One URL to Transform & Deliver Files — a Global Edge Network
Transform the files your users upload on demand, then deliver every result from the edge closest to them.
Transform a file when a user asks for it, instead of pre-rendering every variant up front.
Warm responses come from the nearest edge location, measured in tens of milliseconds.
Set dimensions, format, and quality through URL parameters. Each result is then cached worldwide.
Build momentum
Deliver the right media. Keep your audience moving.
Create requested variants on demand and reuse cached results close to your users.
Keep pages feeling fast
Serve cached media from edge locations close to your audience.
Waste less on unused variants
Transform requested files instead of preparing every possible version.
Launch new image sizes sooner
Request new variants through configured URLs without a batch backfill.
Reach more screens
Adapt supported image sizes and formats to your app’s layouts.
Keep your origin focused
Let cached responses handle repeat requests for processed media.
Simplify your media stack
Connect transformation and delivery through one Smart CDN workflow.
Transform files on demand via URL parameters
Add parameters to your file URLs to apply and layer multiple effects.
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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.
A CDN that transforms on a cache miss
An ordinary CDN can only cache files that already exist. Smart CDN imports the original from your storage, runs your saved Template, and delivers the result through the same URL. Later requests reuse the cached copy.
The request path
A tlcdn.com URL names your workspace, your Template, and the source file. On a cache miss the Assembly runs; on a hit the edge answers without running anything.
Choose Smart CDN when
Your application owns the originals, you cannot predict which variants users will ask for, and a Template with a fixed set of URL variables can produce each one.
Preprocess instead when
Every output is known before publication, a human has to approve it, or one workflow must store several output files. Run an Assembly first and serve its saved outputs.
Use an ordinary CDN when
Your origin already holds every variant you need. A transformation layer adds little when there is nothing left to transform.
Smart CDN is a transformation and delivery layer. It does not replace object storage, a digital asset management system, a video player, or your application’s authorization policy. Review Smart CDN authentication.
A cache hit costs almost nothing
Each Robot counts the bytes it handles at its own rate, and a Robot that reads one file and writes another counts both. A miss pays for the whole path; a hit repeats only the last step of it.
One cache miss
- Import the original /s3/import10 MB × 10%1 MB
- Transform it /image/resize(10 MB + 1 MB) × 100%11 MB
- Serve the result /file/serve(1 MB + 1 MB) × 25%0.5 MB
- Deliver it from the edge /tlcdn/deliver(1 MB + 1 MB) × 4%0.08 MB
One cache hit
The derivative is already at the edge, so only the delivery step runs again. Both bars are drawn to the same scale.
One cache miss counts about as much as 157 cache hits, and /image/resize is most of it — the more often a URL is requested, the less each request costs. Pro’s included 40 GB covers roughly 3,255 cache misses or 512,000 cache hits a month, before any other processing. Estimate your own volume or read how GB usage works.
Cold transformations and warm edge delivery, measured separately
Cold requests import and transform the file. Warm requests serve the cached result.
| Request region | Cold cache miss | Warm edge hit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| p50 | p95 | p99 | p50 | p95 | p99 | |
 US EastAWS us-east-1 | 341 ms | 452 ms | 496 ms | 88 ms | 96 ms | 106 ms |
 EU WestAWS eu-west-1 | 356 ms | 407 ms | 457 ms | 28 ms | 35 ms | 38 ms |
 Asia PacificAWS ap-southeast-1 | 430 ms | 485 ms | 505 ms | 18 ms | 27 ms | 34 ms |
Measured September 3, 2026. Results vary by workload.
Your workflow. Your controls.
Content delivery without the pain
Stop wiring transform services to a separate cache. Configure your delivery workflow once.
Transform on demand
Process supported files when requested, then cache the result for reuse.
Protect delivery URLs
Use signed URLs to authorize requests to your Smart CDN Templates.
Control allowed variations
Define Template variables so callers can change only the options you expose.
Keep originals in your storage
Import source files from supported providers as part of the delivery workflow.
Reuse cached results
Serve warm cache hits without repeating the same transformation.
Choose the right processing mode
Preprocess predictable outputs or transform supported variants on demand.
Plan for first requests
Allow for source fetching and transformation time when the cache is cold.
Inspect delivery behavior
Check cache response headers when tuning and debugging your integration.
Keep spending in check
Set a soft bill limit for alerts or a hard limit to stop processing.
Deliver files with Smart CDN
HIPAA-regulated workloads require a Business Associate Agreement.
Frequently asked questions
What does Smart CDN do?
Smart CDN transforms supported files on request, caches the results, and delivers them from edge locations. You configure the processing Template and source; your app requests the variants it needs. Read the Smart CDN guide.
Is every request transformed from scratch?
No. A cache miss may fetch and process the source. A warm cache hit reuses the cached result, avoiding the same transformation again while the entry remains available. Learn about cached delivery.
Can I keep the original files in my own storage?
Yes. Your Template can import originals from supported storage providers. Smart CDN is a transformation and delivery layer; keep permanent originals in your own storage. Explore storage integrations.
How do I control which transformations people can request?
Define the parameters callers may vary in your Template and use signed URLs to authorize requests. Keep URL signing secrets on your server. See Smart CDN configuration and signing.
Should I preprocess files or transform them on demand?
Preprocess when you know the outputs you need or want them ready before publishing. On-demand processing suits supported variants you may never request. The first uncached request includes processing time. Compare processing and delivery workflows.
Will Smart CDN reduce my costs?
It can avoid generating unused variants and reuse cached transformations. The result depends on cache hits, source sizes, processing, and delivery traffic, so compare costs using your expected workload. Review pricing for your workflow.