R2

R2 is object storage (object storage = a service for keeping large files like images, videos, backups, and datasets). You upload files, get them back by name, and never worry about running a disk yourself.

Each file you store is called an object, and objects live inside a bucket (a bucket = a named folder-like container that holds your objects). R2 also speaks the same API as Amazon S3, the most popular object storage in the world, so existing S3 tools and code work with very few changes.

Traditional cloud storage charges an 'egress fee' (egress = the cost of moving data OUT of the cloud to your users). For a popular site or app, that surprise bill can be larger than the storage itself. R2 removes it entirely.

Wrangler is Cloudflare's command-line tool (a CLI = a program you type commands into in your terminal). The steps below create a bucket, connect it to a Worker, and read/write an object.

1. Install Wrangler & log in

   Install the tool, then log in to your Cloudflare account in the browser window it opens.

   bashcontent_copyCopy

   npm install -g wrangler
   wrangler login

2. Create a bucket

   Bucket names use lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens, 3-63 characters long.

   bashcontent_copyCopy

   wrangler r2 bucket create my-app-files
   wrangler r2 bucket list

3. Bind the bucket to your Worker

   A binding gives your code a variable (here MY_BUCKET) to reach the bucket. Add this to wrangler.jsonc.

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   {
     "r2_buckets": [
       {
         "binding": "MY_BUCKET",
         "bucket_name": "my-app-files"
       }
     ]
   }

4. Read & write objects from code

   A PUT request stores the body as an object; any other request reads it back by name.

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   export default {
     async fetch(request, env) {
       const key = new URL(request.url).pathname.slice(1);
   
       if (request.method === "PUT") {
         await env.MY_BUCKET.put(key, request.body);
         return new Response(`Uploaded ${key}!`);
       }
   
       const object = await env.MY_BUCKET.get(key);
       if (object === null) {
         return new Response("Object Not Found", { status: 404 });
       }
       return new Response(object.body);
     },
   };

5. Deploy

   Publish your Worker to Cloudflare's global network.

   bashcontent_copyCopy

   wrangler deploy

• Storage is billed at $0.015 per GB-month; you only pay for what you store.
• Egress (serving files to the internet) is always $0 — this is R2's headline feature.
• Use clear key prefixes like uploads/2026/photo.jpg to organize objects like folders.
• Connect a custom domain to a bucket to serve files publicly with no Worker required.