Graeme’s Blog

When choosing a web hosting company, there are several primary concerns. Cost, of course, will always be an issue, as will allotted server space and up time. Behind the scenes, however, the operating system and programming language(s) utilised in a hosting environment are both extremely important factors and should always be considered when making your choice.

Options abound with regard to operating systems, including Unix/Linux and Windows as well as Solaris and Mac OS. Likewise, there are many scripting language choices, including PHP, ASP/VBscript, .Net, Perl, Python, JSP (Java Server Pages), among others. Deciding which of these options to use, not to mention which web server software and database management system you’ll use, can be daunting if you’re looking to start your first website or if you’re not a programmer by trade. Luckily, there is a nearly perfect option for newbies and hard-core programmers alike that offers many advantages. That solution? LAMP.

LAMP is an acronym that stands for Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, a “software stack” that bundled together forms what may be the perfect hosting environment for everything from the simplest website to the most complex multi-server web application. Though the advent of cPanel and other web hosting control panels makes it relatively unimportant for the average website owner to fully understand his or her web hosting arrangement, understanding the basics is very helpful. Here’s a breakdown of the LAMP environment, by components:

Linux: The operating system, Linux is often described as “Unix like” in nature. It differs from Windows, the second most popular web hosting operating system, in a variety of ways, though one major advantage is the ability to customise Linux installations to your specific hardware (the web server, in this case).

Apache: This is the actual Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server. It’s open source, meaning that you don’t have to pay anything for it (thus keeping hosting costs down). It’s also a perfect compliment to Linux in a hosting environment.

MySQL: This is the database element, and is owned by Sun Microsystems. MySQL can be downloaded and utilised for free also, and is powerful option for any database-driven website.

PHP: This is the scripting language that allows so much flexibility in modern websites. It allows the creation of dynamic web pages, whereby the user’s web browser executes a program on the web server prior to serving the file or “page” that the user is requesting. PHP scripting interacts with a database to perform these executions (“queries” of the database) and is most often coupled with MySQL.

Now that we know exactly what LAMP is, it’s also worthwhile to know WHY it’s an excellent choice for your hosting environment. While there are many reasons to use the LAMP stack for your web server or hosting account, here are the primary advantages:

• Runs efficiently and quickly and is generally less taxing on server hardware than other options, including Windows/IIS.
• There is a large talent base to draw from in the event that you require custom coding for website or application.
• Open Source means that the LAMP stack is free or inexpensive, so licensing fees for each element (operating system, web server, database and scripting language) are minimal or non-existent.
• Many popular, easy-to-use applications that small website owners frequently use are coded to work primarily with LAMP. Among these are WordPress, vBulletin, phpBB, Drupal, Mambo, and a wide array of others.
• Works well with cPanel and other control panel setups that allow users to easily manage their websites.

If you’re considering switching web hosts, or doing research as you decide where to host your website or what type of hosting you need, keep in mind the back-end environment offered. LetsHost proudly runs our web servers using the LAMP software combination.