Windows Hosting vs Linux Hosting for ASP.NET: Which Is Best?

[johny899]

It can be tricky choosing a hosting platform for your ASP.NET application. I've been in your shoes; I have seen the "Windows Hosting" and "Linux Hosting" labels and wondered which option would be best. Based on my experiences, these are my thoughts on the subject.

Why It Matters​

When I hosted my first ASP.NET application on a Linux server, I made the mistake of thinking, "It's cheaper and faster, so why not do it?" It was a bad decision; I ran into error messages on my web application that took me hours to fix. That's when I learned that selecting a good web host is essential to the success of your ASP.NET application.

What Is Windows Hosting?​

When to Use Windows Hosting

When you are building an ASP.NET or .NET Core application, hosting on a Windows-based system will make your life easier. In my experience, Windows hosting:

• Is compatible with all ASP.NET features.
• Makes deploying ASP.NET applications seamless via the IIS web server interface.
• Provides a direct connection to MS SQL Server.
• Is designed specifically for use by .NET developers.

With Windows hosting, I do not run into any issues; everything functions correctly.

Things To Consider​

• More expensive than Linux Web Hosting
• More resource usage per server, meaning larger applications will require more benefit from your web hosting plan.
• Not as much flexibility with using the command line if that's how you like to work.

Benefits of Linux Hosting: Cost Effective and Flexible​

Linux hosting is less expensive and highly flexible. Applications running on Linux also have access to fast Linux Server Functions; therefore, they take advantage of this functionality when you develop:

• Cross-platform code with .NET Core
• Utilizing fast Linux features
• Utilizing MySQL or any available open-source database
• Many small .NET Core applications hosted on Linux perform just fine; however, you should develop your application according to cross-platform guidelines.

Watch for Issues​

• The classic ASP.NET applications will have problems.
• The Internet Information Services (IIS) features are not available in the Cloud version and many installations are more difficult because of this.
• You may find it difficult to get assistance from Microsoft when you have .NET-related issue.=

Which Is the Best Choice?​

• Classic ASP.NET = Windows hosting. It is the most simple and secure option.

• .NET Core = Linux hosting. It will save you money and help you grow faster when you learn how to use it effectively.

Conclusion​

The type of hosting you choose is based on the type of application you are developing. If you want to avoid issues with classic ASP.NET, select a Windows hosting provider. If you want the ability to grow and develop flexibility in the future, select a Linux hosting provider for .NET Core applications.