Choose Smart CDN when
Your application owns the originals, derivative demand is hard to predict, and a Template that accepts a constrained set of URL variables can create the exact image, video, document, or preview that a user requests.
One URL to Transform & Deliver Files — a Global Edge Network
Your images, videos, and files delivered fast to every user, anywhere on the planet.
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No preprocessing required
Skip the upfront work and transform files only when your users actually need them, saving time and resources.
Blazing fast
Process and deliver files at lightning speed with optimized infrastructure designed for high-performance transformations.
Dynamic transforms worldwide
Transform images, videos, and documents on demand through URL parameters, cached worldwide for fast repeat delivery.
Transform your files
Transform files on demand via URL parameters
Add parameters to your file URLs to apply and layer multiple effects.
my-app.tlcdn.com/resize-img/canoe.jpg?w=550
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Use cases
What our Smart CDN can transform for you on the fly
Here are a few examples that show how you can take advantage of our Smart CDN
Create thumbnails for any file type
Generate meaningful previews for virtually any file type. Smart processing for images, videos, documents, and archives without downloading entire files.
AI enhanced image processing
Use AI to intelligently crop images around faces or important subjects.
Signed delivery and watermarks
Require expiring URL signatures and add visible watermarks as part of a controlled delivery workflow.
Responsive Images for any device
Dynamically resize images based on device type, screen size, or user preferences. Optimal files for every device.
Architecture and fit
What makes a file CDN “smart” — transforming on demand at cache-miss time — and when should you use one?
A conventional CDN caches files that already exist. Transloadit Smart CDN can import an original from your storage, run a saved transformation Template on a cache miss, and deliver the result through the same URL. Subsequent requests reuse the cached derivative until its cache lifetime ends.
Preprocess instead when
Every output is known before publication, a human must approve it, or one workflow must export several persistently stored output files. In those cases, run an asynchronous Assembly first and serve the saved Assembly outputs.
Use a conventional CDN when
You only need to cache and deliver immutable files that are already prepared. A transformation layer adds little value when the origin contains every required variant.
The request path
- A tlcdn.com URL identifies your workspace, Template, and source file path.
- Query parameters are exposed as fields that the saved Template reads through Assembly Variables.
- On a cache miss, the Template’s Assembly runs — importing the original and transforming it — and its /file/serve Robot serves the result over HTTP.
- The /tlcdn/deliver layer — engaged implicitly by the tlcdn.com domain — then caches and distributes that response across global edge locations.
Design and evaluate with production-shaped requests
- Measure cold misses separately from warm cache hits.
- Limit dimensions, formats, and other variables to cap how many distinct cached variants you generate (cache cardinality).
- Treat signed URL expiry as both an access and cache-lifetime decision.
- Test source replacement, invalid parameters, and unavailable origins.
Beyond a single derivative
Serve one result while richer processing continues
A Smart CDN Template is still an Assembly workflow. On a cache miss, /file/serve selects the output returned by the URL. As soon as that output is ready, independent Smart-CDN-compatible branches can continue working without holding up the response.
1
Return and cache the requested file
The response path ends at /file/serve. That selected image, document, audio file, or video output can start streaming to the requester and enter the edge cache as soon as it is available.
ImportTransform/file/serveEdge cache
2
Keep useful work running behind the response
Other compatible branches in the same Template can power richer experiences or prepare secondary assets. For example:
- generate HLS playlists and segments on demand with the /video/ondemand Robot
- transcribe speech, describe images, or translate text
- create document previews or store secondary outputs for later use
This additional work runs only on cache misses and every Step must use a Smart-CDN-compatible Robot. Warm cache hits are delivered from the edge without running the Template again.
Smart CDN is a transformation and delivery layer. It does not replace object storage, a digital asset management (DAM) system, a video player, live-streaming infrastructure, or an application’s authorization policy. Read an implementation guide for responsive images or review Smart CDN authentication.
Measured performance
Cold transformations and warm edge delivery, measured separately
In this image benchmark, a cache miss includes the source import and image transformation. A warm hit reuses the finished derivative at the edge. The difference is why both paths need separate measurements.
| Request region | Cold cache miss p50 | Cold cache miss p95 | Cold cache miss p99 | Warm edge hit p50 | Warm edge hit p95 | Warm edge hit p99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US East (AWS us-east-1) | 341 | 452 | 496 | 88 | 96 | 106 |
| Europe (AWS eu-west-1) | 356 | 407 | 457 | 28 | 35 | 38 |
| Asia Pacific (AWS ap-southeast-1) | 430 | 485 | 505 | 18 | 27 | 34 |
These results are a dated measurement snapshot—not a latency SLO, availability SLO, or SLA. Internet routing, edge selection, file size, Template complexity, and origin performance all affect production results.
