Offloading traffic from your server.
WHAT IT GIVES YOU
Static files served from locations near visitors Reduced load on your server Bandwidth savings Attack mitigation A layer that absorbs traffic spikes
SETTING IT UP
Point your domain at the CDN provider, which then forwards requests to your server as the origin.
Configure caching rules: cache static assets aggressively, never cache admin, cart, checkout or user-specific pages.
IMPORTANT CONFIGURATION
Pass the real visitor address through, or your logs and any IP-based logic see only the CDN. Keep mail records direct, not proxied. Ensure the origin has a valid certificate and the CDN verifies it.
PROTECTING THE ORIGIN
If attackers learn your server's address they can bypass the CDN. Restrict your firewall to accept web traffic only from the CDN's address ranges, which closes that path.
This is a genuine advantage available on a VPS that shared hosting cannot offer.
WHEN IT IS WORTH IT
Almost always for a public site with real traffic. The free tiers are adequate for most.
