Web Infrastructure

Web Servers and Technologies Behind the Internet The Internet runs on many small rules and shared tools. When you type a site name, your device asks a domain name system (DNS) to translate that name into an address. That address tells the browser where to reach a computer that can answer the request. Data then travels through routers and networks, following efficient paths to reach the server that hosts the site. The journey is built from simple steps, but it needs careful coordination to feel instant. ...

Content Delivery Networks: Speed and Availability Worldwide Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) speed up access to web content by placing copies of files in many locations around the world. When a user visits your site, the request is served from a nearby server instead of traveling all the way to your origin. This small change can cut travel distance, reduce congestion, and improve reliability during traffic spikes or regional outages. A CDN also helps sites handle sudden bursts of visitors without buying extra hardware. ...

Web Servers: Performance, Security, and Reliability Web servers handle many requests every day. To keep them fast, safe, and dependable, you need a simple plan that covers performance, security, and reliability. These goals fit together: speed helps users, security protects data, and reliability keeps sites online. Performance matters most when traffic grows. Start with solid software choices. Nginx is known for speed, Apache offers flexibility, and Caddy makes TLS easy. Then tune settings to fit your site. Enable compression, keep-alive, and sensible worker limits. Serve static content early and cache what you can. A content delivery network (CDN) shortens travel time for visitors far away. Regularly review latency and error rates with basic logs and occasional load tests. Small wins add up to big improvements over time. ...

Content delivery networks and global performance A content delivery network (CDN) places copies of your files on servers around the world. When a user requests a page, the CDN serves assets from the edge location closest to that user. This shortens travel distance, reduces round trips, and helps pages load faster. The result is better experiences for visitors, regardless of their location or device. CDNs are useful for blogs, storefronts, and apps alike. ...

Web Servers: Architecture, Tuning, and Scaling A web server handles client requests, serves content, and sometimes runs dynamic code. It sits at the edge of your system and has a strong impact on user experience. A clear architecture, sensible tuning, and thoughtful scaling keep sites fast and reliable. Architecture matters. A common setup has several layers: A reverse proxy or load balancer in front (Nginx, HAProxy, or a cloud LB) One or more application servers running the app logic (Node, Go, Python, PHP, or Java) A caching layer (in-memory cache like Redis, or Memcached) A content delivery network (CDN) for static assets A database or data store behind the app Many teams design apps to be stateless. This makes it easier to add or remove servers during demand swings. If you need sessions, use a shared store or tokens so any server can handle a request. ...

Content Delivery Networks: Speed, Scale, and Reliability Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) place copies of your site’s content on servers around the world. This helps bring data closer to users, so pages load faster. Most sites serve static files from the CDN and keep dynamic content on the origin server. The result is faster, more reliable delivery for visitors from many regions. Speed comes from edge caching and proximity. The CDN stores images, CSS, and scripts on many edge locations. When a user requests a file, the edge server responds first. If the file is not cached, the edge fetches it from the origin and caches it for next requests. ...

Web Servers Performance and Security Essentials Web servers handle traffic for websites every day. Good performance and solid security go hand in hand. This guide covers practical steps to keep your server fast and safe, regardless of your hosting size. Start with the right software. Nginx is popular for speed, Apache for versatility. Choose based on workload, modules, and your team’s familiarity. Make sure the server supports modern protocols like TLS 1.3 and HTTP/2 or HTTP/3 for multiplexed connections. ...

Web Servers and Application Delivery: Architecture Essentials In modern web delivery, the path from a user to an app is shaped by architecture. A good design combines web servers, load balancing, and delivery controls so traffic is fast, reliable, and secure. This guide outlines essential building blocks and practical patterns you can adapt. Core components: Web servers host content and run app logic. Load balancers spread requests across healthy servers. Reverse proxies handle TLS, caching, and request shaping. Application delivery controllers add health checks and rate limits. CDNs place content near users and reduce origin load. Caching and compression speed responses. Traffic flow can be simple or layered. A client requests a page. The front door selects a healthy server, TLS is terminated at the edge or the origin, the app processes the work, and the response travels back, possibly through a CDN or a cache to speed up repeat visits. ...

Web Servers: Architecture, Tuning, and Security Web servers are the workhorses of the internet. They handle user requests, serve content, and pass work to application logic. A clear architecture helps apps stay reliable, fast, and secure as traffic grows. Start with a simple layout and evolve it with lessons from real traffic. Architecture Think in layers: static content, dynamic processing, and the path that connects them. A common setup uses a front-end reverse proxy (like Nginx or Apache), an application server, and sometimes a content delivery network for static files. A load balancer can sit in front when you scale, spreading requests among several application servers. Caching layers at the edge or in front of the app can cut load and speed up responses. TLS termination often happens at the proxy, simplifying security and keeping certificates centralized. ...

Content Delivery Networks: Speeding Up the Web A content delivery network, or CDN, is a group of servers spread across many locations. It stores copies of your site’s static files—images, CSS, JavaScript—and serves them from a nearby location, so pages load faster. The result is lower latency, fewer timeouts, and a smoother experience for visitors anywhere in the world. CDNs also absorb traffic during spikes, helping your origin stay responsive. They can even perform edge tasks like image optimization to shrink file sizes before arrival. ...