Cache vs CDN
🆚 Comparison
Primary Purpose
Temporarily store frequently accessed data to speed up access
Distribute content to end-users from locations closer to them
Location
Can be local (browser, device) or server-side
Geographically distributed servers (PoPs)
Data Stored
Static assets, frequently accessed data, computed results
Static assets (images, videos, scripts), sometimes dynamic content
Performance Improvement
Reduces latency by keeping data close to the application/user
Reduces latency by delivering content from the nearest server
Use Cases
Web browsers, applications, databases
Websites, streaming services, large-scale applications
Duration
Short-term storage, defined by TTL (Time to Live)
Can vary, typically longer-term but also defined by TTL
Management
Managed by applications, developers, or system settings
Managed by CDN providers with user-defined settings
Scalability
Limited by the cache storage size and server capacity
Highly scalable, dependent on the CDN provider's infrastructure
Security
May include data encryption and secure protocols
Often includes DDoS protection, SSL, and other security features
Cost
Low cost, as it's usually part of existing infrastructure
Can be higher, depending on the CDN provider and usage
🅰️ Cache
🅱️ CDN
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