When we start web development we often get this question Should I choose Windows hosting or Linux hosting? For either kind of hosting, you use a web browser like Firefox, Chrome or Safari to manage your account and websites. So you can run your Windows Hosting account from a MacBook, or a Linux Hosting account from a Windows laptop. You can install popular web apps like WordPress on Linux or Windows Hosting. It doesn’t matter!
Should I pick Linux Hosting?
For most people, Linux Hosting is a great choice because it supports just about everything you need or want in your website from WordPress blogs to online stores and more.
- You don’t need to know Linux to use Linux Hosting.
- You use cPanel to manage your Linux Hosting account and websites in any web browser.
Should I pick Windows Hosting?
Windows Hosting also supports just about everything most people need or want in their websites.
- You must use Windows Hosting if you need or want to use MS-SQL databases, ASP.NET, or .NET Core on your website. These all require Windows OS running on your server.
- You use Plesk to manage your Windows Hosting account and websites in any web browser.
Software & Languages Supported by Linux Hosting with cPanel
| Software & Languages | Latest Version |
|---|---|
| Apache | 2.4.46 |
| cURL | 7.83.0 |
| MySQL | 8.0 |
| PHP | 5.6 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 (default) 7.4 8.0 8.1 |
| PEAR | 1.10.13 |
| Perl | 5.34.1 |
| phpMyAdmin | 5.1.3 |
| Python | 3.10.4 |
| Zend | 3.2.0 |
Software & Languages Supported by Windows Hosting with Plesk
| Component | Latest Version |
|---|---|
| MS Windows Server | 2012/2012 R2/2016/2019/2022 |
| ASP | 3.0 (VBScript version 5.8) |
| ASP.NET | 2.0 (also supports 3.0 and 3.5) 4.0 (also supports 4.5) 4.6.2 5.0 |
| cURL | 7.59.0 (PHP 5.6) 7.7.0 (PHP 7.3) |
| IIS | 8.0/8.5 |
| MSSQL | Europe & Asia: MSSQL 2014-2019 North America: MSSQL 2012 or 2014-2019 |
| MySQL | 5.5.43,5.6,5.7 |
| .NET Core | 1, 1.1 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 3.0, 3.1 5.0 |
| PHP | 7.3, 7.4, 8.0 |
Further, check with your web developer to make sure of the development environment, but if you don’t have a developer or you’re just not sure what MS-SQL, ASP.NET, and .NET Core are… go with Linux Hosting.
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