Life of a Vercel request: Navigating the Edge Network

What this post added

This post details the lifecycle of a Vercel request, focusing on the Edge Network's role in routing and optimization. It introduces 'Edge Requests' as requests that pass platform defenses and WAF actions, emphasizing their purpose in fetching data or triggering events and how Vercel enriches them with contextual data for Edge Middleware and Vercel Functions. It also explains 'Fast Data Transfer (FDT)' as the low-latency movement of data between users and the Vercel Edge Network, supported by PoPs and private fiber connections, bypassing public internet bottlenecks for secure, high-speed data transfer. The post highlights how these concepts contribute to delivering better user experiences and reducing costs by optimizing request frequency and type.