Which Web Hosting is Better : Linux Hosting OR Windows Hosting?

What is Windows or Linux? Operating Systems; often referred to as OS. True. Isn’t it? So it means that the computers that run on a certain operating system, needs that particular web hosting? No. You can choose any OS for your website hosting. What matters is the application, development tools you are going to use and other plug-ins you care to have on your website. Hence, what you need to worry about is choosing a correct OS.

There are several aspects on which I’d like to draw a comparison in order to explore both these options.

Web Design

As far as this aspect is concerned, Linux Web Hosting is a far better choice than Windows Web Hosting. Linux Servers has a vast choice and options for WordPress Website Hosting and other applications. Also, Linux have almost all the varied features of web design that web designers look for. So from this aspect, Linux is the winner.

Development Tools

Linux is a good to go OS if you are looking for PHP, Python, Pearl and MS SQL as your development tools and database. Not all of these are compatible with Windows. However, ASP, ASP.net and such are available for either of these OS. Apart from this, Dreamweaver and WY SIWYG is other apps supported only by Linux Hosting. But not to forget, Windows Server is a good option for CMS (Content Management System) with ASP.net.

Stability & Reliability

Stability and Up-Time are the more important factor when it comes to web hosting as lot many sites’ availability depends on that of the server.

• Linux is considered to be more stable than what windows can ever be. It is likely to crash lesser than Windows server.
• Linux has a better reputation, and gives better speed, stability and hence is reliable. There used to be time, when there hasn’t been even a single downtime for Linux servers throughout the year. So now I’ll leave it to you to draw conclusions.

Security

When most of the reputed sites can be hacked into one can never gamble with the security or put it on a loose. Security is one thing that can never be compromised with. Looking from this point of view, Linux Hosting offers a customization of security for the server. Windows Hosting can do that too, but it is a little complicated for the checks.

Skills

Well to put it straight, I’d just say, nothing comes for free and one ought to master the skills for any random thing, in order to enable himself/herself to obtain dexterity over it. So whether you are going to use Linux hosting or Windows hosting it doesn’t matter, you’ll be bound to obtain and learn the necessary skills and impart those training to the people working for a better result.

Economics

Since Linux Server supports most of the software that are open source the cost of Linux hosting is drastically reduced as that of Windows Server. Anyway, Windows hosting isn’t also so costly either, and there are several hosts competing with each other and hence, in my opinion, financial factors in this case should not be the deciding factor. Of course it matters a lot to your business, but not as much a critical factor as there are others, while you are weighing factors for choosing the OS for hosting.

SUMMERY

Thus in my opinion, Linux Hosting is a big and a clear ‘GO’, in most of these above listed factors, which almost cover all the criteria unless you are looking for some particular windows applications to run on your website.