diff --git a/lib/Controller/Api1Controller.php b/lib/Controller/Api1Controller.php
index 240891f302..c9714902cb 100644
--- a/lib/Controller/Api1Controller.php
+++ b/lib/Controller/Api1Controller.php
@@ -40,8 +40,10 @@
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\Attribute\NoAdminRequired;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\Attribute\NoCSRFRequired;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\Attribute\OpenAPI;
+use OCP\AppFramework\Http\Attribute\RequestHeader;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\DataResponse;
 use OCP\AppFramework\Http\JSONResponse;
+use OCP\Constants;
 use OCP\IL10N;
 use OCP\IRequest;
 use Psr\Log\LoggerInterface;
@@ -1244,9 +1246,10 @@ public function indexTableRowsSimple(int $tableId, ?int $limit, ?int $offset): D
 	 * @param int $tableId Table ID
 	 * @param int|null $limit Limit
 	 * @param int|null $offset Offset
-	 * @return DataResponse<Http::STATUS_OK, list<TablesRow>, array{}>|DataResponse<Http::STATUS_FORBIDDEN|Http::STATUS_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR|Http::STATUS_NOT_FOUND, array{message: string}, array{}>
+	 * @return DataResponse<Http::STATUS_OK, list<TablesRow>, array{}>|DataResponse<Http::STATUS_NOT_MODIFIED, array{}, array{}>|DataResponse<Http::STATUS_FORBIDDEN|Http::STATUS_INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR|Http::STATUS_NOT_FOUND, array{message: string}, array{}>
 	 *
 	 * 200: Rows returned
+	 * 304: Not modified
 	 * 403: No permissions
 	 * 404: Not found
 	 */
@@ -1255,13 +1258,39 @@ public function indexTableRowsSimple(int $tableId, ?int $limit, ?int $offset): D
 	#[CORS]
 	#[RequirePermission(permission: Application::PERMISSION_READ, type: Application::NODE_TYPE_TABLE, idParam: 'tableId')]
 	#[OpenAPI(scope: OpenAPI::SCOPE_DEFAULT)]
+	#[RequestHeader(name: 'if-modified-since', description: 'Respond with 304 Not Modified if the table has not been edited since this date')]
 	public function indexTableRows(int $tableId, ?int $limit, ?int $offset): DataResponse {
 		try {
-			return new DataResponse($this->rowService->formatRows($this->rowService->findAllByTable($tableId, $this->userId, $limit, $offset)));
+			$table = $this->tableService->find($tableId, true);
+			$lastEditAt = $table->getLastEditAt();
+			$lastModified = $lastEditAt !== null && $lastEditAt !== '' ? new \DateTime($lastEditAt) : null;
+
+			if ($lastModified !== null) {
+				$ifModifiedSince = trim($this->request->getHeader('if-modified-since'));
+				if ($ifModifiedSince !== '') {
+					$modifiedSince = \DateTime::createFromFormat(Constants::DATE_RFC7231, $ifModifiedSince);
+					if ($modifiedSince !== false && $lastModified->getTimestamp() <= $modifiedSince->getTimestamp()) {
+						$response = new DataResponse([], Http::STATUS_NOT_MODIFIED);
+						$response->setLastModified($lastModified);
+						return $response;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			$rows = $this->rowService->findAllByTable($tableId, $this->userId, $limit, $offset);
+			$response = new DataResponse($this->rowService->formatRows($rows));
+			if ($lastModified !== null) {
+				$response->setLastModified($lastModified);
+			}
+			return $response;
 		} catch (PermissionError $e) {
 			$this->logger->warning('A permission error occurred: ' . $e->getMessage(), ['exception' => $e]);
 			$message = ['message' => $e->getMessage()];
 			return new DataResponse($message, Http::STATUS_FORBIDDEN);
+		} catch (NotFoundError $e) {
+			$this->logger->warning('A not found error occurred: ' . $e->getMessage(), ['exception' => $e]);
+			$message = ['message' => $e->getMessage()];
+			return new DataResponse($message, Http::STATUS_NOT_FOUND);
 		} catch (InternalError|Exception $e) {
 			$this->logger->error('An internal error or exception occurred: ' . $e->getMessage(), ['exception' => $e]);
 			$message = ['message' => $e->getMessage()];
diff --git a/lib/Db/TableMapper.php b/lib/Db/TableMapper.php
index 5a9ad8d368..47a463455a 100644
--- a/lib/Db/TableMapper.php
+++ b/lib/Db/TableMapper.php
@@ -219,6 +219,22 @@ public function insert(Entity $entity): Table {
 		return $entity;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @throws Exception
+	 */
+	public function touch(int $id, ?string $userId = null, ?\DateTimeInterface $time = null): void {
+		$time ??= new \DateTime();
+		$qb = $this->db->getQueryBuilder();
+		$qb->update($this->table)
+			->set('last_edit_at', $qb->createNamedParameter($time->format('Y-m-d H:i:s'), IQueryBuilder::PARAM_STR))
+			->where($qb->expr()->eq('id', $qb->createNamedParameter($id, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_INT)));
+		if ($userId !== null && $userId !== '') {
+			$qb->set('last_edit_by', $qb->createNamedParameter($userId, IQueryBuilder::PARAM_STR));
+		}
+		$qb->executeStatement();
+		unset($this->cache[(string)$id]);
+	}
+
 	public function getDbConnection() {
 		return $this->db;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/Service/ColumnService.php b/lib/Service/ColumnService.php
index 52a84b03c1..799dee41b9 100644
--- a/lib/Service/ColumnService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/ColumnService.php
@@ -345,6 +345,8 @@ public function create(
 			author: $userId ?? $this->userId,
 		);
 
