Home
Developers
What is Caching and How is a Website Cached?

What is Caching and How is a Website Cached?

By Gcore

May 23, 2023

8 min read

What is Caching and How is a Website Cached?

Caching is a method of storing and accessing data to enhance an application’s or website’s performance. When a regular user visits a certain website for the first time, they may notice that it loads slowly. However, on subsequent visits, it loads more quickly. This is because the browser downloads all the website content during the first visit, so the next time the user visits the same website the content is ready and waiting, which speeds up page load times.

This is just one of the ways in which caching enhances the web browsing experience. Whether you’re an end user or a business owner, understanding caching can help you gain insights into its importance. If you own a business, caching can reveal ways to optimize your online presence and improve customer experience.

In this article we will explore what caching is, how a website is cached, look at its various types, and understand how and why it’s being used across different industries. By the end of this article, you’ll understand how caching can boost your online activities, benefiting you in multiple ways.

What Is Caching?

Caching is the process of storing copies of data or files in a temporary location known as a cache. A cache is a high-speed data storage layer that computers or devices use to quickly access frequently used data. The cached data is stored temporarily in memory or on disk to improve performance and reduce server load. Various software applications and systems use caching to enhance their performance.

If a user requests data that has already been stored in the cache, the cache can immediately provide the data without having to retrieve it from the original source. This results in a significant improvement in performance, particularly for frequently accessed data.

What Are Some Examples of Caching?

There are many different types of caching, but some of the most common include:

Web browsers: Web browsers use a cache to store website data, including HTML files, multimedia (such as images and videos,) and scripts. This enables faster website loading times for subsequent visits.
Domain name system (DNS): Caching allows DNS servers and clients to store DNS records locally for a specified period of time. By caching DNS records, DNS servers and resolvers can reduce the number of queries made to the authoritative DNS servers, resulting in faster and more efficient domain name resolution.
Content delivery network (CDN): The use of a cache stores content that is frequently accessed, resulting in reduced server load and latency. When a request is made, a local copy of the content is delivered from a nearby Point of Presence (PoP). This results in faster loading times and an improved user experience.
Computer systems: CPU cache memory is a type of temporary memory that is built into a computer’s processor chip. This feature enables faster access to often-used information by reducing the number of times the CPU needs to access slower types of memory.
Content management systems (CMS): CMS platforms—such as WordPress—leverage browser caching to enhance website performance by storing cached copies of static pages on a user’s local computer. This enables quick delivery of the cached files in response to any subsequent requests to the website.

What Are the Benefits of Caching?

Caching offers numerous advantages to individual users, network systems, and businesses, enhancing the overall digital experience. Let’s dive into the major advantages.

Faster web browsing: Caching speeds up web browsing by quickly accessing data from the cache instead of retrieving it from the original source each time, improving the overall browsing experience.
Reduced data usage: On mobile devices, caching improves performance by reducing data usage, particularly when using apps that require frequent data access.
Reduced network traffic: Caching reduces network traffic by storing copies of data closer to users. This can help to improve performance and reduce latency.
Reduced server load: Storing frequently accessed server data can reduce bandwidth usage, which, in turn, can lower hosting costs for high-traffic websites.
Improved reliability: Reliability is improved by caching because caching provides a backup copy of data. If the primary source of data becomes unavailable, the cache can be used to provide access to the data.

Now that we have covered what caching is and explored its advantages, let’s turn to how it operates.

How Does Caching Work?

We have already discussed what caching is, looked at examples of how it works, and understood its benefits. Now, let’s take a more in-depth look at how caching works behind the scenes.

The user opens (“requests”) a web page—let’s say www.example.com—on their browser.
The cache will check whether the requested asset—the webpage example.com—already exists. This could be either in the browser cache or the CDN.
If the requested file is already stored in the cache memory, it is considered a cache hit, and the file is delivered from the cache, allowing the user to access the webpage quickly.

In a cache hit, the cache returns a response to the client

When a requested file cannot be found in the cache during the asset request, it is called a cache miss. The asset will then be retrieved from its primary source, resulting in a slower loading time for the user.

In a cache miss, the asset cannot be retrieved from the caching server and must be returned by the primary source

While there may be some differences between providers, the overall procedure is fundamentally the same for most caching scenarios.

To fully understand the advantages of caching, we also need to delve into DNS and CDN caching. DNS, or Domain Name System, serves as the backbone of the internet, enabling users to enter a domain name (like www.example.com) into their browser and access their desired website via an IP address, which is a string of numbers or numbers and letters. A CDN, or content delivery network, is a geographically distributed network of servers that bring service physically closer to end users. CDN is a crucial web solution for business owners to ensure fast and optimal performance of their website or applications. Let’s look at how they relate to caching.

How Does a DNS Cache Optimize Internet Browsing?

