Here's the scenario: you've dipped your toes into Python web development and after countless days of working, you've finished your very first Python web application. The hard part is over. Congratulations!
Except one thing... How do you host this thing?
It's a common roadblock among many developers just starting out. There's so many things to take into consideration. Deploying your application seems like a daunting task.
How do you pick a good host?
Don't worry though. Here are the steps you need to take:
- Shared, VPS, or Dedicated? Narrow down the list of hosting options by picking which type of host you want first. If you're like 80% of developers deploying their first application, you'll probably want to go with shared hosting. If your application demands a lot of resources, you'll want to go with a VPS. Most people won't need the power of dedicated servers just yet.
- Find a list of services. If you're set on shared hosting, do a quick search for shared hosting services. I'll have a list of reputable services later in this post that you can start from, all of which support Python.
- Make sure these services support Python. Not all hosting companies support Python applications. It's not quite as popular as PHP websites just yet.
- Pick the best one for your needs. It comes down to reputation, pricing, and even branding.
It's a big choice and there's usually a fair amount of research involved. Don't worry, though, below is a list of great services to pick from.
A list of shared hosting services that support Python
Each of these hosts support Python. Most of them come highly recommended. Some other things to look out for are whether or not they support common development tools on their servers, such as Git or Subversion.
- WebFaction comes highly recommended by many Python and Django developers, for good reasons! They have fantastic support, fast servers, and regularly include bleeding edge development tools. They were one of first hosts to officially support Django when it first came out.
- Dreamhost is one of the most popular shared hosts on the internet. They have unlimited storage/bandwidth for customers.
- A Small Orange has terrific support and offers a wide range of plans, including VPS and cloud hosting. It's a smart host to grow your website at.
Use one of the shared hosting services above and you'll be good to go in no time. If you're still unsure, check out Django Hosting.