For developers looking to speed up their websites or applications, using one of the TOP CDN services as a host for open source libraries is a well-established best practice. By utilizing CDNs, you can deliver your js/css/image files with lower latency and higher performance. Here’s a roundup of the TOP 5 CDN services for hosting these resources.
Table of Contents
- 1. CDNJS
- 2. jsDelivr
- 3. UNPKG
- 4. Google Hosted Libraries
- 5. Cloudflare
- Best Practices for Hosting
- Summary
- References
1. CDNJS
CDNJS is a robust CDN service that provides easy access to thousands of libraries. To host your files on CDNJS, you’ll need to follow their guidelines which include having a package.json file and submitting your project via GitHub.
How to host files: Make sure your project is open source and has significant popularity. You can then add your project by submitting a pull request to CDNJS on GitHub.
2. jsDelivr
jsDelivr operates as a public open-source CDN where anyone can submit a project to be hosted. It supports npm, GitHub, WordPress, and other platforms.
How to host files: Use a specific format for URLs to link to npm or GitHub. E.g., for npm, use “https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/package@version/file”.
3. UNPKG
UNPKG is a CDN service that works directly with npm. It’s effortless to use for any package contained within the npm registry.
How to host files: You simply need to publish your package to npm, and UNPKG will automatically make it available via a CDN.
4. Google Hosted Libraries
Google Hosted Libraries is a globally available collection of popular libraries from Google’s reliable infrastructure.
How to host files: While you cannot directly upload your library, you can use the available libraries through Google’s URL structure. For example: “https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/libraryName/version/file”.
5. Cloudflare
Cloudflare CDN service provides security and performance improvements to your website. They don’t specifically host open source libraries but offer a robust CDN service that can be configured to serve your static assets.
How to host files: You typically sign up for an account, add your website, and Cloudflare directs your website’s traffic through their network.
Best Practices for Hosting
- Ensure your content is minified and compressed to enhance delivery speeds.
- Utilize versioning to manage cache and update files when necessary.
- Set proper cache control headers to optimize browser and CDN caching.
- Maintain the integrity and security of your libraries by using Subresource Integrity (SRI) tags.
- Keep an updated documentation on how to use your CDN resources.
Summary
To sum up, hosting your js/css/image files on a CDN can significantly improve your project’s performance. Each of the TOP 5 CDN services mentioned provides a stable and efficient way to host open source libraries, making them accessible across the globe. Remember to adhere to best practices to ensure the fast and secure delivery of your content.
