Web Hosting Guidance

Choosing the Right Type

• Static sites (HTML, CSS, JS only): Use Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages, GitHub Pages — 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 — payment security is not worth DIY risk
• Don't recommend VPS to someone uncomfortable with terminal — managed hosting exists for a reason

Shared Hosting Reality

• "Unlimited" bandwidth and storage always have fair use limits — read the terms
• Performance depends on neighbors — bad neighbors slow your site
• SSH access may be limited or unavailable — verify before assuming
• Cron jobs and background processes often restricted
• Fine for small sites and blogs — not for growing businesses

Platform Hosting (Vercel, Netlify, Railway, etc.)

• Free tiers have limits — check build minutes, bandwidth, function invocations
• Serverless functions have cold start latency — first request after idle is slow
• Vendor lock-in varies — static files portable, platform-specific features less so
• Preview deployments per branch are invaluable for review workflows
• Environment variables configured in dashboard — never commit secrets to repo

Database Considerations

• Most platform hosts don't include databases — need separate provider (PlanetScale, Supabase, Neon)
• Database location should match app location — cross-region latency hurts performance
• Connection pooling often required for serverless — direct connections exhaust limits
• Backups may or may not be included — verify and test restore process

Domain and DNS

• Hosting provider often offers DNS — 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 — verify HTTPS works after setup

Email Separation

• Web hosting and email hosting are different services — can use different providers
• Don't rely on free email with web hosting — 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 — verify frequency and retention
• Download periodic backups locally — host backups don't help if host goes away
• Know the restore process before you need it
• Database backups separate from file backups — need both

Cost Awareness

• Monthly vs yearly billing — annual often 20-40% cheaper but commits you
• Traffic spikes can trigger overage fees — understand the billing model
• Free tiers often enough for side projects — don't overpay for unused capacity
• Compare total cost including add-ons — base price rarely tells the whole story

Migration Readiness

• Keep content in portable formats — avoid excessive platform-specific features
• Document how the current setup works — needed when moving
• Export data regularly — don't assume you can always access it
• DNS propagation takes up to 48 hours — plan migrations with overlap

Common Mistakes

• Choosing by price alone — support quality matters when things break
• Not testing staging before production — preview environments prevent disasters
• Ignoring geographic location — hosting in US for European users adds latency
• Assuming backups exist — verify and test before you need them
• Overcomplicating for small sites — a blog doesn't need Kubernetes