+		$this->touchTable($table->getId(), $userId ?? $this->userId);
+
 		return $this->enhanceColumn($entity);
 	}
 
@@ -442,6 +444,8 @@ public function update(
 					author: $userId ?? $this->userId,
 				);
 
+				$this->touchTable($updatedColumn->getTableId(), $userId ?? $this->userId);
+
 				return $this->enhanceColumn($updatedColumn);
 			} catch (\OCP\DB\Exception $e) {
 				$this->handleColumnPersistDbException($e, static::class . ' - ' . __FUNCTION__);
@@ -528,6 +532,17 @@ private function updateMetadata(Column $column, ?string $userId, bool $setCreate
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Updates the table's last-modified metadata after a column change.
+	 */
+	private function touchTable(int $tableId, ?string $userId): void {
+		try {
+			$this->tableMapper->touch($tableId, $userId);
+		} catch (\OCP\DB\Exception $e) {
+			$this->logger->warning('Failed to update last modified timestamp for table ' . $tableId . ': ' . $e->getMessage(), ['exception' => $e]);
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * @param int $id
 	 * @param bool $skipRowCleanup
diff --git a/lib/Service/RowService.php b/lib/Service/RowService.php
index 95baa53324..043d31bfb8 100644
--- a/lib/Service/RowService.php
+++ b/lib/Service/RowService.php
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ public function create(?int $tableId, ?int $viewId, RowDataInput|array $data, ?s
 		$row2->setData($data);
 		try {
 			$insertedRow = $this->row2Mapper->insert($row2, $this->userId);
+			$this->touchTable($tableId, $this->userId);
 			$this->attachAliasPayload($insertedRow, $columns);
 
 			$this->eventDispatcher->dispatchTyped(new RowAddedEvent($insertedRow));
@@ -704,6 +705,7 @@ public function updateSet(
 		}
 
 		$updatedRow = $this->row2Mapper->update($item, $this->userId);
+		$this->touchTable($item->getTableId(), $this->userId);
 		$this->attachAliasPayload($updatedRow, $columns);
 
 		$this->eventDispatcher->dispatchTyped(new RowUpdatedEvent($updatedRow, $previousData));
@@ -802,6 +804,7 @@ public function delete(int $id, ?int $viewId, string $userId, ?int $tableId = nu
 		try {
 			$columns = $this->loadColumnsForData($item->getData() ?? []);
 			$deletedRow = $this->row2Mapper->delete($item);
+			$this->touchTable($item->getTableId(), $userId);
 			$this->attachAliasPayload($item, $columns);
 
 			$event = new RowDeletedEvent($item, $item->getData());
@@ -843,6 +846,7 @@ public function deleteAllByTable(int $tableId, ?string $userId = null): void {
 		$columns = $this->columnMapper->findAllByTable($tableId);
 
