Clouflare is an interesting case for cloud-native (for lack of a better word) software developers. They’re still primarily known for their CDN only, and it seems that they slept through the whole serverless development thing that Azure, Google, and AWS is pushing.
Nothing could be further from the truth. With workers, durable objects, serverless KV-stores and SQLite databses, you could build almost everything imagineable on their platform.
This year, however, they’re really doubling down on the developer experience.
Here are the most impressive announcements Cloudflare made during their Developer Week 2025 event:
Full-Stack In A Single Worker
With the support of static assets in Workers, you can now deploy a full-stack application in a single worker. Basically, this is an effort to merge Workers and Pages into a single product.
Additionally, Workers now support popular frameworks such as React Router v7 (Remix), Astro, Hono, Vue.js, Nuxt, and SvelteKit, with upcoming support for Next.js, Angular, and SolidJS (SolidStart) expected in Q2 2025.
The Vite plugin, which runs Vite’s development server within the Workers runtime, offering benefits like Hot Module Replacement alongside access to Workers-specific features.
MySQL Support for Hyperdrive
In another exciting development, Cloudflare now offers native MySQL support directly on the Workers platform. Thanks to Hyperdrive—a tool for managing stateful database connections in a stateless environment—developers can build globally distributed applications with direct MySQL connectivity, regardless of database hosting location. This breakthrough simplifies scaling, as Hyperdrive efficiently pools and caches connections, thereby reducing latency while optimizing performance for region-specific SQL databases. Moreover, improved Node.js compatibility means popular MySQL drivers like mysql and mysql2 now work seamlessly, making it easier than ever for developers to migrate or extend their existing applications.
Read Replicas for D1
Improving database performance further, Cloudflare’s beta release of read replicas for D1—its managed SQLite database—targets enhanced scalability. By creating read-only copies of the primary database, the platform can offload read queries across multiple nodes. The direct result? Lower latency and higher throughput for applications that require the best possible performance for read-heavy workloads.
Workflows
Cloudflare is also expanding into the realm of orchestration with the general availability of its Workflows platform. This powerful feature allows developers to build and manage multi-step, durable processes that can handle complex scenarios like retries, delays, and error management. Seamlessly integrated with Workers, Workflows provide state management and offer a visual interface for designing and monitoring processes, making it easier to build resilient applications without the overhead of external orchestration tools.
Containers
Perhaps the most game-changing announcement was the upcoming open beta for Cloudflare’s container platform—expected in June 2025. This new service enables developers to run containerized applications globally with minimal overhead. Imagine being able to run CLI tools, full Linux environments, or even port existing applications from other cloud providers without a complete rearchitecting effort. This initiative could usher Cloudflare into a broader range of use cases, firmly positioning them as a serious competitor in the serverless space.
Secrets Store
Managing sensitive data just got a whole lot easier. The beta release of Secrets Store offers a centralized, secure solution for handling API keys, tokens, and other credentials. With built-in role-based access control (RBAC), audit logging, and seamless integration via Wrangler, managing secrets becomes a breeze. This new offering is a nod to best practices in security and compliance, ensuring that development teams can focus on building great applications without worrying about secret management pitfalls.
AI
Additionally, Cloudflare has upgraded its Agents SDK to better support AI agents using the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This update streamlines remote transport, authentication, and tool discovery, enabling AI agents to securely and efficiently interact with multiple MCP servers. By integrating with authentication providers like Stytch, Auth0, and WorkOS, Cloudflare ensures robust security while providing the scalability needed for complex AI workflows. With Durable Objects available in its free tier, Cloudflare now offers scalable, stateful storage solutions essential for modern AI applications.
0.email
In a surprising yet timely move, the one-day-old launch of 0.email—a complete email service running entirely on Cloudflare’s infrastructure—demonstrates just how far the platform has come. This project is a testament to Cloudflare’s commitment to challenging conventional service paradigms and pushing the limits of what’s possible at the edge.
Summary
Cloudflare Developer Week 2025 could mark a turning point for the company, shifting its image from a niche CDN provider to a formidable player in the serverless landscape. By stripping away the heavy-handed legacy of traditional enterprise cloud offerings, Cloudflare has focused on delivering a modern, hassle-free platform that champions developer experience above all else. With robust support for full-stack deployment, advanced database integrations, powerful orchestration tools, and even containerization, Cloudflare is poised to disrupt the serverless space. For developers tired of the complexities and overhead of traditional microservices architectures and Kubernetes, Cloudflare’s streamlined, developer-first approach is a breath of fresh air and the future of software development.