How to choose between Windows hosting and Linux hosting?

Web hosting plays a major role in determining the success of a website. Although there are various types of services offered by service providers, Linux hosting and Windows hosting services are among the most popular. The former is a type of web hosting that runs on Linux, an open source operating system that is cheaper than others. Many of the companies generally offer hosting services that run on the Linux platform. It is cheap and capable of running scripts in varied programming languages. It can also be used for running websites that are developed on platforms like PHP, Joomla and Ruby on Rails. Windows hosting services is a new form of hosting service that is offered by web hosting service providers. It runs on Microsoft Windows platform and has gained popularity as it can run scripts on ASP and .Net.

Linux vs. Windows hosting services

Linux and Windows are two different types of operating systems, and among them, the former is the most popular operating system among web servers. Linux-based hosting has a higher number of features than Windows hosting services and thus, a higher preference in users. The major difference between the two operating systems is that Linux is an open source hosting service whereas Windows is not. The security factor usually depends on the quality of the administrator. Although, Linux is more secure than Windows, a similar level of security can be achieved if the latter well administered.

Things to consider while choosing between Linux hosting and Windows hosting 

1. Reliability: Linux hosting is considered to be more reliable than Windows hosting as it can run several scripts, irrespective of the platform that is used to develop the website. In the case of Windows hosting, it can only run scripts like ASP and .Net.
2. Price: Windows hosting is costlier than Linux hosting as it is not an open source OS, which makes the latter more preferred than the former.
3. Control Panels: Linux hosting has a more user-friendly interface with respect to control panels than Windows. However, Windows hosting also has a good interface but is relatively less user-friendly.
4. Security: In terms of security, Linux hosting is more secure than Windows hosting.

There are several aspects of hosting services that need to be taken into consideration before making a decision. Looking from a neutral perspective, both, Linux and Windows hosting, are good in their own right and can be used. However, with constraints like cost, user-friendliness and flexibility, Linux turns out to be the winner if there is a contest.