DNS caching permits a server or client to store DNS records locally and utilize them again in the future if necessary. To accomplish this, a time-to-live (TTL) value is used for each DNS record. This value specifies for how long (in seconds) a DNS client or server can cache a record. Different applications have different policies for caching DNS data. For example, Chrome caches up to 1,000 records for one minute.

The DNS system involves several steps that must be completed before the website appears on the user’s screen. To learn about this process in depth, check out our comprehensive guide to DNS. Here’s a simplified version of how DNS works from the user’s perspective to help understand how DNS caching works.

A user enters a website URL (like www.example.com) in the browser.
The computer looks up the IP address for that website using a DNS server.
The DNS server checks its cache to see if it already has the IP address.
If the cache doesn’t have the IP address, the DNS server asks other “authoritative name servers” to help find the IP address.
The authoritative name servers respond with the IP address and a time-to-live (TTL) value that indicates how long the DNS record should be cached.
The DNS server caches the IP address and TTL value for a certain time based on its settings and the TTL value provided by the authoritative name server.
When the DNS record expires, the DNS server will query the authoritative name server again to get the updated IP address and TTL value.

Now that we understand the significance of DNS caching in the functioning of the internet, it’s important to shift our attention to another crucial factor: the content delivery network (CDN). CDN plays a vital role in making the internet faster and more dependable.

How Does CDN Use Caching?

CDNs use caching servers to enhance the delivery of content to different locations across the globe. Imagine a network of servers spread worldwide that store website content. These servers are called Points of Presence (PoPs) or edge servers. By duplicating frequently requested content, CDNs can deliver content faster and reduce the load on websites and applications by serving content from nearby PoPs. To learn about CDN in more detail, check out our article about CDN.

Here is a simplified step-by-step process of how CDN caching works:

A user requests content from a website by typing the URL into their browser.
The request is sent to the nearest Point of Presence (PoP) server in the CDN.
The PoP server checks if it has the requested content in its cache. If it does, it immediately sends it back to the user’s browser.
If the PoP server doesn’t have the content in its cache, it forwards the request to the origin server where the content is stored.
The origin server sends the content back to the PoP server, which sends it to the user’s browser and caches it for future requests.
Other PoP servers in the CDN also cache the content, so if another user located near a different PoP requests the same content, it can be served from a PoP server closer to them, reducing latency and improving performance.
The content is cached for a certain amount of time, based on the settings of the CDN and the website’s origin server. When the cache expires, the process repeats and the content can be served again from the origin server.

Relationship between users, PoPs, and origin server

CDN caching offers two huge benefits. Firstly, the CDN’s PoP/edge server handles a significant portion of web traffic by retrieving content from its cache. Hence, the origin server is not burdened by many requests. Secondly, if the origin server experiences problems, the content stored in the CDN’s cache will still be available to users. This enables website owners to troubleshoot issues with the origin server while the CDN seamlessly delivers content from its cache.

Use Cases of Caching in Different Industries

Let’s review some typical applications of caching in various industries, along with examples and benefits.

Industry/Field	Use case	Real Life Scenario	Benefits
E-commerce	Product pages	An e-commerce website caches product pages that receive high traffic to reduce server load and improve page load times for users.	Increased conversion rates, reduced server costs
Media Streaming	Video content	A media streaming service caches frequently watched videos to reduce buffering times and improve user experience.	Faster video playback, reduced server load, improved user retention
Finance	Financial data	A financial services firm caches frequently accessed financial data to reduce the time it takes for employees or users to access information such as stock prices, news, and market data.	Increased productivity, reduced server costs, improved data security
Gaming	Game assets	A gaming company can store frequently accessed game assets, such as textures, models, and levels.	Faster game load times, reduced server load, improved user experience
Healthcare	Patient records	A healthcare provider caches patient records such as frequently accessed medical data, patient records, test results, and imaging data.	Improved patient care, increased productivity, reduced server costs
Education	Educational content	An online education platform caches frequently accessed educational content such as course materials, lecture notes, and assignments.	Enhanced website speed, improved engagement of professors and students, reduced server costs

How Do Gcore DNS Hosting and CDN Improve Internet Performance?

We leverage caching to enhance online businesses across industries. Our solutions, including DNS hosting and CDN, offer global, scalable, and cost-effective solutions that enable our clients to enjoy fast websites, applications, and downloads. Let’s explore the features of Gcore’s DNS and CDN services and see how they can benefit website and business owners.

DNS Hosting

Ensuring fast and reliable DNS hosting is a top priority for us. As we discussed above, DNS caching plays a crucial role in optimizing application and browsing speeds. At Gcore DNS Hosting, we focus on three key priorities:

Superior performance: Global minimal response times guarantee that your applications load quickly and smoothly, meeting your users’ expectations for high-speed and hassle-free access.
Mission-critical availability: Ensure the availability and responsiveness of your services in the event of DDoS attacks, maintenance errors, and other incidents.
Improved productivity: Enhance your DevOps experience with an extensive API that includes various beneficial integrations, all readily available for deployment.

