Cloudflare is a global, cloud-based platform that provides security, performance and reliability for websites, APIs and applications by routing traffic through its edge network.
It combines protection against threats with acceleration of content delivery, enabling sites and services to stay available under load and deliver fast experiences to users around the world.
Designed for teams managing online properties of varying sizes, the platform supports organisations that require secure remote access, scalable protection and streamlined operations across infrastructure, apps and APIs.
What is Cloudflare?
Cloudflare is a global cloud platform that sits between visitors and origin servers, acting as a reverse proxy to deliver security, performance and reliability at the edge. It provides a range of capabilities, including a content delivery network, DNS, a Web Application Firewall, bot management, and edge computing with Cloudflare Workers, all designed to protect and accelerate websites, APIs and applications.
Key Features and Capabilities
- Global Content Delivery Network (CDN) and DDoS protection to speed delivery and deter attacks
- DNS with built‑in security and performance enhancements
- Web Application Firewall (WAF) to inspect and block malicious traffic
- Cloudflare Workers for edge computing and serverless applications
- Zero Trust security with Cloudflare Access and Cloudflare Gateway for secure remote access and web filtering
- Argo Smart Routing to optimise paths and reduce latency
- Load Balancing across multiple regions to improve availability
- Image optimisation with Polish and Mirage to improve media delivery
- Bot Management to distinguish legitimate traffic from automated threats
- TLS/SSL and automatic HTTPS to encrypt connections
- Automation and integration via the Cloudflare API for workflows and tooling
How Cloudflare Is Typically Used
- Protecting a public website or API from DDoS attacks while delivering content quickly through the edge network
- Accelerating dynamic and static content with caching, Argo routing and edge workers
- Securing remote access to internal applications and networks using Zero Trust capabilities
- Improving reliability by balancing traffic across regions and paths during outages or traffic surges
- Managing media delivery and performance with image optimisation tools
- Automating infrastructure and security configurations through the Cloudflare API
Who Cloudflare Is Best Suited For
Cloudflare is designed for organisations that rely on online presence, including websites, web applications and APIs, and that require robust security and reliable performance at scale. It supports security-conscious teams such as IT, security and site operations, as well as developers building applications that benefit from edge computing and programmable networking. The platform can serve environments ranging from small sites to larger, enterprise-scale deployments, where managing traffic, protecting assets and ensuring fast user experiences are priorities.
Deployment, Access and Integrations
Cloudflare is delivered as a cloud-based service accessed through a web-based dashboard and supported via APIs for automation and integration with existing workflows. It sits in front of your applications to provide security, performance and reliability without requiring on-premise hardware. The platform supports integration with a variety of hosting environments and cloud services through its API and management console, enabling organisations to configure protection, routing, and access controls in a unified interface.
Summary
Cloudflare presents a unified platform that combines content delivery, security and edge computing capabilities. Its strengths include a broad edge network for performance, a range of security features from DNS to WAF to Zero Trust, and programmable capabilities through Workers. The offering is structured to support organisations seeking to protect and accelerate online properties while enabling scalable, automated workflows via APIs.
Example workflow
A Cloudflare alert posts to Slack and logs to your tracker. No manual work.
