DreamScripts' script loader originally cached an intermediate compiled chunk and executed it again when serving a cached module.
Commit 28062542 changed the cache to store the module's returned value instead.
That was necessary for correct hot-reload/module behavior.
The rule
A cache should preserve the semantics of the operation it replaces.
If callers ask for a loaded module, cache the loaded module unless the contract explicitly says re-execution is part of lookup.
If callers ask for parsed metadata, cache parsed metadata, not a file handle that happens to be able to recreate it.
Intermediate representations are implementation details until the public contract says otherwise.
Source: DreamScripts commit 28062542.
H3 Pattern: memoize documents the layer being cached, key identity, absence handling, and retention contract explicitly.