Prebid Server
Prebid Server is an open-source server-side header bidding solution that enables publishers to manage programmatic advertising auctions on the server rather than in the user's browser. It acts as a centralized auction platform that receives bid requests from ad exchanges and returns winning bids to the publisher's ad server. This approach reduces page latency, improves user experience, and provides greater control over the auction process compared to client-side implementations.
Developers should learn Prebid Server when building or maintaining ad tech systems for publishers who need to optimize programmatic revenue while minimizing page load times. It's particularly valuable for high-traffic websites where client-side header bidding can cause performance issues, and for implementing advanced features like unified auctions across multiple ad formats. Use cases include integrating with ad servers like Google Ad Manager, managing demand from multiple SSPs (Supply-Side Platforms), and ensuring GDPR/CCPA compliance through server-side consent handling.