Skip to main content

Edge Computing

Edge Runtime Fundamentals

0:00
LearnStep 1/2

Edge vs Node.js

Edge Runtime

The Edge Runtime is a lightweight JavaScript runtime optimized for low-latency responses at the network edge.

Key Differences

FeatureNode.jsEdge
Cold Start~250ms~50ms
APIsFull Node.jsWeb APIs subset
Max DurationConfigurable30s (Vercel)
Size Limit50MB1-4MB
File SystemYesNo

Enabling Edge Runtime

tsx

When to Use Edge

  • Low-latency APIs (authentication, redirects)
  • Personalization based on geo/headers
  • A/B testing and feature flags
  • Lightweight data transformations