☁️ Cloud Computing intermediate

Edge Computing

Computing paradigm that processes data near its source rather than in centralized data centers.

Edge computing brings computation closer to users and data sources, reducing latency and bandwidth. Levels include: device edge (IoT devices), network edge (cell towers, ISP equipment), and regional edge (small data centers). Use cases: real-time AI inference (autonomous vehicles), IoT data processing, content personalization, and gaming. In web development, edge functions (Cloudflare Workers, Vercel Edge) run code at CDN locations for ultra-low latency APIs. Benefits: reduced latency (milliseconds vs hundreds), bandwidth savings (process locally, send results), and offline capability. Edge complements cloud computing rather than replacing it - the right balance depends on use case requirements.