LINUX HELP FOR BEGINNERS

The first thing you must decide regarding web hosting is what platform to use. The type of database or scripting language that you use will coincide with the kind of web hosting plan you choose. Linux web hosting has been the primary choice for most developers and powers most of the web. This is due to the various benefits it offers for website development.

For beginners or people interested in coming up with a website, such as a blog site or shopping cart, using Linux is much easier. Features, like having an inquiry form on the website or managing online shopping, are better handled by Linux. If there are no specified requirements, you should consider Linux web hosting.

You might also be interested in using a Linux Platform if you are using any of the following development languages:

• PHP
• Perl
• MySQL
• Python
• XML
• Ruby
• WordPress

If you are new to the world of web hosting, you will find Linux very attractive because it is open-source software and involves no costs. If you are looking for free open-source applications, Linux is the best option, as it provides several free desktop applications, snippets, tools, etc. This results in a drastic fall in your expenses compared to Windows web hosting.

It has been observed that Linux-based web servers have an edge over others because of their stability and robustness. Supported uptime is generally very high — almost 99.9% of system uptime can be achieved by properly managing the other factors (like power supply, technical support staff’s competence and network load).

If you need to move a site from a Linux-based platform to a Windows-based server, it will not be a huge problem. But doing it the other way around is very difficult.

Any file extension can be used in a website hosted by a Linux-based server (be it .html, .php, .xml, shtml or .cgi). Linux does not always work well with Windows-based applications. Thus, when deciding which platform to choose, you need to be well-informed about the specific requirements of the website being developed.

When we develop a new website, it is inevitable that as its popularity increases, there will be an impending demand for it to grow. The customers’ or clients’ various requirements will determine the dynamics of the website, and its pages will increase accordingly. Websites must be scalable without any significant changes. A Linux-based server ensures this.

Due to its evident advantages, Linux remains the uncrowned king of the web-hosting world.