Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Linux vs. Windows web hosting

If you have been looking around for web hosting, you have surely come across the option of choosing whether to use Windows or Linux as a web hosting platform, and choosing the right one for you can be really confusing if you’re new to web hosting. Keep reading to find out all you need to know before you make a choice.


Everybody knows Windows: the operating system made by the software giant Microsoft, but not everybody knows Linux, the open source operating system developed by its users. Signing up for web hosting is basically renting a computer, so when you have to choose whether to use Linux or Windows, you are choosing what operating system to use on the server. Many beginners choose Windows because it’s made by an experienced software maker, but you should know that Linux is just as stable even more stable as windows most of the time. Now let’s find out what you get with each one.

Linux

Most web hosts use Linux as a platform. Not only because it’s easier to maintain, but also because it is open source (anyone can modify it to fit their needs) and it is also free, meaning that it is both cheaper for the end user and the web hosting company. Now, what do you get with Linux? You get the most basic options a website needs. Every Linux platform should be able to support the most popular publishing engines such as Joomla, Wordpress, or Mambo. The main features you get with a Linux platform are PHP and MySQL support, as well as the Apache web server. Because Linux is so stable, Linux platforms usually have the highest up time. Linux also supports lots of free applications and scripts, and you get better control of your files (which makes it more customizable).

Let’s find out what you get if you use Windows. ‘

Windows

Windows offers you much more advanced features and applications. Because it’s made by Microsoft, it integrates well with other Microsoft products. For example, if you made your website with FrontPage, or any other website builder made by Microsoft, hosting that website with a Windows server will be much easier than if you used Microsoft. You also get to use ASP, .NET, and other Microsoft programming languages, but that is for more advanced users. You will still be able to use Joomla, Mambo, and other similar engines, as Windows is compatible with PHP and MySQL. You don’t get the Apache server (a Wordpress requirement), you get the IIS Web Server instead. Some say that getting started with Windows is easier, but Linux web hosting has improved drastically over time.

Those are the most basic things you need to know about Linux and Windows web hosting. Choosing between the two can be a tedious task, but if you don’t need fancy programming languages and software, Linux should be enough. Windows, in the other hand, is better when it comes to integrating websites made with Windows software. Choose wisely!

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