When you visit a website, use an app, or log into an online platform, you’re interacting with code running on a server.
That code needs a place to live, process data, and stay accessible 24/7.
That’s where cloud hosting comes in. In this blog we will cover the following:
✅ Where does my code run?
✅ How do other people access it?
✅ Why do I need a hosting platform like AWS or Heroku?
Let’s break it down.
Why Does Code Need Hosting?
Code doesn’t just float around waiting to be used. It needs a server to run on. Without hosting:
❌ Your code only runs on your computer, meaning no one else can use it.
❌ Your code goes to sleep when your computer does.
❌ You can’t assign a domain or integrate with cloud services.
Instead of running your code on a physical server you own, you can leverage the cloud to provide whatever your code needs to operate.
With cloud hosting:
✅ Your code runs on a live server, making it accessible to users anytime.
✅ It stays online 24/7, without needing your personal device to be turned on.
✅ Your code can interact across a variety of cloud services & databases.
If your code needs to run continuously, process data, or handle multiple users at once, you need cloud hosting to operate and scale it as needed.
Types of Cloud Hosting (And Which One You Need)
Not all cloud hosting is the same. The best option depends on what your code needs to do.
1️⃣ Cloud Hosting for Websites & Complex Apps
✔ Best for: Websites, full web apps, and SaaS products.
✔ Examples: AWS (Amazon Web Services), Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure.
✔ How It Works: Your entire application, including the backend, frontend, and database, runs across multiple servers.
Use this if: You’re running a website, e-commerce store, or complex web app that needs high availability.
2️⃣ Cloud Hosting for Developers & Simple Apps
✔ Best for: Web developers, startups, plugins, and small SaaS tools.
✔ Examples: Heroku, Vercel, Railway.
✔ How It Works: These platforms make it easy to deploy and run code without setting up or managing full cloud infrastructure.
Use this if: You’ve built a plugin or app that needs to be hosted but don’t want to deal with resource management.
3️⃣ Serverless Hosting (On-Demand Computing)
✔ Best for: Code that only runs when needed, like APIs or background tasks.
✔ Examples: AWS Lambda, Google Cloud Functions.
✔ How It Works: Instead of running constantly, your code only runs when triggered, reducing costs.
Use this if: Your plugin or app doesn’t need to run all the time but still needs to process user actions on a case by case basis.
How you deploy your code to one of these hosts depends on the type of host you choose.
Cloud hosting allows your software to run, process data, and scale as demand grows.
If you’re launching a plugin, app, or software tool, choosing the right hosting platform is key to keeping it fast, scalable, and secure.