Fastly vs jsDelivr: What are the differences?

Fastly and jsDelivr are both content delivery networks (CDNs) that help optimize and accelerate the delivery of web content to users. Let's explore the key differences between Fastly and jsDelivr:

1. CDN Focus and Infrastructure: Fastly is a full-fledged CDN that offers a wide range of features and services beyond content delivery. It provides edge cloud computing, real-time logging, and advanced caching options to optimize content delivery and enhance website performance. On the other hand, jsDelivr is specifically designed as a free, open-source CDN for JavaScript libraries, CSS frameworks, and other web assets. It primarily focuses on delivering static assets from globally distributed servers, providing developers with a simple and reliable way to host and distribute their libraries.

2. Supported Content Types: Fastly is a general-purpose CDN that can deliver various content types, including images, videos, web pages, APIs, and dynamic content. It is well-suited for delivering large-scale websites and applications with diverse content requirements. In contrast, jsDelivr specializes in hosting and distributing JavaScript libraries, CSS frameworks, fonts, and other static files used in web development projects. It is specifically tailored for developers looking to offload the hosting of their commonly used web assets.

3. Pricing and Cost Structure: Fastly operates on a pay-as-you-go pricing model, where users are charged based on their actual bandwidth usage and other additional services they opt for, such as real-time logs or edge computing. On the other hand, jsDelivr is free to use for open-source projects and developers. It is supported through sponsorships and partnerships with various companies. While jsDelivr provides cost-effective hosting for public libraries, it may not be suitable for organizations with complex content delivery requirements that need more extensive CDN services.

4. Performance and Optimization: Fastly offers advanced caching mechanisms, real-time purging, and VCL (Varnish Configuration Language) customization to optimize content delivery and reduce server response times. On the other hand, jsDelivr's main goal is to provide a reliable and fast delivery of static assets with a focus on JavaScript libraries and content hosted on GitHub. It simplifies the process of including external libraries in web projects and takes advantage of multiple CDNs to ensure high availability and faster load times.

5. Use Cases: Fastly is well-suited for businesses and organizations with large-scale websites, applications, and APIs that require robust CDN capabilities, real-time logs, and edge computing. On the other hand, jsDelivr is an excellent choice for developers and open-source projects looking for a free, easy-to-use CDN specifically tailored for hosting static assets like JavaScript and CSS libraries. It simplifies the process of integrating external libraries and improves the loading speed of web projects.

In summary, Fastly is a versatile CDN offering advanced features and customization options, while jsDelivr is a specialized CDN focused on delivering static web assets and simplifying library hosting for developers.