The operating system that powers 96% of web servers
What Is a Linux Server? The Foundation of Modern Web Hosting
A detailed explanation of Linux servers — popular distributions (CentOS, Ubuntu, Rocky), why hosting runs on Linux, the basics of administration, and how it differs from a Windows server.
What is a Linux server?
A Linux server is a computer running the Linux operating system (open source) that hosts websites, applications and databases. It powers 96% of web servers globally thanks to its free licence, stability (uptime measured in years), security, efficient use of resources and a huge community. Popular distributions: AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, Ubuntu, Debian. BeoHosting uses AlmaLinux 9 across all shared and VPS servers.
- Linux = 96% of web servers globally
- Distributions: AlmaLinux, Rocky, Ubuntu, Debian
- Open source, free, stable
- BeoHosting: AlmaLinux 9 + LiteSpeed
- SSH access on VPS and dedicated
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What is a Linux server and why does it dominate hosting?
A Linux server is a computer that uses the Linux operating system to run websites, applications and network services. Linux is a free, open-source operating system created by Linus Torvalds in 1991, and today it powers over 96% of all web servers on the internet.
Think of Linux as your car’s engine. You don’t need to know how the engine works to drive the car — likewise, you don’t need to know Linux to use web hosting. But just as a better engine means a better car, Linux as the foundation means faster, more stable and more secure hosting for your site.
BeoHosting runs Linux on every server — from shared hosting to VPS servers and dedicated servers. For a detailed breakdown of the differences, see Linux vs Windows hosting.
How does a Linux server handle web requests?
Here is how a Linux server processes a request from the moment a user clicks on your site:
The Linux kernel receives the request
When a user opens your site, the network request arrives at the Linux server. The kernel (the core of the system) receives the packet, checks firewall rules (iptables/nftables) and forwards the request to the appropriate service.
The web server processes the request
The web server (Apache, Nginx or LiteSpeed) receives the HTTP request. It checks the virtual host configuration, applies .htaccess rules and decides whether to serve a static file or forward the request to the PHP/Python interpreter.
PHP/the application generates content
For dynamic sites, PHP (or another language) executes the application code. WordPress, for example, contacts the MySQL database, fetches the content and generates an HTML page. Linux manages the processes and memory.
The response returns to the user
The generated HTML returns to the web server, which sends it to the user over the TCP/IP network. The Linux kernel optimizes network packets, applies TCP optimizations and ensures fast content delivery.
The benefits of a Linux server for hosting
Linux dominates the hosting industry for many good reasons — here are the most important ones.
Free and open source
Linux is completely free — there are no licence costs. The source code is open, which means thousands of developers constantly improve its security and performance.
Exceptional stability
Linux servers can run for months or years without a restart. System updates rarely require a reboot. 99.99% uptime is the standard for well-configured Linux servers.
Superior security
Linux has a robust permission model, SELinux for mandatory access control and far fewer viruses than Windows. Security updates are frequent and fast thanks to the open-source community.
Top-tier performance
Linux has minimal overhead — more resources go to your site instead of the operating system. The kernel is optimized for server workloads with an advanced network stack and I/O scheduling.
Flexibility and control
Full control over every aspect of the server. You can tune kernel parameters, install any software, create custom configurations and automate everything via scripts.
A huge community
Linux has one of the largest open-source communities in the world. For every problem there is a solution on forums, Stack Overflow or the official documentation. 24/7 support from the community.
Popular Linux distributions for hosting
Linux comes in different distributions (distros), each optimized for a different purpose:
AlmaLinux / Rocky Linux
Enterprise distributions, the successors to CentOS. 10 years of support, exceptional stability, RHEL compatible. BeoHosting uses AlmaLinux on all servers. Ideal for production hosting.
Ubuntu Server LTS
The most popular Linux distribution with 5 years of LTS support. A huge package selection, excellent documentation and community. Popular for VPS, cloud and development environments.
Debian
One of the oldest and most stable distributions. A conservative approach to updates means well-tested software. Ubuntu is based on Debian. Excellent for servers that require maximum stability.
CentOS Stream
The former CentOS was discontinued in 2021. CentOS Stream is a rolling-release preview for RHEL. Not recommended for production hosting. Use AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux instead.
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