What the heck is a CDN?

A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of web servers distributed across various geographic locations to enhance website performance by reducing latency and increasing reliability. By storing cached copies of website data on edge servers close to users, CDNs provide faster access to website content, mitigating the delay caused by physical distance from the origin server. This setup not only speeds up loading times but also decreases hosting costs, boosts content availability, and enhances resilience against cyberattacks like distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Upsun, a company recommending CDNs, suggests using providers such as Fastly or Cloudflare to achieve major performance improvements, including faster site speeds and enhanced security features, with straightforward setup procedures that offer flexibility for any project.