Gcore DNS Hosting is feature-rich, including the following benefits:

Anycast Routing: To improve our DNS infrastructure on a global scale, we utilize Anycast routing. This method involves assigning the same IP to multiple servers located in different regions, enabling the closest server to promptly respond to all requests.
GeoDNS Functionality: Our DNS hosting service can help you to improve the performance of your online services by utilizing a GeoDNS mechanism. This provides customized DNS responses based on the location of the client, meaning that users to be directed to the nearest server based on their geographical location—a user in Asia is sent to an Asian server, whereas a user in Europe is sent to a European server.

Learn more about Gcore DNS hosting.

Next-Gen CDN

We’re all about speed and flexibility. With Gcore CDN, we make sure that your website performs lightning fast and reaches a global audience. To accelerate the speed of your website, applications, and downloads, our CDN offers:

Low latency worldwide: Our CDN Enables your app’s hosting to appear as if it’s always in the same location as your users, providing them with seamless access.
Dynamic content acceleration: Our dynamic content acceleration enhances your web applications’ performance, speeding up delivery time.
Outstanding availability: Our CDN effectively protects your server from being overloaded during unexpected traffic surges or DDoS attacks.

Earlier in this article, we discussed how CDN caching works and the importance of Point of Presence (PoP)/edge servers. At Gcore, we understand the significance of this, so we have invested in our global network to relieve you from the burden of purchasing expensive infrastructure. Here are some of our impressive statistics:

140+ PoPs worldwide
110+ Tbps network capacity
85% average cache hit ratio
2,000,000 request per seconds
30 ms. average latency worldwide
14 Tbps daily peak bandwidth

Learn more about Gcore CDN and check out our global network.

Conclusion

Caching stores frequently used data temporarily, reducing retrieval time from the source and improving website speed, application performance, and user experience. DNS and CDN are among the primary examples of this technology enabling fast online content access. DNS and CDN caching can help business owners increase website performance and reduce bounce rates, allowing regular users to enjoy faster website load times and a better browsing experience.

At Gcore, we understand that caching is crucial to performance. Gcore Next-Gen CDN and DNS Hosting leverage caching to improve website and application performance by reducing website load times and DNS lookup times. If you have questions or need a helping hand to get started, feel free to contact our experts; we’ll be happy to assist you.

