| Name | Size | License | Age | Last Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| firebase-tools | 552.88 kB | MIT | 10 Years | 12 Sep 2023 |
| gulp-rev-all | 453.15 kB | MIT | 9 Years | 16 Dec 2022 |
| cdnizer | 12.97 kB | MIT | 9 Years | 28 Jun 2022 |
| broccoli-asset-rev | 6.1 kB | MIT | 9 Years | 13 Aug 2018 |
| gulp-cdnizer | 10.34 kB | MIT | 9 Years | 16 Oct 2019 |
| google-cdn | 5.96 kB | BSD | 10 Years | 16 Apr 2016 |
| upyun | 203.49 kB | MIT | 12 Years | 20 Jul 2022 |
| google-cdn-data | 3.58 kB | MIT | 10 Years | 11 Mar 2017 |
| emojibase | 26.78 kB | MIT | 6 Years | 11 Jun 2023 |
| gulp-cloudfront | 518.9 kB | MIT | 9 Years | 9 Jul 2014 |
| koa-cash | 5.29 kB | MIT | 9 Years | 13 Sep 2022 |
| gulp-assetpaths | 8.67 kB | MIT | 9 Years | 1 Dec 2018 |
| cdnjs-cdn-data | 4.03 MB | MIT | 10 Years | 8 Sep 2015 |
| grunt-google-cdn | 2.35 kB | BSD | 10 Years | 8 Sep 2014 |
| jsdelivr-cdn-data | 60.91 kB | MIT | 10 Years | 25 Sep 2019 |
CDN or Content Delivery Network are basically servers distributed globally that deliver internet content including JavaScript libraries and frameworks. Using CDN libraries in JavaScript/NPM context is advantageous in several aspects:
Faster Load Time: CDNs distribute your content in various geographical locations. Each location, known as an edge server, caches your content. When a user requests your website, the edge server closest to the user is chosen to deliver the content, ensuring the fastest load time and reliable access.
Minimized Server Load: Instead of one server handling all traffic, CDNs help distribute the load, relieving the strain on any single server. This is particularly beneficial during high traffic periods or unexpected traffic surges.
Version Control: CDNs often provide access to different versions of libraries, allowing developers to choose the ones that best suit their needs.
Typically, CDN libraries come with a variety of functionalities:
Asset Hosting: CDNs can host a wide array of web assets such as JavaScript libraries, CSS files, images, and videos. This includes most files that make up a website.
Edge Caching: CDN edge servers store static content from your website. This allows user requests to be handled quicker since they're fulfilled from the nearest server.
SSL Support: Many CDNs offer SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates, serving content over HTTPS for secure data transfer.
DDoS Protection: Some CDNs also add a layer of security by offering protection against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
Despite no specific CDN libraries being recommended, it would be interesting to review options mainly used with npm, like jsDelivr and unpkg.
Implementing CDN libraries in your web applications isn't without potential issues:
Caching Issues: One of the key benefits of a CDN can also be a pitfall. If you update a JavaScript library, the changes may not propagate instantly. The old version might be cached at some edge servers, leading to inconsistencies across different users.
Potential Downtime: While CDNs are designed to optimize uptime, if a CDN goes down, it can lead to assets not being available. This is why it's crucial to have fallback mechanisms in place.
HTTPS & Security: If not implemented properly, CDNs can cause mixed content warnings when HTTPS content is served over HTTP, which can hurt SEO and user trust.
In case of using npm, always check the entire package before including it in your project. Beware of both security vulnerabilities in the code and the risk of including unnecessary or outdated libraries in the project.
