When working with hosting accounts, it's important to remember several different operating systems that you can use with your server.
Linux and Windows are two different types of operating systems. Linux is the most popular operating system for web servers. Since Linux-based hosting is more popular, it has more features web designers expect. So, unless you have websites that need specific Windows applications, Linux is the preferred choice.
Although a common operating system for web development, most average hosting users do not commonly need the Windows operation system. Generally speaking, Windows OS users have specific requirements for doing so. In most cases, especially in the shared hosting environment, you will be fine using the Linux OS.
Since most Windows users know that they need one, we won't go too deep into why; however, below is a list of applications that require you to have a Windows server. If you are not running one of the applications below, you should be okay using a Linux OS.
Windows applications that require a Windows server:
Windows Dedicated Servers can support additional Windows-specific applications. You may need to purchase a license for some applications and install the software on your Windows dedicated server.
While a free and open-source platform, Linux has remained an industry standard and is the most commonly used operating system today. It is the most popular operating system for web servers and has more features than professional web designers expect.
There isn't much you can't do on a Linux server; as a novice user, you'd be hard-pressed to find a reason not to use one. That being said, below are a few specific applications that require Linux OS.
Applications that require a Linux-based server:
Windows hosting and Linux hosting use different control panels.
Another difference between Linux and Windows servers is that Linux files are case sensitive while Windows files are not.
Although many people consider Linux more secure than Windows, both operating systems are equally secure. Security depends more upon the server setup and the administrators running the server.
