What is the main purpose of content delivery networks (CDNs)?

The main purpose of content delivery networks (CDNs) is to distribute web content for accessibility and performance. CDNs achieve this by caching content at various edge locations around the world, which brings the content closer to end-users. This geographic distribution reduces latency and enhances the speed at which users can access websites and services.

By optimizing the delivery of static and dynamic content—such as images, videos, and web pages—CDNs help improve load times, provide high availability, and ensure better user experience regardless of a user's location. The deployment of CDNs also contributes to the scalability of web services, enabling them to handle spikes in traffic more efficiently.

In contrast, enhancing video conferencing capabilities, storing backups of user data, or developing mobile applications are not core functionalities of a CDN. While CDNs may support some video delivery for streaming, their primary role is in optimizing the delivery of web content across the internet.