Linux, cPanel, and PHP Hosting

It doesn't matter what type of website you arecontrol panel for Windows, and cPanel is the leading
setting up. Sooner or later, you must make a decisioncontrol panel for Linux servers. Both control panels
on the type of hosting platform that you would likeoffer sophisticated features. You can use file
to use. That means you will have to choose the typemanagers to manage files, create databases, create
of server that you site will be hosted on (Windowsemail accounts, read emails online, and more.
or Linux), the control panel (Plesk, cPanel, HELM), and3) Programming languages.
programming language. Let's explore these options.Your final buying decision depends a lot on your
1) Type of server.choice of programming language. Of course, the
You can choose between a Windows machine, or adevelopment environment has a lot to do with the
Linux machine. Windows has become moredeveloper's background and experience. If PHP is the
competitive in recent years with the release of apreferred language, then a Linux server with cPanel
more user friendly control panel. The features haveas the control panel would be the ideal combination.
also been greatly improved. You will want to chooseAlthough Windows support PHP, you still want to
a Windows environment to work in if you are mainlyavoid using Windows to run a PHP powered site.
using Windows related products, services, andThat's because there are still some features that you
programming languages. For instance, if your entirecan't really run on a Windows machine. For instance,
website is developed using ASP.NET, then you needyou cannot create cron jobs on a Windows server,
to have a Windows server.but you can do so easily on a Linux server. A cron
The other type of server that you can use is a Linuxjob is an automated command that is issued to the
server. A Linux server has been known to be moremachine at regular intervals. It can be created
robust and reliable. Since Linux is an open source OS,manually in cPanel, or using a script.
you can expect hosting to be more affordable. InIt appears that PHP is winning market share because
fact, the OS is so powerful that almost anything canthe programming language is open source, easy to
be done on Linux servers. This is an immenselylearn, and doesn't require any complicated software.
powerful OS and is most suitable for programmingIn other words, almost anyone can pick up and
languages like Perl or PHP.programming language. In fact, if you start hiring
2) Admin control panel.freelancers, you realize that many PHP programmers
Even for the same OS, there are several controlare self-taught. They just pick things up as they
panels available. Customers have been complaining forwork on various projects on the Internet.
years due to a lack of user friendly control panels.Consider the pros and cons carefully before signing
However, the control panels have stabilized duringup for a hosting account.
the past couple of years. Today, HELM is the leading