Test methodology
- One hundred sequential, full-body HTTPS GETs per path from one runner in each listed AWS region; no concurrent requests.
- curl 8.12.1 measured total time, including DNS, TCP, TLS, time to first byte, and transfer.
- Cold requests used one hundred width and height combinations from 200 through 209 on the direct API path. Warm requests repeated the exact 200 × 200 Smart CDN URL after one priming request.
- Percentiles use the nearest-rank method.
What gets cached
All 300 measured warm responses reported CDN-Cache: HIT. The tested Template advertised public, max-age=259200, s-maxage=86400: up to three days in a browser cache and one day in a shared cache.
A Template can set a different cache duration on /file/serve. For signed URLs, the remaining signature lifetime also limits how long a newly generated response may be cached. Review signing and cache lifetime.
When the origin is unavailable
A warm cache hit serves the finished derivative without importing the original or rerunning the Template. A derivative that is not available in cache still depends on the origin and transformation path.
In the same test, a deliberately missing source object returned HTTP 404 with S3_IMPORT_NOT_FOUND and Cache-Control: no-store. Do not rely on stale serving after cache expiry or eviction: this benchmark did not exercise that behavior, and no stale-if-error guarantee is offered here.
Our Smart CDN runs on a globally distributed edge network so transformed files stay close to your users.
Transloadit
Why Transloadit Smart CDN?
Transloadit's Smart CDN reuses cached transformed files across global edge locations for fast warm delivery without repeating the transformation.
Cached global delivery
Warm responses are served from the delivery network instead of running the transformation again.
Increased reliability
Distributed CDN architecture minimizes downtime risk and network congestion for consistent worldwide content delivery.
Bounded access
Require signed URLs and constrain the variables accepted by each saved Template.
Enhanced scalability
CDN infrastructure handles high traffic volumes without compromising performance or user experience.
Reduced repeat work
Cache hits avoid repeated origin imports and transformations, reducing repeat processing and origin transfer.
On-demand processing
Transform media files only when requested, eliminating preprocessing needs and saving storage resources.
Related resources
Take Smart CDN into production
The guides, Robot reference, and working demos teams reach for when Smart CDN has to run reliably at scale.
“Our journey with Transloadit has been remarkable. Their support and flexibility have been pivotal in enhancing our service.”
Martijn Vermaat, Engineering Manager at WeTransfer
Read the story
Guides
- How to serve responsive images from one URLDerive every image size from one canonical URL, cache the results at the edge, and keep the encoding bill flat while traffic grows.
- Eight image SEO optimization practicesEight image SEO practices covering semantics, dimensions, formats, performance, discovery, and measurement.
- HTML video in production: 10 practical checksTen production checks for HTML video, from source selection and captions to poster images and preprocessing.
- Media automation: from upload to reliable outputAutomate repeatable media intake, transformation, validation, and export while preserving observability and control.
Pricing
What Smart CDN costs to run
Every plan runs every Robot, so nothing about this service is held back for a bigger one. You are paying for the volume you put through it.
Community
FreePerfect for trying out Transloadit
5 GB every month200 priority slots/region2 collaborators0.5 GB file size limitAudio & video are trimmedOutput images are watermarkedService stops at 5 GBMonthly spending limits and alertsVideo turbo mode from ProLite
$29/ monthFor lower-volume workloads
15 GB every month400 priority slots/region2 collaborators1 GB file size limitFull-length audio & videoUnwatermarked image outputsOverage processing at $2/GBMonthly spending limits and alertsVideo turbo mode from ProPro
$54/ month$54 per month. Billed annually · save 22%
For growing workloads and more capacity
40 GB every month1,000 priority slots/region3 collaborators5 GB file size limitFull-length audio & videoUnwatermarked image outputsOverage processing at $1.80/GBMonthly spending limits and alertsVideo turbo modeEnterprise
CustomFor teams with advanced needs
Tailored monthly GB allowanceCustom priority slots per regionUnlimited collaboratorsTailored file size limitsTiered pricing availableCustom features & invoicingCustom Slack channelMonthly spending limits and alertsEnterprise support SLAsFaster file processingWhitelabeling supportVideo turbo mode
Try Transloadit
Give Transloadit's Smart CDN a try for free.
Transloadit's Smart CDN is a global content delivery network that delivers your content to your users from the closest location to them.
Slow content delivery worldwide
Global edge network
High bandwidth costs
Bandwidth cost optimization
Limited global reach
Worldwide content acceleration
Poor user experience internationally
Enhanced user experience
Server overload during traffic spikes
Automatic traffic distribution
Unreliable content availability
Global edge delivery
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