Linux Web Hosting

Linux Web Hosting is so-called because of its operating system (OS) – it is not an actual class of hosting service. Linux is an OS, the same category of software as Windows and MacOS.

As an OS used all through the Internet’s backbone, Linux enjoys a big, old market share in Internet services, including web hosting. It is a popular choice among free web software techies, which is a factor for most small web stores. Its popularity with web hosting geeks is so great, we almost want to say, ”Linux web hosting: say yes, unless you’re sure you don’t need this.”

But for best results, it’s not that simple.

Why buy Linux web hosting: The main factor on whether to choose Linux for your web hosting OS, is the preferences of your regular tech help. Linux web hosting plans are very popular among some of the web staff you may hire or use apps from – and the availability of skills and apps may depend on that choice.

Which brings us to software. Like desktop computer apps, server software and web apps may work in one OS, but not the other. Many web apps do work on all OSs. Most of the free, open source web platforms, were written with Linux in mind. Professional-grade web platforms are about evenly split between Windows or Linux being the ”most-compatible” OS.

Where all this tech talk meets your money: Most web apps run on all of the big three: Windows, MacOS, and Linux. But, full feature-completeness, performance, and stability of an app, can greatly vary outside its programmer’s favored OS.

When websites make money, when they get successful, they slow down from sheer popularity. If there are other performance factors, from OS/app mismatches, your pages will load slower and slower, as your site gets more and more popular.

There is also a combined factor, if running a Windows-preferred web app on a Linux web host (or vice versa) – how easy/hard will it be to find a Windows server admin skilled in a Linux web app?

Bottom line: Seek detailed research and advice from your techie, for best results from your choice of OS on the web host.

What to expect: Unless you’re the techie, you probably won’t know the difference from its usage. If you mainly interact with your web server using cPanel, Virtuozzo, webmail, and your hosting provider’s account managers, there’s no difference to notice – at least, not built-into the mere fact you chose Linux.

Any differences between ”what you’re used to,” and a new Linux web hosting environment, will come from the hosting company’s skill at prepping the server OS for new customers.

Costs: Apart from feature packages, there’s rarely any difference in cost due to using Linux hosting vs another OS. If there’s a difference in price due to OS choice, rather than a difference in added features, that’s odd, and might be a sign of a smaller, newer web hosting shop that only has confident staff for one OS.