Linux and Windows are the most common operating systems used on webserver hosting websites. To choose between the two OS, one must know the differences and advantages of each OS. Webmasters who are new powers at times are not aware of the type of web hosting platform used on their own servers.
Linux-based plans are cheaper than Windows-based hosting. This is because Linux is open-source software (free), whereas windows is Microsoft’s proprietary software and has a license fee for its use. Linux has gained a lot of popularity and is the favorite choice of many web hosts. In addition to being cost-effective, and the web hosting platform is quite stable. But that doesn’t mean that it is the one solution for all kinds of hosting needs. Many web hosting applications also require using the Windows platform.
The world of Web Hosting is flooded with lots of packages to choose from. The first and most important decision you have to make is about the operating system or web hosting platform that will support your website. There is a fundamental difference between the visual and functional aspects of a web host server. Based on your own needs, you can judge the most suitable web hosting platform and clear all the confusion related to this. It will help you more if you can compare these two basic aspects of a server environment.
1) Software Application
If your website will choose software or applications such as ASP, NET, VB Script, Access, FrontPage, Microsoft SQL, Windows Media Streaming, etc., then it is very suitable to use a windows hosting platform.
Similarly, if your website has requests for PHP, Perl, or MySQL databases, it would be advisable to host with a Linux platform. Not that Windows can’t handle this, but it does work better in Unix and Linux or FreeBSD environments which are ideal for them.
Looking at it from a different perspective, if your website only contains a lot of static pages like those created in HTML and CSS, then either Linux or Windows can work well. Because generally, for websites like that, everyone/webmasters will choose to use a lightweight platform, and this can be returned according to your needs.
2) Price Factor
The price factor is the most easily recognizable difference between the two hosting platforms. Linux is a cheaper option compared to Windows.
Windows is Microsoft proprietary software and has a license fee for its use. The web host has to bear the extra cost to run the webserver under a Windows environment. Hence this platform is an expensive option.
On the other hand, Linux is open-source software that is free to use. For those who want to find a budget that fits the budget and is free to use, you can use Linux OS because Linux platform hosting provides a cost solution without sacrificing reliability.
3) Reliability and Safety
Both Linux and Windows provide quite reliable hosting platforms. However, between the two servers, the Linux base experienced less downtime compared to the Windows-based server. Linux platform hosting is more reliable, even though it is an open-source product, because experienced programmers can customize the source code to meet their own maintenance and work requirements. Additionally, with open source code, they can install various security add-ons to create a secure environment. This ensures lower downtime, protection from third-party viruses, hacker invasions, and, as a result, is more reliable.
Conclusion
Once a comparison is made of the features of the two types of hosting platforms, you should identify your own needs. For example, if your website demands Windows-based technology like ASP, NET, MSSQL, or any other Windows-based, then your choice should be clear with Windows platform hosting.
On the other hand, if you plan to use PHP, Perl, Python, or MySQL databases, Linux platform hosting is ideal.
In the absence of certain requirements, such as in the case where the website has the most static pages, you can choose the platform you like.