How to cut egress costs and speed up delivery using Gcore CDN and Object Storage

If you’re serving static assets (images, videos, scripts, downloads) from object storage, you’re probably paying more than you need to, and your users may be waiting longer than they should.In this guide, we explain how to front your bucket with Gcore CDN to cache static assets, cut egress bandwidth costs, and get faster TTFB globally. We’ll walk through setup (public or private buckets), signed URL support, cache control best practices, debugging tips, and automation with the Gcore API or Terraform.Why bother?Serving directly from object storage hits your origin for every request and racks up egress charges. With a CDN in front, cached files are served from edge—faster for users, and cheaper for you.Lower TTFB, better UXWhen content is cached at the edge, it doesn’t have to travel across the planet to get to your user. Gcore CDN caches your assets at PoPs close to end users, so requests don’t hit origin unless necessary. Once cached, assets are delivered in a few milliseconds.Lower billsMost object storage providers charge $80–$120 per TB in egress fees. By fronting your storage with a CDN, you only pay egress once per edge location—then it’s all cache hits after that. If you’re using Gcore Storage and Gcore CDN, there’s zero egress fee between the two.Caching isn’t the only way you save. Gcore CDN can also compress eligible file types (like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JSON) on the fly, further shrinking bandwidth usage and speeding up file delivery—all without any changes to your storage setup.Less origin traffic and less data to transfer means smaller bills. And your storage bucket doesn’t get slammed under load during traffic spikes.Simple scaling, globallyThe CDN takes the hit, not your bucket. That means fewer rate-limit issues, smoother traffic spikes, and more reliable performance globally. Gcore CDN spans the globe, so you’re good whether your users are in Tokyo, Toronto, or Tel Aviv.Setup guide: Gcore CDN + Gcore Object StorageLet’s walk through configuring Gcore CDN to cache content from a storage bucket. This works with Gcore Object Storage and other S3-compatible services.Step 1: Prep your bucketPublic? Check files are publicly readable (via ACL or bucket policy).Private? Use Gcore’s AWS Signature V4 support—have your access key, secret, region, and bucket name ready.Gcore Object Storage URL format: https://<bucket-name>.<region>.cloud.gcore.lu/<object> Step 2: Create CDN resource (UI or API)In the Gcore Customer Portal:Go to CDN > Create CDN ResourceChoose "Accelerate and protect static assets"Set a CNAME (e.g. cdn.yoursite.com) if you want to use your domainConfigure origin:Public bucket: Choose None for authPrivate bucket: Choose AWS Signature V4, and enter credentialsChoose HTTPS as the origin protocolGcore will assign a *.gcdn.co domain. If you’re using a custom domain, add a CNAME: cdn.yoursite.com CNAME .gcdn.co Here’s how it works via Terraform: resource "gcore_cdn_resource" "cdn" { cname = "cdn.yoursite.com" origin_group_id = gcore_cdn_origingroup.origin.id origin_protocol = "HTTPS" } resource "gcore_cdn_origingroup" "origin" { name = "my-origin-group" origin { source = "mybucket.eu-west.cloud.gcore.lu" enabled = true } } Step 3: Set caching behaviorSet Cache-Control headers in your object metadata: Cache-Control: public, max-age=2592000 Too messy to handle in storage? Override cache logic in Gcore:Force TTLs by path or extensionIgnore or forward query strings in cache keyStrip cookies (if unnecessary for cache decisions)Pro tip: Use versioned file paths (/img/logo.v3.png) to bust cache safely.Secure access with signed URLsWant your assets to be private, but still edge-cacheable? Use Gcore’s Secure Token feature:Enable Secure Token in CDN settingsSet a secret keyGenerate time-limited tokens in your appPython example: import base64, hashlib, time secret = 'your_secret' path = '/videos/demo.mp4' expires = int(time.time()) + 3600 string = f"{expires}{path} {secret}" token = base64.urlsafe_b64encode(hashlib.md5(string.encode()).digest()).decode().strip('=') url = f"https://cdn.yoursite.com{path}?md5={token}&expires={expires}" Signed URLs are verified at the CDN edge. Invalid or expired? Blocked before origin is touched.Optional: Bind the token to an IP to prevent link sharing.Debug and cache tuneUse curl or browser devtools: curl -I https://cdn.yoursite.com/img/logo.png Look for:Cache: HIT or MISSCache-ControlX-Cached-SinceCache not working? Check for the following errors:Origin doesn’t return Cache-ControlCDN override TTL not appliedCache key includes query strings unintentionallyYou can trigger purges from the Gcore Customer Portal or automate them via the API using POST /cdn/purge. Choose one of three ways:Purge all: Clear the entire domain’s cache at once.Purge by URL: Target a specific full path (e.g., /images/logo.png).Purge by pattern: Target a set of files using a wildcard at the end of the pattern (e.g., /videos/*).Monitor and optimize at scaleAfter rollout:Watch origin bandwidth dropCheck hit ratio (aim for >90%)Audit latency (TTFB on HIT vs MISS)Consider logging using Gcore’s CDN logs uploader to analyze cache behavior, top requested paths, or cache churn rates.For maximum savings, combine Gcore Object Storage with Gcore CDN: egress traffic between them is 100% free. That means you can serve cached assets globally without paying a cent in bandwidth fees.Using external storage? You’ll still slash egress costs by caching at the edge and cutting direct origin traffic—but you’ll unlock the biggest savings when you stay inside the Gcore ecosystem.Save money and boost performance with GcoreStill serving assets direct from storage? You’re probably wasting money and compromising performance on the table. Front your bucket with Gcore CDN. Set smart cache headers or use overrides. Enable signed URLs if you need control. Monitor cache HITs and purge when needed. Automate the setup with Terraform. Done.Next steps:Create your CDN resourceUse private object storage with Signature V4Secure your CDN with signed URLsCreate a free CDN resource now

How do CDNs work?

