So recently I spoke with a coworker about trying to find a decent webhost that I could use for various development projects. I have used VMs in the past to create my own servers that I could use for internal testing and hosting. The problem is that if I ever want any of those to be public, I have to jump through a bunch ISP and networking hoops. While I can jump through said hoops…I have no real desire to jump, hop or even skip in that direction.
On top of that, I wanted a host that would allow me to easily work with my servers as if they were my own. I didn’t want a complicated almost IIS-like control panel; I wanted something more akin to actually having my own box…but without the hassle of actually owning said box. I’ve grown accustomed to a certain development lifestyle, you see, and I want to continue living within it. I want hosting to be easy, fully-featured, and of course, I want it to be pretty.
And so it came to pass, that he suggested to me Digital Ocean, a beautiful, simple, and effective place where you can spin up a new server in almost no time. After about 5 minutes of reading their sales pitch, I was already hooked. I signed up and set up my first Ubuntu Docker server in no time. I knew that I had found my hosting paradise.
Here’s a quick rundown of why I love DO, and why you should at least review their site for yourself:
- Great pricing, on your own dedicated virtual server
- A full control panel with an amazing user experience
- Server image backups and snapshots
- A ridiculous amount of support information
- A large and passionate community
If any of that sounds good to you, and you’d like a $10 credit for your own DO account, please click here.
The Code Lion 