What is Netlify and how does its hosting work?
Netlify is a cloud hosting platform designed for static websites, Jamstack applications, and serverless functions. It connects to your Git repository, builds your site automatically when you push code, and deploys it globally across a CDN. Netlify is popular with developers for its fast deployment workflow, free tier, and built-in features.
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Netlify's core value is its Git-based deployment: you connect your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repository and Netlify automatically builds and publishes your site every time you push a commit. This continuous deployment workflow is standard for modern front-end development and makes it easy to test and ship changes quickly.
Netlify's free tier includes unlimited bandwidth for personal projects, automatic SSL, continuous deployment, custom domains, and form handling (up to 100 submissions per month). Paid plans add more bandwidth, serverless function invocations, identity and access management, and split testing (A/B testing) capabilities.
Netlify Functions let you run server-side JavaScript without managing a server. This enables dynamic functionality (such as contact form processing, authentication, and API calls) in sites that are otherwise static. Functions run on AWS Lambda under the hood but are configured through Netlify's simple interface.
Netlify is not suitable for WordPress sites or applications that require a persistent server, database, or server-side language like PHP or Python without serverless functions. It is ideal for React, Vue, Angular, Next.js, Hugo, Gatsby, and Eleventy projects. For WordPress hosting, a standard web host or managed WordPress provider is the right choice.
Common questions
Is Netlify free to use?
Yes, for personal projects. Netlify's free tier includes 100GB bandwidth per month, continuous deployment, SSL, and basic form handling. Commercial projects or high-traffic sites may need a paid plan.
Is Netlify better than GitHub Pages?
Netlify offers more features: serverless functions, form handling, split testing, and a more flexible build pipeline. GitHub Pages is simpler and works well for straightforward static sites. For complex Jamstack applications, Netlify is the stronger platform.
Can I host a WordPress site on Netlify?
No. Netlify hosts static files and serverless functions, not PHP applications with databases. WordPress requires a traditional web host with PHP and MySQL support.