Besides using load balancers and auto-scaling, caching significantly also help to reduce server load and enhances performance.

I’ve found that setting up comprehensive monitoring and alerting systems is invaluable. By tracking traffic patterns and performance metrics, we can proactively address potential issues before they impact users, especially during unexpected surges. I recommend the following strategies: 1. Content Delivery Network (CDN): CDNs cache static assets closer to users, reducing latency and server load. 2. Caching Mechanisms: Implementing browser and server-side caching minimizes repeated requests, enhancing performance during high traffic. 3. Load Balancing and Auto-Scaling: These strategies help distribute incoming traffic across multiple servers and dynamically adjust resources based on real-time demands.

If you have predictable events or patterns for traffic spikes, you can proactively scale an increase in base capacity in preparation for these events. This reduces the risk that an unexpected issue during scaling could impact your ability to serve traffic within SLA/SLO. Also, consider a properly tuned intrusion detection system (IDS) which can reduce the risk of illegitimate traffic (such as DoS/DDoS) attacks impacting your business during a time of legitimate elevated need.

To ensure your web application can handle sudden traffic spikes, consider implementing these strategies: Infrastructure Scalability: Cloud-Based Infrastructure: Auto-Scaling, Load Balancing, Horizontal Scaling. Caching: Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), Browser Caching Database Optimization: Database Sharding, Indexing, Query Optimization: Application-Level Strategies: Asynchronous Processing. Caching: In-Memory Caching, Distributed Caching. Load Testing: Simulate Traffic, Stress Testing. Monitoring and Alerting. Graceful Degradation.

From experience working with few projects, one of them that had sudden surge of traffic from few 100's to 50-90k+ visitors in < 1mins, it comes down to the type of application and conditions of those traffic spikes: * Setup proper monitoring infrastructure to tracking traffic and performance metrics to gain more understanding of the spikes patterns. * For simple applications, implement static site generation and use CDNs to reduce server load * For predictable event-driven spikes, coordinate with the team and infrastructure providers to set up load balancing and auto-scaling. * Identify and refactor weak areas within the application, focusing on client-side rendering for dynamic content through micro-services and API end points.

To ensure your web application can handle traffic spikes, focus on scalability and performance optimization. Implement load balancing to distribute incoming traffic across multiple servers, preventing any single server from becoming overwhelmed. Use caching mechanisms to reduce server load by storing frequently accessed data. Opt for a content delivery network (CDN) to efficiently serve static assets to users globally. Regularly conduct load testing to identify bottlenecks and optimize database queries for faster response times. Consider cloud services for auto-scaling capabilities, allowing resources to adjust dynamically to demand. By proactively preparing, you can maintain performance under high traffic conditions.