Picture this: A visitor lands on your website excited to watch a video, buy an item, or explore your content. If your page loads too slowly, they may leave before it even loads completely. Every second matters when it comes to customer retention, engagement, and purchasing patterns.This is where a content delivery network (CDN) comes in, operating in the background to help end users access digital content quickly, securely, and without interruption. In this article, we’ll explain how a CDN works to optimize the delivery of websites, applications, media, and other online content, even during high-traffic spikes and cyberattacks. If you’re new to CDNs, you might want to check out our introductory article first.Key components of a CDNA CDN is a network of interconnected servers that work together to optimize content delivery. These servers communicate to guarantee that data reaches users as quickly and efficiently as possible. The core of a CDN consists of globally distributed edge servers, also known as points of presence (PoPs):Origin server: The central server where website data is stored. Content is distributed from the origin to other servers in the CDN to improve availability and performance.Points of presence (PoPs): A globally distributed network of edge servers. PoPs store cached content—pre-saved copies of web pages, images, videos, and other assets. By serving cached content from the nearest PoP to the user, the CDN reduces the distance data needs to travel, improving load times and minimizing strain on the origin server. The more PoPs a network has, the faster content is served globally.How a CDN delivers contentCDNs rely on edge servers to store content in a cache, enabling faster delivery to end users. The delivery process differs depending on whether the content is already cached or needs to be fetched from the origin server.A cache hit occurs when the requested content is already stored on a CDN’s edge server. Here’s the process:User requests content: When a user visits a website, their device sends a request to load the necessary content.Closest edge server responds: The CDN routes the request to the nearest edge server to the user, minimizing travel time.Content delivered: The edge server delivers the cached content directly to the user. This is faster because:The distance between the user and the server is shorter.The edge server has already optimized the content for delivery.What happens during a cache miss?A cache miss occurs when the requested content is not yet stored on the edge server. In this case, the CDN fetches the content from the origin server and then updates its cache:User requests content: The process begins when a user’s device sends a request to load website content.The closest server responds: As usual, the CDN routes the request to the nearest edge server.Request to the origin server: If the content isn’t cached, the CDN fetches it from the origin server, which houses the original website data. The edge server then delivers it to the user.Content cached on edge servers: After retrieving the content, the edge server stores a copy in its cache. This ensures that future requests for the same content can be delivered quickly without returning to the origin server.Do you need a CDN?Behind every fast, reliable website is a series of split-second processes working to optimize content delivery. A CDN caches content closer to users, balances traffic across multiple servers, and intelligently routes requests to deliver smooth performance. This reduces latency, prevents downtime, and strengthens security—all critical for businesses serving global audiences.Whether you’re running an e-commerce platform, a streaming service, or a high-traffic website, a CDN ensures your content is delivered quickly, securely, and without interruption, no matter where your users are or how much demand your site experiences.Take your website’s performance to the next level with Gcore CDN. Powered by a global network of over 180+ points of presence, our CDN enables lightning-fast content delivery, robust security, and unparalleled reliability. Don’t let slow load times or security risks hold you back. Contact our team today to learn how Gcore can elevate your online presence.Discover Gcore CDN

What is a CDN?

