In short
Without a CDN, users often request files from the origin server directly. With a CDN, cached copies can be served from edge locations closer to the user.
That helps with latency, bandwidth, traffic spikes, image delivery, compression, and some security controls. It also adds rules the team needs to understand before launch.
Where it bites
CDNs bite when caching rules are guessed. A site can feel fast while serving stale pages, hiding broken origin responses, or caching content that should never be cached.
What to check
- Which pages and assets should be cached, and for how long?
- How are cache purges, rollbacks, redirects, and preview environments handled?
- Do CDN rules support the performance budget instead of hiding regressions?
Common questions
What is a CDN?
A CDN, or Content Delivery Network, serves website content from distributed edge locations so users can receive pages and assets faster.
Does every website need a CDN?
Most business sites benefit from one, especially when they serve images, international traffic, paid campaigns, or pages that need reliable caching.
What should you check first for a CDN?
Check cache rules, image handling, compression, redirects, purge behavior, security headers, and whether dynamic pages are excluded when needed.