Nicholas
Support Dept.phpListings is a PHP/MySQL-based directory software. To run it smoothly, you need a reliable hosting environment that supports its technical requirements. This guide will walk you through the process of choosing and purchasing the right shared hosting account.
Best Hosting Providers.
Look for reliable hosting providers that support phpListings requirements. Well-known providers that usually work well with phpListings include SiteGround, A2 Hosting, Bluehost, Hostinger, and InMotion Hosting. Before making a choice, check that the provider allows custom PHP configuration, offers good MySQL performance, and supports IonCube Loaders.
Avoid WordPress Plans.
It is very important to choose a plain PHP hosting plan. This means a general-purpose shared hosting package that allows you to install and run custom PHP code. You should avoid “WordPress hosting” or any plan that is restricted to a page builder or a specific CMS, since those environments do not give you the flexibility to install phpListings.
Platform Requirements.
You should make sure that the hosting plan supports the minimum requirements. phpListings requires PHP 8.1+ and IonCube Loaders to run. It also needs MySQL 5.7 or higher, or MariaDB 10.1 or higher, and a web server such as Apache 2.4 or newer. Several PHP extensions must be enabled, including Curl, Exif, Fileinfo, GD, Mbstring, PDO with MySQL, OpenSSL, and XML. A control panel such as cPanel is strongly recommended because it simplifies website management. At least two gigabytes of RAM should be available for PHP/MySQL processes, and support for an SSL certificate is important both for security and for SEO.
Evaluating Hosting Plan Features.
When you start comparing hosting plans, pay attention to several important features. Disk space is one of them: although phpListings itself is lightweight, listings and uploaded images can grow quickly, so at least 10 to 20 gigabytes of SSD storage is recommended. Bandwidth is another factor, and it is best to choose a plan with unlimited or unmetered bandwidth if you expect your site to grow. The plan should allow multiple MySQL databases in case you expand in the future. Email accounts are also useful because you will probably want to set up support or admin addresses, and automated daily or weekly backups are strongly recommended to protect your data.
Once you understand the features, select the right plan size based on the size of your directory. If you expect a small directory with up to around ten thousand listings, then an entry-level shared hosting plan is usually enough. If you plan a medium directory with up to one hundred thousand listings, you should choose a higher-level shared hosting plan with more resources. For very large directories with a million listings or more, shared hosting will most likely not be sufficient, so you should consider a VPS or dedicated server instead.
Domain Name and SSL Certificate.
When you are ready to purchase, select your plan and register a domain if you do not already have one. Make sure to enable SSL during checkout since many providers include Let’s Encrypt certificates at no extra cost. After completing the purchase, log in to your hosting control panel, usually cPanel, and take note of your FTP and MySQL credentials because you will need them later when installing phpListings.
By following these steps, you will have a hosting environment that is fully prepared for phpListings and ready for your new directory project.