Whether you’re running an e-commerce store, streaming videos, or managing an app, delivering content quickly and reliably is essential to keeping users satisfied. This is where a content delivery network (CDN) comes into play. A CDN is a globally distributed network of servers that work together to deliver content to users quickly, minimizing latency. Instead of relying on a single server, a CDN uses edge servers—called points of presence (PoPs)—to cache or temporarily store copies of your content closer to the user. This optimizes website performance, drastically cuts down on load times, and improves the user experience. Research suggests that a one-second lag in page loading speed can significantly decrease engagement, citing a 7% decline in conversions and an 11% decrease in page visits. CDNs considerably speed up load times by reducing latency through content caching closer to the user. By splitting up your website’s traffic over several servers, CDNs also protect it from online threats. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are lessened by CDNs because they spread traffic among a network of servers, improving security and availability. What Challenges Do CDNs Address?CDNs tackle two key challenges to improve website and application performance: Slow load times: Users sometimes experience frustratingly slow-loading websites and applications. This is because data must travel from a server to the end user’s device, causing latency. CDNs move servers closer to end users, reducing the distance that data has to travel and speeding up load times. High traffic volumes: High traffic volumes during peak times or cyberattacks can overwhelm your website and lead to latency or site unavailability. Since CDNs distribute traffic across multiple servers, no single server is overwhelmed. This helps prevent crashes and delivers smooth performance for all users.Common Use Cases for CDNsCDNs are vital across a range of industries, providing measurable improvements in content delivery and user experience. E-commerce websites use CDNs to guarantee quick page loading and frictionless shopping experiences, even during periods of high traffic. Speed is crucial for online businesses. A study found that the average cost of downtime for e-commerce websites is around $500,000 per hour. This includes lost sales, operational costs, and long-term damage to brand reputation Streaming services rely on CDNs to deliver high-quality video content while minimizing buffering. Netflix states that its CDN contributes to the daily delivery of over 125 million hours of streaming content, guaranteeing a seamless experience for customers worldwide. Gaming companies use CDNs to lower latency and provide a consistent real-time user experience, especially during live multiplayer matches, where it is essential to preserve an engaging and fair gameplay experience. News outlets and blogs benefit from CDNs by ensuring their content loads quickly for readers around the world, during large-scale traffic surges, especially during major events like elections or breaking news. The Benefits of a CDNFaster Website PerformanceEvery second counts when delivering content online. Slow websites frustrate users and harm your business. CDNs speed up content delivery by caching data closer to users, reducing page and file load times. Whether you’re delivering static content (such as CSS, HTML or JPG files) or dynamic content (like data generated by user interactions or API calls), a CDN ensures optimal performance regardless of user location. While factors like DNS settings, server configurations, and code optimization all play a role, the physical distance between your origin server and your users is a factor that only a CDN can solve. Increased Availability and ReliabilityDowntime can seriously affect online businesses. Hardware failures, traffic surges, and cyberattacks can reduce your website’s availability, harming your customers’ experience and causing financial or reputational damage. In fact, around 98% of organizations report that just one hour of downtime costs over $100,000. A CDN ensures that your website remains available, fast, and reliable by leveraging essential features such as: Load balancing: This process dynamically distributes traffic across multiple servers to optimize performance and prevent overload.Intelligent failover: Automatically redirects traffic if a server goes offline, ensuring continuity with minimal disruption.Anycast routing: Directs users to the closest or most efficient server, further reducing latency and enhancing response times.Security FeaturesAs cyber threats continue to grow in sophistication and frequency, securing your website or application is more critical than ever. According to recent statistics from Cobalt’s 2024 Cybersecurity Report, weekly attacks worldwide increased by 8% in 2023, while attackers used more sophisticated strategies to exploit vulnerabilities. Strong security measures that not only safeguard your website but also guarantee optimal performance are necessary in light of these evolving threats. CDN security features not only improve website performance but also defend against a wide range of attacks by distributing traffic across multiple servers, which mitigates DDoS attacks and filters out malicious traffic before it reaches your website. These features, from DDoS protection to safeguarding APIs, help maintain uptime, protect sensitive data, and guarantee a seamless user experience. Most modern solutions like Gcore CDN integrate robust security measures into content delivery, such as:SSL/TLS encryption facilitates secure data transmission by encrypting traffic, protecting sensitive information from being intercepted.L3/L4 DDoS protection blocks large-scale cyberattacks designed to flood your network and disrupt services.L7 DDoS protection guards your website from more complex attacks targeting how the website functions, helping it continue to operate smoothly.Web application firewall (WAF) acts as a shield, blocking harmful traffic such as hacking attempts or malicious scripts before they can affect your site.API security protects the communication between your application and other software, preventing unauthorized access or data theft.Bot protection identifies harmful automated traffic (bots), preventing activities like data scraping or login attempts with stolen credentials while allowing useful bots (like search engine crawlers) to function normally. Elevate Your Online Experience With a CDNA CDN is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity for businesses that want to deliver fast, reliable, and secure online experiences. Whether your goal is to optimize performance, manage high traffic, or protect your site from attacks, a well-configured CDN makes all the difference.Ready to enhance your website’s performance? Our futureproof CDN runs on a global network of over 180 points of presence, so your customers get outstanding performance no matter where in the world they’re located. Get in touch with our team today to learn how our CDN can benefit your business.Discover Gcore CDN

