Where To Host Your eCommerce Frontend?

Imagine trying to grow a garden with poor soil and no water. Even if you’re starting with the finest seeds, you won’t get anywhere. Similarly, the hosting environment you choose for your application will have a huge impact on how successfully your eCommerce application launches, performs, and scales over time. You need a platform that’s as fast, reliable, and affordable as possible.

So, which of those millions of platforms out there is the best one for you?

First, you’ll want to consider your frontend tech and narrow in on platforms that are compatible with it. Other factors may influence your decision as well: for instance, is your website static or dynamic? Think about what other technical considerations may impact your options.

You should also consider whether you have a preference regarding serverless vs. long-lived server environments. In a serverless environment, your backend is controlled by the cloud service provider, and the application code is started and stopped on demand. There really are still servers involved, but you don’t have to worry about managing them. This tends to be less expensive (you’re usually charged based on usage, e.g. number of API calls and/or bandwidth), and great for those who want to focus on developing rather than sysadmin work. On the other hand, you lose a lot of control over your backend. Vendor lock-in also means more risk. You must really be able to trust your provider to keep their environment safe, running, and performant.

On the other hand, long-lived servers are the more traditional model, where your application is hosted in an environment that you manage. This way, you have more control and security. However, it all takes time, money, and many dedicated people to manage well.

Something else to consider is your goal for the deployment. If you’re just using the platform for testing purposes, it’s fine to choose any free, compatible platform. But if you’re deploying for the big time, you’ll have to do more serious research. Here’s a basic list of questions to ask about any platform:

• Do their free plans support commercial use?
• How reliable are they? What’s their uptime? Have they ever had any serious outages?
• How performant are they?
• As your business grows, can they scale to suit your needs?
• What security measures are in place? Have they had any security issues in the past?
• What kind of training/documentation do they provide?
• What kind of support do they provide?

The best way to get a feel for different platforms is to experience them for yourself. Sign up for the free options, deploy your front end on each one, and compare performance, user experience, and other metrics that are important to you.

If you don’t have the time or desire to get your hands dirty, then look for reviews from sources you trust or give comparison tools like this one a try.

Below are some of the most popular examples out there, in no particular order, with my own observations thrown in.

The number of platforms out there can make the prospect of evaluating them feel overwhelming. The good news is lots of people have been in your shoes. With a little effort, you can find help, advice, and recommendations.

The effort you put in now could pay dividends in the long run. It’s worth it to set yourself and your customers up with the best user experience possible at an affordable cost.