 		$this->row2Mapper->deleteAllForTable($tableId, $columns);
+		$this->touchTable($tableId, $userId ?? $this->userId);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -858,6 +862,18 @@ public function deleteAllByTable(int $tableId, ?string $userId = null): void {
 	 */
 	public function deleteColumnDataFromRows(Column $column):void {
 		$this->row2Mapper->deleteDataForColumn($column);
+		$this->touchTable($column->getTableId(), $this->userId);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Updates the table's last-modified metadata.
+	 */
+	private function touchTable(int $tableId, ?string $userId): void {
+		try {
+			$this->tableMapper->touch($tableId, $userId);
+		} catch (Exception $e) {
+			$this->logger->warning('Failed to update last modified timestamp for table ' . $tableId . ': ' . $e->getMessage(), ['exception' => $e]);
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
diff --git a/openapi.json b/openapi.json
index 412df8cf42..4e3c199706 100644
--- a/openapi.json
+++ b/openapi.json
@@ -5194,6 +5194,14 @@
                             "format": "int64",
                             "nullable": true
                         }
+                    },
+                    {
+                        "name": "if-modified-since",
+                        "in": "header",
+                        "description": "Respond with 304 Not Modified if the table has not been edited since this date",
+                        "schema": {
+                            "type": "string"
+                        }
                     }
                 ],
                 "responses": {
@@ -5210,6 +5218,9 @@
                             }
                         }
                     },
+                    "304": {
+                        "description": "Not modified"
+                    },
                     "403": {
                         "description": "No permissions",
                         "content": {
diff --git a/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts b/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts
index 665abe8276..3166463cb3 100644
--- a/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts
+++ b/src/types/openapi/openapi.ts
@@ -3707,7 +3707,10 @@ export interface operations {
                 /** @description Offset */
                 readonly offset?: number | null;
             };
-            readonly header?: never;
+            readonly header?: {
+                /** @description Respond with 304 Not Modified if the table has not been edited since this date */
+                readonly "if-modified-since"?: string;
+            };
             readonly path: {
                 /** @description Table ID */
                 readonly tableId: number;
@@ -3725,6 +3728,13 @@ export interface operations {
                     readonly "application/json": readonly components["schemas"]["Row"][];
                 };
             };
+            /** @description Not modified */
+            readonly 304: {
+                headers: {
+                    readonly [name: string]: unknown;
+                };
+                content?: never;
+            };
             /** @description Current user is not logged in */
             readonly 401: {
                 headers: {
diff --git a/tests/unit/Db/TableMapperTest.php b/tests/unit/Db/TableMapperTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0df858ee8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/Db/TableMapperTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+/**
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Nextcloud GmbH and Nextcloud contributors
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-or-later
+ */
+
+namespace OCA\Tables\Tests\Unit\Db;
+
+use OCA\Tables\Db\TableMapper;
+use OCA\Tables\Helper\UserHelper;
+use OCA\Tables\Tests\Unit\Database\DatabaseTestCase;
+
+class TableMapperTest extends DatabaseTestCase {
+	private TableMapper $mapper;
+
+	protected function setUp(): void {
+		parent::setUp();
+		$this->cleanupTablesData();
+		$this->mapper = new TableMapper($this->connectionAdapter, $this->createMock(UserHelper::class));
+	}
+
+	protected function tearDown(): void {
+		$this->cleanupTablesData();
+		parent::tearDown();
+	}
+
+	public function testTouchUpdatesLastEditAtAndBy(): void {
+		$table = $this->createTestTable(['last_edit_at' => '2020-01-01 00:00:00', 'last_edit_by' => 'user1']);
+
+		$this->mapper->touch($table['id'], 'user2', new \DateTime('2030-05-01 12:00:00'));
+
+		$updated = $this->mapper->find($table['id']);
+		$this->assertSame('2030-05-01 12:00:00', $updated->getLastEditAt());
+		$this->assertSame('user2', $updated->getLastEditBy());
+	}
+
+	public function testTouchWithoutUserIdKeepsExistingLastEditBy(): void {
+		$table = $this->createTestTable(['last_edit_at' => '2020-01-01 00:00:00', 'last_edit_by' => 'user1']);
+
+		$this->mapper->touch($table['id'], null, new \DateTime('2030-05-01 12:00:00'));
+
+		$updated = $this->mapper->find($table['id']);
+		$this->assertSame('2030-05-01 12:00:00', $updated->getLastEditAt());
+		$this->assertSame('user1', $updated->getLastEditBy());
+	}
+
+	public function testTouchInvalidatesMapperCache(): void {
+		$table = $this->createTestTable(['last_edit_at' => '2020-01-01 00:00:00']);
+		$this->mapper->find($table['id']); // warms the cache
+
+		$this->mapper->touch($table['id'], 'user2', new \DateTime('2030-05-01 12:00:00'));
+
+		$updated = $this->mapper->find($table['id']);
+		$this->assertSame('2030-05-01 12:00:00', $updated->getLastEditAt());
+	}
+}