10. Next.js deployment challenges on Cloudflare

In the previous chapter, in order to solve the problem that a single request of Page Functions cannot be executed for a long time. I tried to use Cloudflare Queue to handle large batches of tasks and long-term execution, but found that there is no consumption and notification mechanism for tasks.

So I started looking for the answer, and the final solution was to use Cloudflare Workers instead of Cloudflare Pages for deployment.

But to understand this problem, we have to start from the origin of the Serverless architecture.

The evolution and essence of Serverless architecture

Serverless computing represents a paradigm shift in cloud computing, fundamentally changing how applications are built and deployed.

Serverless philosophy

The core philosophy of Serverless can be summarized as "focus on business logic, not infrastructure". This idea stems from the inevitable trend of cloud computing development:

1. Evolution of computing units: from physical server → virtual machine → container → function

2. Improvement of abstraction level: from hardware management → operating system management → runtime management → pure code logic

3. Changes in resource allocation models: from static allocation → dynamic expansion and contraction → on-demand execution

This evolution reflects a core trend: the consumption of computing resources is moving from a "reserve" model to a "pay-as-you-go" model, similar to the utility model of electricity supply.

The technical essence of Serverless

From a technical perspective, serverless architecture is built on several key concepts:

1. Event-driven execution: Code is only executed in response to specific events rather than running continuously

2. Temporary nature of execution environments: Computing environments may be created and destroyed between each call

3. State externalization: Application state must be stored in a dedicated persistence service

4. Distributed Execution: Code can be executed in multiple geographically distributed locations

5. Fine-granularity billing: Billed based on actual execution of computing resources (millisecond level)

These characteristics jointly define the technical boundaries of Serverless and determine its advantages and limitations.

Obviously all major manufacturers have a serverless layout, but Cloudflare is cheaper and more mature.

Serverless by Cloudflare

Cloudflare offers two main serverless deployment options: Workers and Pages.

Cloudflare Workers

Workers is Cloudflare's core computing platform with a completely different architectural design:

1. Architecture Features:

2. Technical capabilities:

3. Deployment model: