Cloudflare

As explained in Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core

Cloudflare is a cloud platform that provides services for securing, accelerating, and delivering internet applications and traffic.

Cloudflare is a CDN service suited to small projects that need an affordable way to accelerate and protect web API traffic. Its unrestricted free plan and two free SSL/TLS certificates make it a practical starting point. section 12.1.3

A Cloudflare deployment separates traffic handling from the server hosting the API:

• The edge certificate is generated automatically and lets the CDN serve content over HTTPS. section 12.1.3
• The origin certificate can be generated and installed on the web server to encrypt the connection between the CDN and the origin. section 12.1.3
• Setup begins by creating an account, selecting Add Site, and adding the domain; Cloudflare does not accept a subdomain directly. section 12.1.3

Figure 12.1 Edge-origin architectural pattern

Use the edge-origin diagram to distinguish the CDN-facing edge from the server hosting the web API. section 12.1.3

How Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core covers it

How deep it goes

Explains provider selection, certificates, account creation, and domain setup, while deferring detailed registration steps.

Examples

Uses a small web API, an edge-origin architecture, and Cloudflare account and domain setup screens.

What it assumes

Assumes a web API and domain, while introducing CDN, edge, origin, and certificate roles.

What you can do after

Operate/configure Cloudflare by selecting a plan, adding a domain, and arranging edge and origin certificates.

How it connects

Connects CDNs with edge servers, origin servers, SSL/TLS certificates, HTTPS, and DNS nameservers.

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Related concepts

• deploymentused by · Deployment is the process of making software, models, or other computational systems available to operate in a target environment.
• origin certificateuses · An origin certificate is a digital certificate presented by an origin server to authenticate it and enable encrypted communication with a connecting service.

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Building Web APIs with ASP.NET Core. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.