Debt - Schedule of Interest Expense (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amortization of debt discounts and issuance costs	$ 1,170	$ 17,504	$ 3,507	$ 52,029
Capitalization of interest expense	(84)	(937)	(211)	(2,745)
Total interest expense	2,785	18,144	8,412	54,015
Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest on debt instruments	261	141	804	421
Convertible Debt \| 2025 Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest on debt instruments	360	358	1,078	1,076
Convertible Debt \| 2027 Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest on debt instruments	$ 1,078	$ 1,078	$ 3,234	$ 3,234

Increase for accrued, but unpaid interest on the debt instrument for the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(f))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentIncreaseAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest costs capitalized disclosed as an adjusting item to interest costs incurred.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalizedAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total interest costs incurred during the period and either capitalized or charged against earnings.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestCostsIncurred
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124435984&loc=d3e28555-108399

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126901519&loc=d3e8736-108599

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (210.5-03(11))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126953954&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=akam_ConvertibleSeniorNotesDue2025Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=akam_ConvertibleSeniorNotesDue2027Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: