Edge Computing with Vercel Middleware & Cloudflare Workers

Speed matters. Learn how to push your logic to the edge of the network, reducing latency to milliseconds for your users worldwide.

📅 November 27, 2025•⏱️ 26 min read•🏷️ Performance

Introduction

Traditional servers live in a specific location (e.g., `us-east-1`). If your user is in Tokyo, they have to wait for the signal to travel halfway across the world.

Edge Computing changes this paradigm. It distributes your code to hundreds of data centers globally. When a user makes a request, it's handled by the server nearest to them. In 2025, tools like Vercel Middleware and Cloudflare Workers make this incredibly easy.

💡 Why This Matters: Faster sites convert better. Edge computing is the easiest performance win you can implement today.

Key Concepts

Vercel Middleware

Vercel Middleware runs before a request is processed on your site. It's perfect for auth, rewrites, and geolocation.

middleware.ts

import { NextResponse } from 'next/server';
import type { NextRequest } from 'next/server';

export function middleware(request: NextRequest) {
  // 1. Geolocation Logic
  const country = request.geo?.country || 'US';

  if (country === 'FR') {
    return NextResponse.rewrite(new URL('/fr', request.url));
  }

  // 2. Authentication Logic
  const token = request.cookies.get('token');
  if (!token && request.nextUrl.pathname.startsWith('/dashboard')) {
      return NextResponse.redirect(new URL('/login', request.url));
  }

  return NextResponse.next();
}

export const config = {
  matcher: ['/dashboard/:path*', '/'],
};

Cloudflare Workers

Cloudflare Workers are robust enough to run entire applications, not just middleware. They support KV storage and durable objects.

worker.js

export default {
  async fetch(request, env, ctx) {
    const url = new URL(request.url);

    // Simple A/B Testing
    const cookie = request.headers.get('cookie');
    if (cookie && cookie.includes('experiment=true')) {
        return fetch('https://beta.mysite.com' + url.pathname);
    }

    // Return JSON response from the edge
    return new Response(JSON.stringify({
      message: "Hello from the Edge!",
      location: request.cf.city
    }), {
      headers: { 'content-type': 'application/json' },
    });
  },
};

Edge Security

Pushing security checks to the edge blocks malicious traffic before it ever hits your origin server.

🔒 DDoS Protection

Edge networks naturally absorb traffic spikes, protecting your core infrastructure.

🔒 WAF

Web Application Firewalls at the edge block SQLi and XSS attacks instantly.

🔒 Geo Blocking

Easily block traffic from embargoed or high-risk countries.

🔒 Token Verification

Verify JWTs at the edge to offload CPU from your main API.

✅ Edge Readiness Checklist

Before you deploy:

Test Your Speed

Use our tools to benchmark your API response times.

Explore Tools →Read More Blogs

Conclusion

Edge computing is not a fad; it's the future of web architecture. It combines the performance of CDNs with the flexibility of server-side code.

Whether you use Vercel for ease of use or Cloudflare for raw power, moving logic to the edge will provide a tangible improvement in user experience.