diff --git a/.changeset/quick-roses-fail.md b/.changeset/quick-roses-fail.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..60b8b5b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/quick-roses-fail.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'vite-imagetools': patch
+---
+
+feat: caching of generated images
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 39bd156a..4c7223ac 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -17,3 +17,4 @@ unclear!
 
 - [Extend Imagetools](guide/extending.md)
 - [Sharp's documentation](https://sharp.pixelplumbing.com)
+- [Caching](guide/caching.md)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/guide/caching.md b/docs/guide/caching.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a945741e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/guide/caching.md
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Caching
+
+To speed up a build pipeline with many images, the generated images can be cached on disk. 
+If the source image changes, the cached images will be regenerated.
+
+## How to configure caching
+
+Caching is enabled by default and uses './node_modules/.cache/imagetools' as cache directory. 
+You can disable caching or change the directory with options.
+
+```
+// vite.config.js, etc
+...
+    plugins: [
+      react(),
+      imagetools({
+        cache: {
+          enabled: true,
+          dir: './node_modules/.cache/imagetools'
+        }
+      })
+    ]
+...
+```
+
+## Cache retention to remove unused images
+
+When an image is no longer there or the transformation parameters change, the previously
+cached images will be removed after a configurable retention period.
+The default retention is 1 day (86400 seconds). A value of 0 will disable this mechanism.
+
+```
+// vite.config.js, etc
+...
+    plugins: [
+      react(),
+      imagetools({
+        cache: {
+          enabled: true,
+          dir: './node_modules/.cache/imagetools',
+          retention: 172800
+        }
+      })
+    ]
+...
+```
diff --git a/docs/interfaces/vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md b/docs/interfaces/vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e0f332c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/interfaces/vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+[imagetools](../README.md) / [Modules](../modules.md) / [vite/src/types](../modules/vite_src_types.md) / CacheOptions
+
+# Interface: CacheOptions
+
+[vite/src/types](../modules/vite_src_types.md).CacheOptions
+
+## Table of contents
+
+### Properties
+
+- [enabled](vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md#enabled)
+- [dir](vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md#dir)
+- [retention](vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md#retention)
+
+## Properties
+
+### enabled
+
+• **enabled**: `boolean`
+
+Wether caching of transformed images is enabled.
+
+**`Default`**
+
+```ts
+true
+```
+
+#### Defined in
+
+[packages/vite/src/types.ts:104](https://github.com/JonasKruckenberg/imagetools/blob/4ebc88f/packages/vite/src/types.ts#L104)
+
+### dir
+
+• **dir**: `string`
+
+Where to store generated images on disk as cache.
+
+**`Default`**
+
+```ts
+'./node_modules/.cache/imagetools'
+```
+
+#### Defined in
+
+[packages/vite/src/types.ts:109](https://github.com/JonasKruckenberg/imagetools/blob/4ebc88f/packages/vite/src/types.ts#L109)
+
+### retention
+
+• **retention**: `number`
+
+After what time an unused image will be removed from the cache.
+
+**`Default`**
+
+```ts
+86400
+```
+
+#### Defined in
+
+[packages/vite/src/types.ts:114](https://github.com/JonasKruckenberg/imagetools/blob/4ebc88f/packages/vite/src/types.ts#L114)
diff --git a/docs/interfaces/vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md b/docs/interfaces/vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md
index 68a0e0c1..0f7dd7e8 100644
--- a/docs/interfaces/vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md
+++ b/docs/interfaces/vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 - [include](vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md#include)
 - [removeMetadata](vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md#removemetadata)
 - [resolveConfigs](vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md#resolveconfigs)
+- [cacheRetention](vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md#cacheretention)
+- [cacheDir](vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md#cachedir)
 
 ## Properties
 
@@ -177,3 +179,19 @@ undefined
 #### Defined in
 
 [packages/vite/src/types.ts:79](https://github.com/JonasKruckenberg/imagetools/blob/4ebc88f/packages/vite/src/types.ts#L79)
+
+### cache
+
+• **cache**: [`CacheOptions`](./vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md)
+
+Options to enable caching of generated images.
+
+**`Default`**
+
+```ts
+undefined
+```
+
+#### Defined in
+
+[packages/vite/src/types.ts:97](https://github.com/JonasKruckenberg/imagetools/blob/4ebc88f/packages/vite/src/types.ts#L97)
diff --git a/docs/modules/vite_src_types.md b/docs/modules/vite_src_types.md
index 11c079dd..7fa1220e 100644
--- a/docs/modules/vite_src_types.md
+++ b/docs/modules/vite_src_types.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 ### Interfaces
 
