What Content delivery network (CDN) means
A CDN makes pages load faster for visitors far from your main server and absorbs traffic spikes. Many CDNs also provide security features like a web application firewall and DDoS protection. For most business sites it is one of the easiest speed wins.
Why it matters for your website
A CDN serves your files from a location near each visitor, which cuts load times for customers far from your main server. It also absorbs traffic spikes and many CDNs add security features like DDoS protection. For sites with visitors in many regions, the speed difference can be large.
Example
A Chicago-based online art shop gets orders from both coasts. Its CDN serves product images from servers near each shopper, so pages load quickly in Seattle and Miami alike.
Tips
- Check whether your host already includes a CDN before adding another.
- Purge the CDN cache after updating images or styles.
- Serve your images and static files through the CDN to get the biggest gain.
Common mistakes
- Caching logged-in or cart pages on the CDN, which can show private data.
- Changing DNS to a CDN without copying all existing records, breaking email.
Questions about Content delivery network (CDN)
What is Content delivery network (CDN)?
A network of servers around the world that stores copies of your site's files and serves them from the closest location.
Do I need a CDN for a local business website?
Not always, if most visitors are near your server. Many hosts include one anyway, and a CDN still helps with traffic spikes and security.
Does a CDN help SEO?
Not directly, but faster pages improve user experience and can help Core Web Vitals. Reliable uptime during traffic spikes also helps.
