Can I use Dropbox as a CDN?

[XP]

Exact same inquiry: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox/Can-I-use-Dropbox-as-a-CDN/idi-p/115941

[Jay]

Hi there, how exactly are you planning on using Dropbox in this manner?

You can store files and render them in a browser using shared links, though this is subject to your bandwidth limit.

If we’re misunderstanding something, please let us know!

[XP]

Serve website images from Dropbox by retrieving its image URL with API

https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Photos-and-videos/How-to-get-url-with-jpg-end-and-what-works-with-im...

[Rich · Accepted solution]

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@XP wrote:
Serve website images from Dropbox by retrieving its image URL with API

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You don't need the API to do this. Just get a share link to the image like you would for any other file type, and then change the end of the URL as explained in this help article (change ?dl=0 to ?raw=1).

Again, as Jay explained, share links have a limited amount of bandwidth per day, and if you're linking to large files it could be very easy to exceed that limit and have ALL of your links banned temporarily. Simply put, while you can serve files out of Dropbox, it is not a CDN and you probably shouldn't use it as one. A CDN is usually a network of servers in different geographical locations so that content is served to the user using the closest source. With Dropbox, the data will all come from the same source (i.e., NOT a true CDN).

[Mark]

To also add in to this that there is no way of monitoring the number of downloads etc. on a file, so, you'll have no idea if the files been download or how many times if you are wanting to limit or restrict it etc.

[RFTaurus]

I'm new when using dropbox, so I read a lot of topic about using dropbox as a CDN, and I find that public folder already remove aroun 2016. so I just wondering, can we still using Dropbox as a CDN in 2020? If I can Use It, can someone give me the tutoria step by step, as I'm quite confused while we can still do it or not.

just for reference, I'm trying to use it like this:

    <!-- bootsnav -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.dl.dropbox.com/s/q02iyrm4zmhce3y/bootsnav.css">

    <!-- style -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.dl.dropbox.com/s/357a8q7wo78hdba/style.css" />

and I find some topic that tell me to use it like this:

    <!-- bootsnav -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q02iyrm4zmhce3y/bootsnav.css?raw=1">

    <!-- style -->
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/357a8q7wo78hdba/style.css?raw=1" />

While the first example give me: ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID

the last one give me: MIME Error

[Lusil]

Hey @RFTaurus, thanks for nudging us on this. 

Out of curiosity, are the shared links working for you? 

Could you also send us a screenshot of the error message?

Keep us posted!