How to Migrate Your Video Files to Gcore Video Streaming

Migrating large volumes of video files from different platforms can be daunting and time-consuming, often discouraging companies from moving to a superior provider. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We’ve created this three-step guide to help you efficiently migrate your video files to Gcore from other popular streaming platforms.Step 1: Get Links to Your VideosFirst, obtain links to your videos and download them. Look for your provider in the list below, or refer to the general SFTP/S3 storage section if applicable. After completing the steps for your provider, go straight to step 2.Google DriveShare the file: Open Google Drive and locate the MP4 file you want to download. Right-click on the file and select “Share.”Get the shareable link: In the sharing settings, click “Get link.” Ensure the link-sharing option is turned on.Set sharing permissions: Adjust the sharing permissions so “Anyone with the link” can view or download the file. Copy the generated link.Amazon S3Edit S3 block public access settings: Go to the S3 management console, select the bucket containing your MP4 file, and edit the Block Public Access settings if necessary.Add a bucket policy: Implement a bucket policy that grants public read access to your files.Get the list of objects: Navigate to the Objects tab, find your MP4 file, and click on the file to obtain the Object URL, which will be your download link.VimeoAccess the video: Log in to your Vimeo account and go to the video you wish to download.Select options: Click on the “Settings” button (gear icon) below the video player.Get video file link: In the settings menu, go to the “Video File” tab, where you can find the download link for your MP4 file.MUXEnable master access: Log in to your MUX account, navigate to the video asset, and enable master access if it’s not already enabled.Retrieve URL to master: Once master access is enabled, the URL to the master file will be available in the video asset details. Copy this URL for downloading the file.DropboxCreate a shareable link: Log in to your Dropbox account and locate the MP4 file you want to share. Click on the “Share” button next to the file.Set access permissions: In the sharing settings, create a link and set the permissions to “Anyone with the link.” Copy the generated link to download the file.General SFTP or S3 StorageAccess storage: Log in to your SFTP or S3 storage service control panel.Manage buckets/directories: Navigate to the appropriate bucket or directory containing your MP4 files.Retrieve download links: Generate HTTP/S links for the files you want to download. You can then use these links to download the files directly.Step 2: Check Availability to DownloadEnsure that your video files are available and ready for download, preventing any interruptions or issues during the migration process.Open HTTP/S link in a browser: Copy the HTTP/S link for the MP4 file and paste it into your browser’s address bar. Press Enter to navigate to the link.Check the video plays correctly in the browser: Verify that the video starts playing once the link is opened. This step ensures that the file is accessible and the link is functioning properly.Right-click to download: While the video is playing, right-click on the video player. Select “Save video as…” from the context menu. Choose a destination on your local disk to save the MP4 file.Step 3: Upload to Gcore Video StreamingNo matter which provider you’re migrating from, you need to upload your videos to Gcore Video Streaming storage. There are three primary methods to upload videos to Gcore storage:Copy from external storage: If your videos are available via public HTTPS URLs, you can directly copy the video files from external storage to Gcore. This method efficiently transfers files without downloading them to your local device first.Upload from a local device: Videos can be uploaded from your local host, backend, browser, or mobile app using the TUS resumable upload protocol. This method is resilient to interruptions, ensuring a smooth upload process by resuming from the point of failure.Batch upload: This method will soon be available to migrate extensive collections of videos, allowing you to transfer vast numbers of video files efficiently.The simplest migration option is to obtain video URLs and copy them to Gcore Video Hosting, eliminating the need to download and reupload videos.Example API Request to Copy Video from External StorageTo copy a video from another server, specify the origin_url attribute in the POST API request. The original video will be downloaded for video hosting on our server. Here is an example of the API request to set a task for copying a video from external storage:curl -L 'https://api.gcore.com/streaming/videos/' \-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \-H 'Authorization: APIKey 1234$0d16599c' \-d '{ "video": { "name": "Gcore Demo", "description": "Video copied from an external S3 Storage", "origin_url": "https://s-ed1.cloud.gcore.lu/demo-video/gcore.mp4" } }Refer to the complete documentation for detailed steps and examples of API requests. The original file must be in MP4 format or one of the following formats: 3g2, 3gp, asf, avi, dif, dv, flv, f4v, m4v, mov, mp4, mpeg, mpg, mts, m2t, m2ts, qt, wmv, vob, mkv, ogv, webm, vob, ogg, mxf, quicktime, x-ms-wmv, mpeg-tts, vnd.dlna.mpeg-tts. Streaming formats like HLS (.m3u8/.ts) and DASH (.mpd/.m4v) are intended for final video distribution and cannot be used as original file formats. Here are examples of good and bad links:Good link: https://demo-files.gvideo.io/gcore.mp4Bad link (chunked HLS format): https://demo-files.gvideo.io/hls/master.m3u8Note: Currently, only one video can be uploaded per request, so transferring your library in batches will require automation.Migrate to Gcore Video Streaming TodayGcore Video Streaming makes video migration easy with support for multiple sources and automatic transcoding. Whether you’re moving files from cloud storage, hosting platforms, or API-based services, Gcore streamlines video administration. Store, process, and distribute videos in various formats, complete with features like subtitles and timeline previews.With seamless migration and automatic transcoding, Gcore ensures your videos are optimized and ready for distribution, saving you time and effort. Simplify your video management and ensure your content is always accessible and in the best format for your audience with Gcore’s robust video streaming solutions.

