Introducing Cloudflare Workers: Run JavaScript Service Workers at the Edge

Cloudflare is making its edge network programmable by allowing users to deploy JavaScript on their servers. This move is similar to how graphics hardware became programmable in the 2000s, allowing developers to experiment with new algorithms and techniques without relying on hardware vendors. The decision to use JavaScript was based on its ubiquity and security features provided by Google's V8 engine. Cloudflare Workers are written against the Service Worker API, which is designed for handling HTTP traffic and can be used for various purposes such as improving performance, enhancing security, and increasing reliability. The playground at cloudflareworkers.com allows users to try writing their own scripts and applying them to their sites.