---
title: Fundamental Concepts
product: vercel
url: /docs/fundamentals
type: conceptual
prerequisites:
  []
related:
  - /docs/fundamentals/infrastructure
  - /docs/fundamentals/builds
  - /docs/fundamentals/what-is-compute
summary: Learn about fundamental concepts on Vercel.
install_vercel_plugin: npx plugins add vercel/vercel-plugin
---

# Vercel fundamental concepts

The articles below explain core concepts that shape how Vercel works:

**Request Lifecycle**: Learn how requests flow through Vercel's global network, from user to response. Covers global load balancing, security layers, caching, and compute. [Learn more →](/docs/fundamentals/infrastructure)

**Build System**: Learn how Vercel transforms your source code into optimized assets. Covers framework detection, build environments, and caching. [Learn more →](/docs/fundamentals/builds)

**What is Compute?**: Understand how Vercel manages building, rendering, and on-demand tasks. Covers servers, serverless, and Fluid compute. [Learn more →](/docs/fundamentals/what-is-compute)


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