HostingHarbor Guide
What Is A CDN?
A content delivery network distributes cached content across locations so visitors can receive assets from infrastructure closer to them.
Where It Helps
CDNs can reduce latency for cacheable assets and add resilience/security features depending on the service. They do not replace good hosting or site optimization.
How a CDN Works
A CDN stores cacheable assets or responses at distributed edge locations. Visitors can receive those assets from infrastructure closer to them instead of every request traveling to the origin server.
What a CDN Can Improve
A CDN can reduce latency for static assets, absorb some traffic spikes, and provide security features such as DDoS filtering or web application firewall capabilities depending on the service.
What It Cannot Fix
A CDN cannot compensate for every slow database query, bloated plugin, oversized image, or poorly configured application. Treat it as one layer in a broader performance strategy.