Finding good web hosting for developers can be a daunting task depending on what you want to do. With all the new frameworks/applications out there it is hard for web hosts to do a one size fits all approach. Hosts are moving to meet the needs of customers who want to embrace Ruby on Rails ( RoR ), Django, Mongrel, Plone, Drupal, Svn, Trac, Turbogears, etc. We will go over the different hosting options and some hosts who may be able to fit your needs.
Shared Hosts:
Webfaction ( http://www.webfaction.com )
TextDrive / Joyent ( http://www.textdrive.com )
MediaTemple ( http://www.mediatemple.net )
Segpub ( http://www.segpub.com )
ASmallOrange ( http://www.asmallorange.com )
Dreamhost ( http://www.dreamhost.com )
VPS / Managed VPS:
Slicehost ( http://www.slicehost.com )
Engineyard ( http://www.engineyard.com )
VPSlink ( http://www.vpslink.com )
Shared Hosts
Many developers are not system administrators so a shared host that can fit their needs definitely has its advantages. It also allows the developer to focus on their website/application rather than having to worry about administrative tasks. Cost savings can also be significant for people with tight budgets working on smaller projects.
Webfaction is a web host who is really trying to work with developers. They offer many applications/frameworks right out of the box with their own custom control panel. While I do recommend WebFaction to everyone I worry about their new plans which oversell like crazy and could hurt performance in the future. Overall if you are a developer and need hosting I would go with these guys.
TextDrive was started with seed capital from customers by selling lifetime accounts and has grown to be a decent sized host. One of their key selling points is their connector which allows for better team collaboration. I have been following them for a while and my recommendation is to stay away. As I type right now the Joyent website is down and this is basically how their service goes. If you do a Google search or look on their forums you’ll notice major outages on servers, clients not being responded to in tickets and planned outages not being communicated.
MediaTemple launched their GS ( Grid Server ) hosting packages to much press and praises, since then it has been all down hill. They continue to have major outages and slow downs which is sending many of their customers to other hosts. I do have to say MediaTemple has been very up front about this and has communicated very well with their customer base. They are also planning a new service called CS ( Cluster Server ) which they say will bring much better performance/reliability to their customers. As of right now I can’t recommend MediaTemple but I hope in the future they fix the issues they are facing.
Segpub is a web host out of Australia that uses servers at Rackspace to host their clients. They are a smaller host and are quite expensive. However I have never seen a negative review of their services and all their clients boast about their reliability.
ASmallOrange is a pretty popular host that is know for their excellent customer service. I wouldn’t really say they are geared towards developers although they offer Ruby on Rails in their packages.
Dreamhost is one of the largest hosts on the planet but that doesn’t mean they do a good job. People typically flock to this host for cheap prices. They continue to have wide spread outages, slow servers and blacklisting issues. If you want your site to be up and speedy I would stay away from these guys.
Some other hosts in this arena that I don’t have a great knowledge of but you may want to look at include:
Avlux ( http://avlux.net )
PlanetArgon ( http://www.planetargon.com )
Rails Playground ( http://www.railsplayground.com )
Apis Networks ( http://apisnetworks.com )
Hosting Rails ( http://www.hostingrails.com )
Slice / VPS / Managed VPS
When your application/website outgrows shared hosting you will need to upgrade to something that can handle the load. This usually means either going with a VPS, Dedicated Server or just a company that specializes in application hosting. Many of the shared hosts above offer vps/dedicated server plans but here we are going to try and list some companies that offer these services specifically.
Slicehost has been getting much well deserved fan fare because of their hosting platform. They offer XEN vps’s with an easy to use control panel which allows you to create “slices”, backup/restore, and manage dns. This type of hosting may not be for novices as it will require you to configure your own server and install your own application. However, Slicehost does have an extensive knowledge base and community to help you in all your endeavors. I fully recommend Slicehost and even use them myself for hosting some projects!
EngineYard is one of the more well known rails hosts out there and they just closed a $3.5 million round of funding. They have a number of bigger web 2.0 clients using their service and all seem very pleased with what they get. At EngineYard you buy slices depending on your applications needs.
VPSlink developed a specific vps instance just for RoR developers which may make it easier for developers to get up and running. I tested them not to long ago and I feel indifferent towards them. Their control panel was a bit clunky and their support was just okay.
Some other slice/vps/managed service providers in this area that you may want to look at includes:
BlueBoxGrid ( http://www.blueboxgrid.com )
Thoughtbot ( http://www.thoughtbot.com )
Brightbox ( http://www.brightbox.co.uk )
Rails Machine ( http://railsmachine.com )
Dedicated / Managed
If you are a developer or have a team of people and know what you are doing you just may want a dedicated server / managed server solution. I just wanted to throw out some companies that can probably fit your needs whether you need a dedicated server or a true managed hosting provider:
Gigenet ( http://www.gigenet.com )
Voxel ( http://www.voxel.net )
Softlayer ( http://www.softlayer.com )
Handynetworks ( http://www.handynetworks.com )
Rackspace ( http://www.rackspace.com )
Servepath ( http://www.servepath.com )
Logicworks ( http://www.logicworks.com )
Conclusion
Whether you are just a small one person operation or if you are a team of people working on the next big web 2.0 site you have plenty of options. Many of these companies specialize in hosting developers and can grow with you so you can become the next Twitter, Digg, Facebook, whatever site that is popular on TechCrunch this month.