 - [VitePluginOptions](../interfaces/vite_src_types.VitePluginOptions.md)
+- [CacheOptions](../interfaces/vite_src_types.CacheOptions.md)
 
 ### Type Aliases
 
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/__tests__/__image_snapshots__/main-test-ts-src-tests-main-test-ts-vite-imagetools-import-with-space-in-identifier-and-cache-1-snap.png b/packages/vite/src/__tests__/__image_snapshots__/main-test-ts-src-tests-main-test-ts-vite-imagetools-import-with-space-in-identifier-and-cache-1-snap.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bd3de489
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/vite/src/__tests__/__image_snapshots__/main-test-ts-src-tests-main-test-ts-vite-imagetools-import-with-space-in-identifier-and-cache-1-snap.png
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+version https://git-lfs.github.com/spec/v1
+oid sha256:895f2fa8cdb7759f75df4b2aff51518cbf1406e1455fdb36268cd129f60736a1
+size 120401
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/__tests__/main.test.ts b/packages/vite/src/__tests__/main.test.ts
index 02f7404e..69dd4268 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/__tests__/main.test.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/__tests__/main.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { build, createLogger } from 'vite'
+import { InlineConfig, build, createLogger } from 'vite'
 import { imagetools } from '../index'
 import { join } from 'path'
 import { getFiles, testEntry } from './util'
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import { JSDOM } from 'jsdom'
 import sharp from 'sharp'
 import { afterEach, describe, test, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { createBasePath } from '../utils'
+import { existsSync } from 'fs'
+import { rm, utimes, readdir } from 'fs/promises'
 
 expect.extend({ toMatchImageSnapshot })
 
@@ -235,7 +237,8 @@ describe('vite-imagetools', () => {
                     return (image) => image
                   }
                 ]
-              }
+              },
+              cache: { enabled: false }
             })
           ]
         })
@@ -263,7 +266,8 @@ describe('vite-imagetools', () => {
                     return (image) => image
                   }
                 ]
-              }
+              },
+              cache: { enabled: false }
             })
           ]
         })
@@ -289,7 +293,8 @@ describe('vite-imagetools', () => {
                       return (image) => image
                     }
                   ]
-                }
+                },
+                cache: { enabled: false }
               })
             ]
           })
@@ -327,6 +332,8 @@ describe('vite-imagetools', () => {
       })
 
       test('false leaves private metadata', async () => {
+        const dir = './node_modules/.cache/imagetools_test_false_leaves_private_metadata'
+        await rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
         const bundle = (await build({
           root: join(__dirname, '__fixtures__'),
           logLevel: 'warn',
@@ -337,7 +344,8 @@ describe('vite-imagetools', () => {
                             window.__IMAGE__ = Image
                         `),
             imagetools({
-              removeMetadata: false
+              removeMetadata: false,
+              cache: { dir }
             })
           ]
         })) as RollupOutput | RollupOutput[]
@@ -458,6 +466,59 @@ describe('vite-imagetools', () => {
         expect(window.__IMAGE__).toHaveProperty('hasAlpha')
       })
     })
+    describe('cache.retention', () => {
+      test('is used to clear cache with default 86400', async () => {
+        const dir = './node_modules/.cache/imagetools_test_cache_retention'
+        await rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+        const root = join(__dirname, '__fixtures__')
+        const config: (width: number) => InlineConfig = (width) => ({
+          root,
+          logLevel: 'warn',
+          build: { write: false },
+          plugins: [
+            testEntry(`
+                            import Image from "./pexels-allec-gomes-5195763.png?w=${width}"
+                            export default Image
+                        `),
+            imagetools({ cache: { dir } })
+          ]
+        })
+        await build(config(300))
+        const image_300 = (await readdir(dir))[0]
+        expect(image_300).toBeTypeOf('string')
+
+        await build(config(200))
+        const image_200 = (await readdir(dir)).find((name) => name !== image_300)?.[0]
+        expect(image_200).toBeTypeOf('string')
+
+        const date = new Date(Date.now() - 86400000)
+        await utimes(`${dir}/${image_300}`, date, date)
+        await build(config(200))
+        expect(existsSync(`${dir}/${image_300}`)).toBe(false)
+      })
+    })
+    describe('cache.dir', () => {
+      test('is used', async () => {
+        const dir = './node_modules/.cache/imagetools_test_cache_dir'
+        await rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+        const root = join(__dirname, '__fixtures__')
+        await build({
+          root,
+          logLevel: 'warn',
+          build: { write: false },
+          plugins: [
+            testEntry(`
+                            import Image from "./pexels-allec-gomes-5195763.png?w=300"
+                            export default Image
+                        `),
+            imagetools({ cache: { dir } })
+          ]
+        })
+
+        const image = (await readdir(dir))[0]
+        expect(image).toBeTypeOf('string')
+      })
+    })
   })
 
   test('relative import', async () => {
@@ -516,6 +577,28 @@ describe('vite-imagetools', () => {
     expect(files[0].source).toMatchImageSnapshot()
   })
 
