect or particular functionality. The chain is built when the cache is created, based on the configuration used.

It is important to note that the NodeSPI offers some methods (such as the xxxDirect() method family) that operate on a node directly without passing through the interceptor stack. Plugin authors should note that using such methods will affect the aspects of the cache that may need to be applied, such as locking, replication, etc. Basically, don't use such methods unless you really know what you're doing!