Amazon CloudFront vs Amazon S3: What are the differences?

Introduction:

In this markdown, we will discuss the key differences between Amazon CloudFront and Amazon S3.

1. Data Storage and Content Delivery: Amazon S3 is a cloud-based object storage service that allows users to store and retrieve large amounts of data from anywhere on the web. On the other hand, Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network (CDN) that delivers data, videos, applications, and APIs to end-users with low latency and high transfer speeds.

2. Data Scope: Amazon S3 is primarily used for storage and retrieval of data objects. It offers simple storage and standard retrieval as its default storage class. On the contrary, Amazon CloudFront focuses on content delivery, caching, and accelerating the distribution of content worldwide.

3. Edge Locations: Amazon CloudFront leverages a global network of edge locations spread across different geographical regions. These edge locations act as caching endpoints, reducing latency and improving content delivery. Conversely, Amazon S3 does not have edge locations as it is mainly used for object storage and retrieval from specific data centers.

4. Cache Behavior: Amazon CloudFront automatically caches content at edge locations, which means subsequent requests for the same content can be served directly from the edge location without having to fetch it from the origin server. In contrast, Amazon S3 does not have built-in caching capabilities. When using Amazon S3, content needs to be retrieved from the origin server each time, without the automatic caching provided by CloudFront.

5. Content Distribution Network: Amazon CloudFront acts as a global content distribution network (CDN), enabling faster and more efficient delivery of content to end-users across the globe. This is achieved by caching content at edge locations, reducing the round trip time for data requests. Amazon S3, on the other hand, does not offer the same level of content distribution and acceleration as it lacks the caching infrastructure of CloudFront.

6. Pricing Model: The pricing model for Amazon S3 is primarily based on the amount of data stored and the number of requests made to access that data. In contrast, Amazon CloudFront pricing is based on data transfer out and the number of requests made to access content via the CDN. Therefore, CloudFront usage can incur additional charges for content delivery and caching services compared to S3.

In summary, Amazon S3 is a cloud-based object storage service primarily used for storing and retrieving data objects, while Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network that focuses on caching and accelerating the global distribution of content, providing faster and more efficient content delivery to end-users.