5 Ways to Improve Website Speed for E-Commerce

In part 1 of this guide, we explained why site speed matters for e-commerce and how you can track your current speed.Now, speed up your page load times with these five techniques.#1 Assess Your Current Site SpeedFirst, check your site’s current performance. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or real user monitoring (RUM) tools. PageSpeed Insights evaluates individual web pages for mobile and desktop performance, providing actionable insights to improve speed and user experience.Here’s an example of how your metrics might look:#2 Adopt Code and Image Optimization TechniquesE-commerce websites often have a huge number of images, videos, and/or animations, which can slow down load times. Since these media are essential, the key is to optimize all heavy components.Compress images and use lazy loading via your website host. Minimize redirects and remove broken links, consulting a technical SEO expert if required. These actions can significantly reduce page weight.#3 Adopt CDNs and Edge ComputingThe majority of online shoppers have purchased from an e-commerce store in another country and an additional 22% plan to in the future. Hosting location impacts speed. The further your servers are physically located from your customers, the higher the latency. So, having servers distributed globally improves your load speed and allows you to deliver great customer experiences, no matter where your customers are located.Imagine that your e-commerce website is hosted on a web server in the US, but you have shoppers from the EU. When shoppers from the US browse your store, they may not experience much latency. But shoppers from Germany will, because of the time it takes their browser to send requests to your US server, wait for the server to process them, and deliver a response. A reliable CDN and edge computing provider caching your website content—images, videos, payment portals and all—at the edge makes for speedy content delivery globally.In addition to shortening the distance between your servers and buyers, CDNs also enable load balancing. Say you’re running a Black Friday sale with traffic surges far beyond your normal quantities. Your CDN provider can distribute the traffic evenly between its network of available servers, preventing any one server from being overworked, thereby improving server response times. So, if your Black Friday surge comes mostly from the New York area, a CDN can push some of that traffic from the New York, NY server to the nearby Manassas, VA and Boston, CT servers. Customers won’t notice a difference since both servers are nearby, but spreading the load means all servers continue to perform optimally.#4 Use Fast Authoritative DNSDNS is like the internet’s phone book, translating human-friendly domain names (like www.example.com) into IP addresses that computers use to find each other. When this translation happens quickly, it reduces the time it takes for a user’s browser to locate your website, leading to faster page load times.#5 Rinse and RepeatSite speed optimization is continuous. The internet changes daily; technology advances and competitors emerge. Don’t get comfortable with your site speed. Continuously track speed scores and make improvements.Website Speed Solutions in One Intuitive PlatformWebsite speed is a game-changer for e-commerce success. A website that loads in under a second is the magic number to boost user experience, slash bounce rates, and skyrocket your e-commerce business’ conversion rates.Stay ahead of your e-commerce competitors by choosing tools and platforms designed with your e-commerce website speed in mind. With 180+ PoPs worldwide and a 200+ Tbps network capacity, Gcore CDN and DNS are ideal speed optimization solutions for global e-commerce sites. Contact us today to discover how we can supercharge your site speed.Explore CDN for e-commerce

What Website Speed Is and Why It Matters for E-commerce Success

Website visitors are more impatient than ever—websites that take longer than three seconds to load lose more than half their visitors. For an e-commerce business, that translates to losing half its potential sales, which is bad news for revenue. In this article, we explain what e-commerce website speed is, how it’s measured, and how you can improve it for better customer retention and higher sales.Why Does Site Speed Matter?Website speed measures the time from when visitors click your link to when they see a fully functioning page. With the surge in e-commerce businesses around the world, buyers have many choices and will quickly abandon slow-loading websites out of frustration. Most customers won’t return to a slow website, and 89% will turn to a faster competitor. Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend your website to others, making high user satisfaction an effective marketing strategy.Just a second—or less—of load time can make the difference between a potential customer purchasing from you or your competitor. Conversion rates drop markedly with every additional second of load time. If your site loads in one second or less, you’re looking at a 3% conversion rate. That almost halves when you add just one second of wait time.That’s not surprising, since churn and bounce rates increase with slower load times, meaning potential buyers either leave your site before interacting and/or don’t return.Page load times also affect search engine optimization (SEO) rankings—your spot on search engine results pages. When buyers search for your products, if you don’t appear at the top, your competitors will—and your customers are more likely to visit their site instead of yours.Evidently, optimizing page load time is a non-negotiable for any e-commerce business.Metrics and Indicators to TrackSpeed can be measured and reflected by either technical or business metrics.Technical IndicatorsGoogle Core Web Vitals are metrics that measure various features contributing to a high-quality page experience. They’re an industry-standard way to measure your technical website load speed.Largest contentful paint (LCP) is the time it takes for the largest content on your site to load. An ideal LCP value is below 2.5 seconds, while above 4 seconds signals a poor page experience.First input delay (FID) is the delay between a user’s interaction (e.g., clicking a button) and the browser’s response. Google considers any FID value below 100 ms good, and above 300 ms poor.Cumulative layout shift (CLS) measures how much your content moves around while loading. Poor CLS can cause users to accidentally click on the wrong buttons.Keep track of the following additional technical metrics:Time to first byte (TTFB) is the time between a browser requesting your webpage and the first byte of data arriving. It often triggers the “reduce initial server response time” message in page speed diagnostics.Time to interactive (TTI) measures the time it takes for your website to become fully interactive. Google considers a TTI of below 5 seconds good, and above 7.3 seconds poor.Round-trip time (RTT) is the time it takes for requests to reach the origin server, be processed, and return to the client.Business MetricsThese metrics give you insights into how your website’s speed impacts sales. Although they’re not a direct speed measurement, speed has a direct impact on them.Conversion rate measures the percentage of your website’s visitors who make a purchase.Engagement time measures how much time customers actively spend on your website, such as browsing products or making a purchase. It’s connected to bounce rate, which is the opposite—how many customers leave your site without engaging at all, often caused by slow loading.Search ranking affects your site’s visibility, traffic, and revenue. Fast load times contribute to better SEO rankings.Explore part 2 of this guide to discover 5 practical tips to speed up your e-commerce website performance.