For beginners, Linux web hosting services are probably the best option because of the low price tag attached to such services and even though you won’t be paying a great deal, you won’t be missing out on features as most Linux hosting plans are also feature-packed to guarantee you the best value for money possible. As Linux is an open source operating system, web hosting providers don’t have to pay to use it on their servers which is the main reason for Linux web hosting services being so affordable; this also means that a majority of the applications designed for the operating system are open source and this allows for developers to build on these applications where possible to create new add-ons and features that will allow them to customize the way in which such applications work. Many web hosting companies choose to use the cPanel control panel as their control panel of choice for Linux hosting customers and this alone will provide you with another benefit when using a Linux hosting package; cPanel will enable you to manage every aspect of your hosting account with ease and has been designed with beginners in mind meaning that you won’t have to be an experienced user or technically-minded in order to be able to manage a Linux web hosting account. Furthermore, you can also expect to be able to choose from a range of different Linux web hosting services as to guarantee that there will be something for all levels of user to choose from, whether you are an individual or a small or medium sized business.
What are the main benefits of choosing a Linux web hosting plan?
There are several different benefits to choosing a Linux web hosting plan as opposed to a Windows hosting plan, these benefits including:
- Cost – the lower cost of Linux web hosting plans makes them popular with beginners who may simply want to mess around with a web hosting account to begin with or developers who may want a testing environment for new projects – the open source nature of Linux and the applications available for the platform is the main reasoning behind the reduced costs, but you should note that even though a Linux web hosting plan will set you back less you are still going to be getting good value for money through the features that are offered – one thing to be aware of is that the low cost of Linux hosting has enabled pretty much anyone to start offering their own web hosting services, so it is recommended that you can be sure of the level of support that you can come to expect of your web hosting provider prior to purchasing a Linux web hosting package
- Uptime – Linux web hosting services are often seen as being more reliable than their Windows counterparts, enabling you to get on with more important tasks without having to worry about whether your website is going to be available or not – when you rely on your website to provide you with a source of income, you learn to appreciate uptime more and so if your website is mission-critical to your business then you should look for a Linux hosting service from a web hosting provider that will be able to offer you an SLA (Service Level Agreement) as this means that you can be guaranteed a certain level of uptime with the option for compensation if your web hosting provider fails to meet this level
- Features – most web hosting companies are able to offer more additional features with their Linux web hosting plans than they are with their Windows hosting plans, primarily because of the number of additional applications available to work alongside cPanel is greater than the total number of web hosting applications available for Windows servers – some of the additional features that you may find included with your Linux web hosting plan include website building applications and script auto-installers, both of which are designed to reduce the amount of time that you spend completing specific tasks including developing your website and setting up specific web applications that may be used to support your website.
What are the disadvantages of choosing Linux web hosting?
One of the main disadvantages for you to be aware of when choosing a Linux web hosting plan is the fact that Linux hosting services are offered by many web hosting companies, therefore making it harder under the most circumstances to find a web hosting plan that you feel is suitable for your requirements. The main way around this issue would be to find a web hosting company that you are sure can provide you with an acceptable level of support and then choosing one of their Linux web hosting plans because at the end of the day, support and service is going to be one of your key underlying considerations.
If you are a Windows web developer then Linux web hosting services won’t be able to support the web applications that you develop meaning that you will need to consider a Windows web hosting plan for your requirements. This is because Windows web developers generally use technologies such as ASP.NET and Microsoft SQL Server, both of which have been developed by Microsoft and are only available for the Windows platform; although there are applications available that will add ASP support to Linux servers, the support offered is often very limited and will never match the support and performance provided by a Windows server.
In conclusion, you should choose a Linux web hosting package if you are looking for a cost-effective web hosting service that will provide you with a feature-packed web hosting package and good value for money. Regardless of whether you are after a shared web hosting plan or a VPS server or dedicated server, Linux is available will all major forms of web hosting so that whatever your exact requirements may be, there will be a web hosting package available that suits your budget ideally.
