Technology
How does a CDN work?
A CDN (Content Delivery Network) speeds up websites by storing copies of their files on servers around the world. When you visit a site, the CDN serves its content from a server near you, cutting the distance data travels and making pages load faster.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how a CDN works.
Step by step
- 1It stores copies of site content on servers worldwide.
- 2It serves files from a server near each visitor.
- 3Shorter distance means faster load times.
- 4It also absorbs traffic spikes and some attacks.
Frequently asked questions
- How does a CDN work?
- It caches a site's content on servers around the world and serves each visitor from the nearest one.
- Why do websites use CDNs?
- To load faster globally, handle traffic surges, and reduce load on the origin server.
- What does CDN stand for?
- Content Delivery Network.