name: Hosting
description: Choose and manage web hosting services for websites and apps without server administration.
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Web Hosting Guidance
Choosing the Right Type
Static sites (HTML, CSS, JS only): Use Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages, GitHub Pages β free tier often enough, no server management
Dynamic sites with backend: Platform hosting (Railway, Render, Fly.io) handles servers without manual management
WordPress or PHP: Managed WordPress hosts (WP Engine, Kinsta) or traditional shared hosting
E-commerce: Shopify or platform-specific hosting β payment security is not worth DIY risk
Don't recommend VPS to someone uncomfortable with terminal β managed hosting exists for a reason
Shared Hosting Reality
"Unlimited" bandwidth and storage always have fair use limits β read the terms
Performance depends on neighbors β bad neighbors slow your site
SSH access may be limited or unavailable β verify before assuming
Cron jobs and background processes often restricted
Fine for small sites and blogs β not for growing businesses
Platform Hosting (Vercel, Netlify, Railway, etc.)
Free tiers have limits β check build minutes, bandwidth, function invocations
Serverless functions have cold start latency β first request after idle is slow
Vendor lock-in varies β static files portable, platform-specific features less so
Preview deployments per branch are invaluable for review workflows
Environment variables configured in dashboard β never commit secrets to repo
Database Considerations
Most platform hosts don't include databases β need separate provider (PlanetScale, Supabase, Neon)
Database location should match app location β cross-region latency hurts performance
Connection pooling often required for serverless β direct connections exhaust limits
Backups may or may not be included β verify and test restore process
Domain and DNS
Hosting provider often offers DNS β but separating them gives flexibility
Point nameservers to host: simpler setup, less control
Point A/CNAME records: more control, slightly more complex
SSL certificates usually automatic with modern hosts β verify HTTPS works after setup
Email Separation
Web hosting and email hosting are different services β can use different providers
Don't rely on free email with web hosting β often limited and unreliable
Google Workspace, Zoho, or dedicated email providers are more reliable
MX records for email don't affect web hosting
Backups
Managed hosts usually include backups β verify frequency and retention
Download periodic backups locally β host backups don't help if host goes away
Know the restore process before you need it
Database backups separate from file backups β need both
Cost Awareness
Monthly vs yearly billing β annual often 20-40% cheaper but commits you
Traffic spikes can trigger overage fees β understand the billing model
Free tiers often enough for side projects β don't overpay for unused capacity
Compare total cost including add-ons β base price rarely tells the whole story
Migration Readiness
Keep content in portable formats β avoid excessive platform-specific features
Document how the current setup works β needed when moving
Export data regularly β don't assume you can always access it
DNS propagation takes up to 48 hours β plan migrations with overlap
Common Mistakes
Choosing by price alone β support quality matters when things break
Not testing staging before production β preview environments prevent disasters
Ignoring geographic location β hosting in US for European users adds latency
Assuming backups exist β verify and test before you need them
Overcomplicating for small sites β a blog doesn't need Kubernetes