+  test('import with space in identifier and cache', async () => {
+    const dir = './node_modules/.cache/imagetools_test_import_with_space'
+    await rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    const config: InlineConfig = {
+      root: join(__dirname, '__fixtures__'),
+      logLevel: 'warn',
+      build: { write: false },
+      plugins: [
+        testEntry(`
+                    import Image from "./with space.png?w=300"
+                    export default Image
+                `),
+        imagetools({ cache: { dir } })
+      ]
+    }
+    await build(config)
+    const bundle = (await build(config)) as RollupOutput | RollupOutput[]
+
+    const files = getFiles(bundle, '**.png') as OutputAsset[]
+    expect(files[0].source).toMatchImageSnapshot()
+  })
+
   test('non existent file', async () => {
     const p = build({
       root: join(__dirname, '__fixtures__'),
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/index.ts b/packages/vite/src/index.ts
index 111c54a6..884d7dc2 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 import { basename, extname } from 'node:path'
+import { join } from 'node:path/posix'
+import { existsSync, mkdirSync, createReadStream } from 'node:fs'
+import { utimes, writeFile, readFile, opendir, stat, rm } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import type { Plugin, ResolvedConfig } from 'vite'
 import {
   applyTransforms,
@@ -12,7 +15,8 @@ import {
   resolveConfigs,
   type Logger,
   type OutputFormat,
-  type ProcessedImageMetadata
+  type ProcessedImageMetadata,
+  type ImageMetadata
 } from 'imagetools-core'
 import { createFilter, dataToEsm } from '@rollup/pluginutils'
 import sharp, { type Metadata, type Sharp } from 'sharp'
@@ -40,6 +44,13 @@ export * from 'imagetools-core'
 export function imagetools(userOptions: Partial<VitePluginOptions> = {}): Plugin {
   const pluginOptions: VitePluginOptions = { ...defaultOptions, ...userOptions }
 
+  const cacheOptions = {
+    enabled: pluginOptions.cache?.enabled ?? true,
+    dir: pluginOptions.cache?.dir ?? './node_modules/.cache/imagetools',
+    retention: pluginOptions.cache?.retention ?? 86400
+  }
+  mkdirSync(`${cacheOptions.dir}`, { recursive: true })
+
   const filter = createFilter(pluginOptions.include, pluginOptions.exclude)
 
   const transformFactories = pluginOptions.extendTransforms ? pluginOptions.extendTransforms(builtins) : builtins
@@ -51,7 +62,7 @@ export function imagetools(userOptions: Partial<VitePluginOptions> = {}): Plugin
   let viteConfig: ResolvedConfig
   let basePath: string
 
-  const generatedImages = new Map<string, Sharp>()
+  const generatedImages = new Map<string, { image?: Sharp; metadata: ImageMetadata }>()
 
   return {
     name: 'imagetools',
@@ -122,18 +133,39 @@ export function imagetools(userOptions: Partial<VitePluginOptions> = {}): Plugin
         error: (msg) => this.error(msg)
       }
 
+      const imageBuffer = await img.clone().toBuffer()
+
       for (const config of imageConfigs) {
-        const { transforms } = generateTransforms(config, transformFactories, srcURL.searchParams, logger)
-        const { image, metadata } = await applyTransforms(transforms, img.clone(), pluginOptions.removeMetadata)
+        const id = await generateImageID(srcURL, config, imageBuffer)
+        let image: Sharp | undefined
+        let metadata: ImageMetadata
+
+        if (cacheOptions.enabled && existsSync(`${cacheOptions.dir}/${id}`)) {
+          const imagePath = `${cacheOptions.dir}/${id}`
+          metadata = (await sharp(imagePath).metadata()) as ImageMetadata
+          metadata.imagePath = imagePath
+          const date = new Date()
+          utimes(imagePath, date, date)
+        } else {
+          const { transforms } = generateTransforms(config, transformFactories, srcURL.searchParams, logger)
+          const res = await applyTransforms(transforms, img, pluginOptions.removeMetadata)
+          metadata = res.metadata
+          if (cacheOptions.enabled) {
+            const imagePath = `${cacheOptions.dir}/${id}`
+            await writeFile(imagePath, await res.image.toBuffer())
+            metadata.imagePath = imagePath
+          } else {
+            image = res.image
+          }
+        }
 
