When I first started tinkering with serverless platforms, Cloudflare Workers felt like magic. Instead of spinning up a full server, I could just write JavaScript, push it to the edge, and let Cloudflare handle the rest.
Add Cloudflare Pages and Wrangler to the mix, and you have a pretty slick workflow for deploying modern web projects without sweating over infrastructure. In this writing, I'll share how I look at Workers, Pages, and Wrangler, and why they fit nicely into a developer's toolkit.
What makes Cloudflare workers special
Workers are lightweight serverless functions that run on Cloudflare's edge network. That means your code executes closer to the user, which often means faster response times. Unlike traditional serverless platforms, you don't pay for cold starts in the same way and you don't need to worry about region-specific deployments.
Here's what stands out to me:
- It's just JavaScript, TypeScript, or WebAssembly. No heavy frameworks required.
- The edge locations handle global scaling automatically.
- You can do routing, APIs, or even render HTML directly.
It feels like writing a mini-app where you don't have to manage any servers at all. If you're coming from a VPS or traditional hosting background, it's oddly liberating.
Deploying static sites with pages
Cloudflare Pages is their take on static hosting. Push your project to GitHub, connect it to Pages, and every commit gets deployed automatically. If you've used Netlify or Vercel, it works in a similar way but with Cloudflare's edge CDN baked in.
What I like about Pages:
- Zero config to get started, just hook up a repo and go
- Free SSL and caching out of the box
- Custom domains without any headaches
If your project is purely static, Pages alone might be enough. But if you need some backend logic — like an API endpoint — you can pair Pages with Workers seamlessly.
The role of wrangler in your workflow
Wrangler is Cloudflare's CLI tool. It's how you interact with Workers locally and how you deploy them. If you're comfortable with command-line tools, Wrangler feels natural. You can run your Worker code on your machine before deploying it, and you can push updates in seconds.
Some key points:
wrangler devspins up a local dev server that mimics the real thing- Configuration is stored in a simple
wrangler.tomlfile - You can deploy with a single command, no messing around with dashboards
Wrangler also handles binding environment variables, KV storage, and durable objects if your app needs persistence. It feels like Cloudflare really wants to keep things simple.
Combining workers and pages for full stack apps
The real power comes when you use Workers and Pages together. You can serve a static front end through Pages while using Workers as an API or middleware layer. For example, your blog can be on Pages, while a Worker handles form submissions, authentication, or real-time data.
Because everything runs on Cloudflare's edge, you don't think about servers or scaling — Cloudflare just deals with it. The result is a globally distributed full stack app that's fast everywhere by default.
Things to keep in mind
Of course, no tool is perfect. Some caveats I've noticed:
- Workers have strict resource limits (CPU time, memory). You can't just drop in a big Node.js app.
- You need to rethink some patterns if you're used to traditional servers. Long-running processes don't fit.
- The free tier is generous, but if your app explodes in popularity you'll want to check the pricing carefully.
Despite these limits, I've found it refreshing. Constraints push you to build leaner, more efficient applications.
Why I enjoy using this stack
Personally, I like tech that stays out of my way. With Workers, Pages, and Wrangler, I can go from "idea" to "online" in under an hour. There's no wrestling with Docker, no configuring load balancers, no manual SSL certificates. Just code, push, deploy.
For side projects, prototypes, or even production apps that don't require heavy backend logic, this stack is hard to beat. It's fast, simple, and surprisingly powerful for something that feels so lightweight.