Core Features
Cloudflare Workers
Edge compute platform that runs JavaScript/TypeScript on Cloudflare’s global network.All experiments run on Workers, providing:
- Global deployment in 300+ cities
- Sub-millisecond cold starts
- Zero-config scaling
- Request/Response manipulation
- Standard Web APIs (fetch, URL, etc.)
Workers AI
Serverless AI inference at the edge with built-in models.Run language models directly from Workers:
- Text generation and summarization
- No GPU infrastructure required
- Pay-per-inference pricing
- Multiple model options
Browser Rendering
Headless browser automation powered by Puppeteer on the edge.Capture screenshots and interact with web pages:
- Full Chrome browser in Workers
- Screenshot capture
- Page navigation and interaction
- No browser infrastructure to manage
HTMLRewriter
Streaming HTML parser for transforming HTML on the fly.Parse and extract data from HTML without buffering:
- Streaming HTML transformation
- CSS selector-based parsing
- Low memory overhead
- Regex-based extraction patterns
Storage Features
D1 (SQL Database)
SQLite database at the edge with global replication.Serverless SQL for relational data:
- SQLite syntax and compatibility
- Automatic backups
- Read replication
- Schema migrations
- Low-latency queries from edge
- Link Shortener (primary storage)
Workers KV
Global key-value store optimized for high-read workloads.Distributed KV storage:
- Eventually consistent reads
- Global edge caching
- TTL support
- Ideal for read-heavy caching
- Link Shortener (read-through cache)
R2 Storage
Object storage compatible with S3 APIs, with zero egress fees.Store files and assets:
- S3-compatible API
- No egress charges
- Public and private buckets
- Custom metadata support
- Ideal for images, videos, files
Network Features
Edge Networking
Global network with advanced request handling.Access network-level information:
- Geolocation data (country, city, region)
- Data center (colo) information
- Request metadata
- TLS/SSL information
Fetch API
Standards-based HTTP client with edge optimizations.Make HTTP requests from the edge:
- Standard Web Fetch API
- Automatic retries and failover
- Connection pooling
- Header manipulation
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Type | Use Case | Cold Start | Pricing Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workers | Compute | Edge functions | <1ms | Per request |
| Workers AI | AI/ML | Inference | ~50ms | Per inference |
| Browser Rendering | Compute | Screenshots, scraping | ~2s | Per session |
| D1 | Storage | Relational data | ~5ms | Reads + writes |
| KV | Storage | Caching | <1ms | Reads + writes |
| R2 | Storage | Object storage | ~10ms | Storage + operations |
Architecture Patterns
Experiments demonstrate several common patterns:Fetch + Parse Pattern
Fetch external HTML and parse with regex or HTMLRewriter:- Dependency Analyzer
- Website Metadata Extractor
- Website DevTools Inspector
AI Integration Pattern
Fetch content, extract text, and summarize with Workers AI:- AI Website Summary
- GitHub Repo Explainer
Storage Pattern
Combine D1 (primary) with KV (cache) for optimal performance:- Link Shortener (D1 + KV)
Object Storage Pattern
Public and private R2 buckets with direct URLs:- R2 Storage
Learn More
Cloudflare Developer Documentation
Official documentation for all Cloudflare developer products