Push website updates without affecting the user

Question

I'm working on my first website right now, and when I'm updating a file (uploading the newest version to the server), for example the stylesheet or a .php file, and I try to load the page halfway through it being uploaded/changed, I get a blank screen or broken CSS. Sometimes the cache has to be cleared for the correct stylesheet to load.

When pushing updates to users, how can this be prevented?

Answer 1

One way to do this is with "cache busting". Everytime you make changes to your .css or .js file you rename the file.

style_v1.0.css // Release 1.0
style_v1.1.css // Release 1.1
style_v2.0.css // Release 2.0

Or do it after the filename:

style.css?v=1.0 // Release 1.0
style.css?v=1.1 // Release 1.1
style.css?v=2.0 // Release 2.0