What is a web server?
A web server is a program on a computer that waits for visitors. When someone types your address, the web server finds the page and sends it back. The word can also mean the computer itself. Here we mean the program.
The popular ones
| Name | What to know |
|---|---|
| Apache HTTP Server | Free and very old and trusted. It runs on Linux and other systems. It supports .htaccess files, small settings files placed in site folders. |
| Nginx | Free. Known for speed and for handling many visitors at once. Often used in front of other servers. |
| LiteSpeed | A fast server that can read Apache settings. It has a free and a paid edition. |
| Microsoft IIS | Comes with Windows Server. Good for ASP.NET sites. |
| Caddy | Free and simple. It can set up HTTPS by itself. |
| Apache Tomcat | Runs Java web applications. |
| Node.js | Runs JavaScript on the server. Many apps include their own small web server. |
| Lighttpd | Light and quick. Uses little memory. |
| OpenResty | Nginx with extra tools for scripting. |
| Gunicorn | Runs Python web apps. Usually sits behind Nginx. |
How to choose
- Think about your website software. WordPress runs well on Apache, Nginx or LiteSpeed.
- Think about the language. Java needs something like Tomcat. ASP.NET fits IIS.
- Think about your skills. Apache has a lot of guides online.
- Ask Hostvento support which server your plan uses. On shared hosting, the company picks it for you.
How to see which server your site uses
- Open a terminal or Command Prompt that has
curl. - Type the command below.
curl -I https://example.comThis shows the reply headers. Look for the Server: line. Some sites hide it.
Tip: You do not have to pick a server on most beginner plans. Hostvento sets it up for you.
Quick recap
- A web server program sends your pages to visitors.
- Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed and IIS are the most common.
- Choose by your software, language and skills.
- Use
curl -Ito see what a site runs.