         if (viteConfig.command === 'serve') {
-          const id = await generateImageID(srcURL, config, img)
-          generatedImages.set(id, image)
-          metadata.src = path.posix.join(viteConfig?.server?.origin ?? '', basePath) + id
+          generatedImages.set(id, { image, metadata })
+          metadata.src = join(viteConfig?.server?.origin ?? '', basePath) + id
         } else {
           const fileHandle = this.emitFile({
             name: basename(pathname, extname(pathname)) + `.${metadata.format}`,
-            source: await image.toBuffer(),
+            source: image ? await image.toBuffer() : await readFile(metadata.imagePath as string),
             type: 'asset'
           })
 
@@ -167,22 +199,44 @@ export function imagetools(userOptions: Partial<VitePluginOptions> = {}): Plugin
         if (req.url?.startsWith(basePath)) {
           const [, id] = req.url.split(basePath)
 
-          const image = generatedImages.get(id)
+          const { image, metadata } = generatedImages.get(id) ?? {}
 
-          if (!image)
+          if (!metadata)
             throw new Error(`vite-imagetools cannot find image with id "${id}" this is likely an internal error`)
 
+          res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'max-age=360000')
+
+          if (!image) {
+            res.setHeader('Content-Type', `image/${metadata.format}`)
+            return createReadStream(metadata.imagePath as string).pipe(res)
+          }
+
           if (pluginOptions.removeMetadata === false) {
             image.withMetadata()
           }
 
           res.setHeader('Content-Type', `image/${getMetadata(image, 'format')}`)
-          res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'max-age=360000')
           return image.clone().pipe(res)
         }
 
         next()
       })
+    },
+
+    async buildEnd(error) {
+      if (!error && cacheOptions.enabled && cacheOptions.retention && viteConfig.command !== 'serve') {
+        const dir = await opendir(cacheOptions.dir)
+        for await (const dirent of dir) {
+          if (dirent.isFile()) {
+            const imagePath = `${cacheOptions.dir}/${dirent.name}`
+            const stats = await stat(imagePath)
+            if (Date.now() - stats.mtimeMs > cacheOptions.retention * 1000) {
+              console.debug(`deleting stale cached image ${dirent.name}`)
+              await rm(imagePath)
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/types.ts b/packages/vite/src/types.ts
index e2d600fa..4df752e5 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/types.ts
@@ -90,4 +90,26 @@ export interface VitePluginOptions {
    * @default undefined
    */
   namedExports?: boolean
+
+  /**
+   * Whether to cache transformed images and options for caching.
+   */
+  cache?: CacheOptions
+}
+
+export interface CacheOptions {
+  /**
+   * Should the image cache be enabled. Default is true
+   */
+  enabled?: boolean
+
+  /**
+   * Where should the cached images be stored. Default is './node_modules/.cache/imagetools'
+   */
+  dir?: string
+
+  /**
+   * For how many seconds to keep transformed images cached. Default is 86400. To disable cache specify 0.
+   */
+  retention?: number
 }
diff --git a/packages/vite/src/utils.ts b/packages/vite/src/utils.ts
index 9eabd787..b53eefa1 100644
--- a/packages/vite/src/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/vite/src/utils.ts
@@ -2,17 +2,15 @@ import { createHash } from 'node:crypto'
 import path from 'node:path'
 import { statSync } from 'node:fs'
 import type { ImageConfig } from 'imagetools-core'
-import type { Sharp } from 'sharp'
 
 export const createBasePath = (base?: string) => {
   return (base?.replace(/\/$/, '') || '') + '/@imagetools/'
 }
 
-export async function generateImageID(url: URL, config: ImageConfig, originalImage: Sharp) {
+export async function generateImageID(url: URL, config: ImageConfig, imageBuffer: Buffer) {
   if (url.host) {
     const baseURL = new URL(url.origin + url.pathname)
-    const buffer = await originalImage.toBuffer()
-    return hash([baseURL.href, JSON.stringify(config), buffer])
+    return hash([baseURL.href, JSON.stringify(config), imageBuffer])
   }
 
   // baseURL isn't a valid URL, but just a string used for an identifier