Home Hosting Difference between Linux and Windows Web Hosting

Difference between Linux and Windows Web Hosting

by rigotechnology
difference between linux and windows hosting

In order to maximize your business potential and for security purposes, you may have heard about Linux hosting and Windows hosting.

However, the distinction between both hosting is something that you should know before you even begin to consider web hosting services.

This article will break down the essential differences between Windows and Linux hosting in simple explanation.

What is Linux Hosting

Linux is an open-source platform where webhosting is done with the help of Linux based server. In Linux platforms, the source code can be edited, altered and redistributed.

Linux based webhosting is reputed for being reliable with high stability, flexibility. It is also a secure system being an open-source platform and comes at a relatively lower cost. It also allows for customization for users and server capability.

Advantages of Linux Hosting

  1. Linux hosting service is one of the most reasonable and affordable options.
  2. Linux hosting is highly stable, safe and secure system that allows for flexibility with the use of open source technologies like Apache, PHP, and MySQL.
  3. Linux systems are highly versatile and allows for dynamic changes at any given time, considering its compatibility with various databases.

Disadvantages of Linux Hosting

  1. Linux web hosting is not compatible with several primary Windows-based scripting applications and technology, programming languages like ASP and its extensions.
  2. Linux servers do not support porting of websites that have been scripted or designed for a Windows environment or background.

Web hosting with Linux should be completely planned activity with proper research and a thoughtful consideration to various aspects like bandwidth, domain, and affordability.

What is Windows Hosting

Windows hosting refers to web hosting server that runs on the Windows OS. This allows the website pages to have access to web development features of Windows.

Advantages of Windows Web Hosting

  1. This is a Microsoft-Friendly Option that allows various products and tools of Microsoft like FrontPage and ASP to function properly. Usage of Microsoft Exchange for efficient management of emails and Microsoft SharePoint also becomes possible for better collaboration between team members.
  2. Windows Hosting offer excellent quality and makes it much easier to use ASP.
  3. This is a powerful and simple web hosting tool that allows you to manage the server and scale it without any security concerns. The usage of user- friendly Plesk control panel make it easier to update the website as needed.
  4. This system is highly compatible with various content management systems like WordPress and Joomla, open-source tools like MySQL and PHP.
  5. Windows webhosting is a reasonable solution considering the various features it has.
  6.  Windows hosting business offers a 99.9% uptime guarantee

Exabytes as a competent web hosting company can help overcome the stability issues in Windows Webhosting with proper maintenance and planning.

Disadvantages of Windows Hosting

  1. Windows webhosting is not very secure as a system considering that they are more vulnerable to various ransomware attacks.
  2. Windows hosting is a relatively expensive web hosting system. However with all the features and given all the benefits and features it comes with.
  3. It is relatively less stable system, less dependable and often is restarted when multiple programs and process are run together and can lead to systems crash. However, Windows servers have improved over time and can only improve with technology developments as time passes.

Linux and Windows Web Hosting can be used on any systems.  Windows Hosting account can be run ona MacBook, similarly a Linux Hosting account on a Windows laptop. Popular web apps like WordPress can be run well on both Linux or Windows Hosting.

One of the most important aspects of purchasing web hosting is to decide if one should opt for a server with Linux operating systems or a Windows based operating system. Exabytes as a hosting provider offers both plans for customers to choose from.

What is the difference between Linux and Windows web hosting?

Here are the key differences between Linux hosting and Windows hosting to help you decide which one is best for you:

The Cost 

Linux as an operating system does not have a license cost. It is open source unless some specific enterprise editions are used. Windows on the other hand is a licensed operating system (OS) – Microsoft charges for the OS to be used.

If one is looking for a cheap website hosting solution, Linux would be the first choice.

Acceptance & Popularity 

As of 2020, 70% of all websites on the internet are hosted on a Unix based operating system. Linux, which is an open-source version of UNIX, hosts approximately 42% of all websites that are UNIX based. Windows is used by 28% of all websites.

Server-Side Applications

The coding language used for developing an application or a service has the biggest impact in choosing the hosting platform of your choice. Some programming languages work on Linux only, some run on Windows while there are a few which works on both.

Linux Specific list – Python, Perl, CGI, WordPress, WYSIWYG

Windows Specific list – ASP, .NET, ASP.NET, MS-SQL, MS, Access, Visual Basic

Common List – PHP, MySQL

Hosting Control Panels

Linux has a wide variety of popular hosting control panels which it works with. This includes WHM / cPanel, Plesk, Webmin, OpenPanel, Kloxo, VHCS etc.

Windows hosting, compared to Linux plans, have a limited number of control panels one could choose. These include Plesk, Website Panel, MSP among others.

File Names

On a Linux server, file names are case sensitive. For example – exabytes.home and Exabytes.Home are two different files.

A windows server does not distinguish between cases of names. Exabytes.MY and exabytes.my are both same names.

How to Decide Which Hosting Package Should Be Bought?

It all boils down to individual needs. While the above factors and aspects should be considered, the decision to buy should be purely based on the product being sold or the service being provided.

If the website must be coded using ASP.NET and with MS-SQL as the database of choice, then a windows plan works best. For services which can be written up using PHP or with a CMS like WordPress – Linux hosting with cPanel works like a charm!

Related topic: What is ASP.NET framework?

Exabytes provides Linux hosting with cPanel control panel as well as windows hosting with Plesk control panel. The webhosting programs from Exabytes allows our esteemed customers enjoy premium features at an affordable rate along with a high-level of customer support and service,

 

You may also like

Platform Slot Gacor CMS Checker