How to Configure API CDN in Your BuddyBoss App

Introduction

Serving media assets like images, documents, and videos through a Content Delivery Network (CDN) reduces load on your server and speeds up your BuddyBoss App worldwide. Enabling API CDN tells your app to fetch media via your CDN URL instead of directly from WordPress, improving performance without changing your website setup.

Tutorial Video

Enabling the API Performance Component

1. Go to WordPress Admin > BuddyBoss App > Components.
   
2. Toggle on API Performance and click Save Changes.
   

Configuring Your CDN URL

1. Navigate to BuddyBoss App > Settings > API CDN.
   
2. Check Enable API CDN.
   
3. Paste your CDN base URL (no trailing slash) into the CDN URL field.
   
4. Click Save Changes.
   

Note: If you already use a CDN plugin or service for your site (e.g., CloudFront, Cloud CDN, StackPath), copy its CDN URL here.

How API CDN Works

• First Request: The app calls WordPress via API, retrieves the media file, and uploads it to your CDN.
  
• Subsequent Requests: The app rewrites the media URL to your CDN domain, serving assets from the nearest CDN edge server.
  
• Offline Courses: When using the LearnDash offline feature, downloads also come from your CDN for faster, reliable performance.
  

Integrations & Recommendations

• Vimeo Integration: For LearnDash video downloads, use the Vimeo integration (requires Pro account).
  
• Combine with API Caching: Enabling both API CDN and API Caching yields the greatest speed gains. See our API Caching tutorial for details.
  

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Q: My media still loads from my origin server.
A: Confirm your CDN URL is correct (no trailing slash) and that Enable API CDN is checked under API CDN settings.

Q: I’m not seeing new files on my CDN.
A: Clear any plugin or CDN cache, then fetch the media once in the app so it syncs to the CDN.

Q: Errors appear when saving the CDN URL.
A: Ensure your CDN URL uses HTTPS and that your server allows outbound requests to your CDN provider.

Q: Offline courses aren’t downloading media.
A: Verify Enable API CDN and your LearnDash Offline Courses setting are both active; CDN-hosted files must be publicly accessible.

Q: Can I disable CDN for specific file types?
A: Not directly. API CDN rewrites all media URLs. Use your CDN provider’s URL patterns or caching rules to exclude assets if needed.