What is the difference between Windows and Linux web hosting and which is better for performance and security?

if your web app is .NET its better for you to use windows, but if its PHP use linux, i develop web applications using php scripting language and i mostly use linux OS (fedora) and i found it much flexible and usable than windows, but keep in your mind that you must have a good skills in linux commands (its not that difficult)

Well, i am shocked by the answers the majority don't know the difference and why to choose one.
First: If your website is developed on ASP.NET, then you have to use Windows.
If other languages like PHP, it can run on both Windows and Linux, but Linux is much more stable, faster, and secure.
Why stable, faster, and secure? Simply no GUI (Secure), you manage the server from CLI, so it requires much less RAM (Performance), in addition to Linux stability (mainly CentOS) Second: In Linux you have a large number of programing languages used to run dynamic sites, that are not available on Windows.
Third: If you are using Linux dedicated server, or VPS, then you have a lot of free tools to manage and secure the server, and develop you sites.
Finally, if you don't need Windows hosting for ASP.NET, then stay away from it.
Personally, i do host all my sites in Linux CentOS.

10/10 for linux

Here's the difference between two hosting - For windows, if you are using web based application such as .net and ASP.
For linux, if you are using web based application such as php and python.
Although you can use php in windows but as for deployment, it's not recommended.
As per performance, linux has the edge over windows.
As per security, I should say both but it will really depend on how you will hardened your configuration.
There's a saying security is not by a product, but a process.

-The main difference between windows web hosting and linux web hosting is that Operating system (OS) used - Windows works on the Microsoft Windows Server operating system but Linux Web Hosting uses the Linux operating system such as Red Hat, CentOS and Debian.
- windows web hosting uses .
net and ASP while Linux uses PHP.
* Linux is faster and has better security than windows

For web hosting in general I recommended Linux, Linux is not easy OS and the hacking on Linux is more complicated than windows, but if the web hosting need i.e SQL server sure windows is only option, Many of companies like to make Linux a database server or web server or Ldap server, if we compare the price Linux subscription is cheap than Windows server, for the first time but for maintenance and support its need to renew every year, My opinion Linux is better than win

linux- more secure, more stable, but operations is expensive because Linux admins costing more.
by the way, red hat subscription is not cheap if you are going to host your server yourself.
windows- much easier and the operations cost is low both can run ASP.net (using mono in linux) and php because I am a Linux guy, I recommend to go for Linux if you could hire a good Linux admin, or else go for Windows

Linux is more popular than Windows hosting.
Linux supports PHP natively and most of your free softwares are PHP.
Windows can support PHP too but I suggest Linux One of the biggest differences between the Linux and Windows servers is security.
Linux is built much more secure than Windows servers.
From the offset, the root level is not available to most programs without permission.
Also, it is much easier to control URL structure in Linux which is important for search engine rankings.

Linux web hosting and Windows web hosting are comparable, as both of them allow you to put a website online with almost no effort at all.
Yet, there are some main differences between the two.
Basically, neither of them is better than the other as they both present their own advantages, depending mainly on their desired application.
Both of them have a series of benefits and disadvantages and the decision to use any of them should be based on your specific needs as a webmaster and in any case not on the popularity of the operating system itself.
It is also true that most people are able to use a Linux web hosting plan without any major problems.
On the other hand, some people might need the ability to run Windows based web applications on their servers, case in which a Linux web hosting plan would just not be enough.
When Linux Hosting is Better than Windows Hosting? Linux web hosting is better than Windows hosting when you are looking for a simple, cheap and reliable web hosting solution.
For instance, if you are running a simple eCommerce website, or several blogs, you can use a Linux hosting plan without problems.
A Linux hosting plan is also the perfect choice if you are on a tight budget and you do not require Windows based web applications.
When Windows Hosting is Better than Linux Hosting? As already mentioned, if you are required to run Windows applications on your server, a Windows web hosting plan would be indispensable.
Any kind of serverside Microsoft product you need to run will require to be run on a Windows server, if possible on a Windows VPS.
The disadvantage of a Windows server is that updates can take a long time to be released, as you have to wait till Microsoft upgrades their software.
However, any bug of the Linux software can be repaired in almost no time, as it is open source software and can be fixed and improved by any developer.
Which is the Right One for Me? After carefully analyzing the above information, you should be capable of making the right decision.
If you are still experiencing problems in establishing which one is right for you, a Linux server might be the right option for you.
Linux servers are more reliable, cheaper and more user-friendly than Windows web server, which turns them into the perfect solution for beginner webmasters.
You could also discuss to any potential hosting companies about which one you consider that best suits your individual needs.
Just tell the hosting representative the kind of business you are running, the number of sites you own and the kind of software you might require to run.
Based on that information, virtually any competent service representative should be able to direct you in the right direction.
Conclusion In the complex world of web hosting, such thing as right or wrong decision does not exists, there are only decisions made without sufficient and adequate information.
Prior of making any decisions about your online business you should ensure you are properly informed about the task on hand.

hi, the first difference between linux/windows webhosting is how you access your system, although both can have ftp access only in linux you can have ssh or telnet.
You can setup ssh/telnet access also in windows but i am not sure you are going to find any providers giving you that.
Security: many people will say that linux is more secure than windows hosting since windows servers have more vunerabilities than the linux ones.
the reality is that both have security problems.
Security is hapens on administration level.
if you have good admins your server will be secure regardless of OS.
Performance: if you are using databases (a dynamically driven website) performance is highly depended on how you use your database, regardless of OS.
The code you will write (html/CSS/js...) works the same on both OS's.
Bottom line: differences between windows/linux regarding web hosting are much less than you think.
The decision on which provider you will select should be done taking into account the needs you have the options the provider is giving you the price(!!) and you should not worry what OS they run on the back end.
hope the above helps