Even though most every aspect of our modern world is heavily influenced by the web, the truth of the matter is most folks have next to no idea how the web really works – even if they own and operate their own websites!
In the most basic overview the entire internet is little more than a collection of digital services that are offered by datacenter solutions, tied to one another through Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that connect one server and its data to another instantaneously all over the world.
And while you could definitely drill down into the specifics of how the internet comes together, how it works, and how it may operate in the future as it continues to grow and evolve, the most important thing to understand is how domain names and web hosting works – particularly if you are looking to set up your own website today.
That’s where this quick guide covering the basics of Linux web hosting comes into play.
Let’s dive right in!
Linux Hosting 101
Linux itself just might be the world’s most popular open sourced operating system, but it is certainly the most popular operating system when it comes to web hosting providers.
The open source nature of this platform allows it to be easily modified, adapted, and redistributed over both commercial and noncommercial means. This is a huge benefit for web hosting companies that do not want to have to purchase individual operating system licenses for the servers and platforms that they operate (a big piece of the puzzle behind the popularity of Linux hosting).
On top of that, however, Linux hosting also provides a lot more freedom in how it can be deployed and how it can be leveraged. This is especially true when you compare it to the other more popular hosting OS in Windows.
Stacked up against one another it’s obvious that Linux provides greater levels of customization, greater server capabilities, and a lot more backend user options than Windows does.
The biggest reason that folks choose Linux over Windows as their web hosting operating system, however, has everything to do with the types of files and functionality that Linux provides compared to Windows.
Web platforms that are anticipating using ASP, .NET, and Microsoft Access type files will want to look closer into using a Windows environment as these tools have been specifically engineered to work wonders with that operating system.
On the other hand, these files and functionalities aren’t quite as popular in the broader web landscape. Instead, PHP, Perl, MySQL, and a host of other foundational Web 2.0 technologies that make our modern internet run are a lot more comfortable on a Linux platform. They are easier to deploy, easier to leverage, and easier to make the most of (though many of them will run on Windows, just not as well).
How To Know If Linux Is Right For You
As a general rule, the odds are pretty good that Linux is going to be the way you want to go when taking advantage of web hosting solutions.
On top of that, because the bulk of online web hosting services out there use Linux as their foundational operating service most of the time you’ll just sort of be shoehorned into using this platform (not that there’s anything necessarily wrong with that).
However, should you be given the choice to move forward with Windows or Linux OS platforms on your new web host, here are a couple of questions to ask to determine which direction you should go in:
Are you looking for a user-friendly web hosting platform that “just works” with popular site building tools like WordPress?
Are you looking to take advantage of technology like cPanel, PHP, and WHM?
Are you interested in having numerous options when it comes to the software, script languages, and open-source technology you can use on your web host platform?
Are you looking for an inexpensive option for robust web hosting?
If you answered YES to any of those questions the odds are pretty good that you’ll want to move forward with a Linux set up.
If, on the other hand, your only really interested in using Microsoft closed source technology on your host – or need to “hook” into Windows or Office programs via your web host – you may need to move forward with Windows hosting.
Then again, there are some pretty crafty Linux workarounds that you can use as well (with all the other advantages of using Linux as your web host).
Closing Thoughts
At the end of the day, Linux is responsible for powering over 70% of all web servers globally.
When you look at the advanced security, basic toolset, lack of bugs and susceptibility to online attacks, effortless administration, and robust technical support – not to mention the inexpensive cost of setting a Linux web server up and getting it running – it’s easy to see why it is so popular.
As we highlighted above there are plenty of reasons to move forward with Linux as your web hosting operating system. There’s a lot to fall in love with when it comes to this amazing open-source platform with new tools being designed and developed to make even more of Linux every day.