As a Java developer, I always choose Java as my first programming language to develop any of my ideas into a real application. If I want this application to be available for the world, then I have to put it on the web. But, when you compare with the options available for hosting a PHP application, with the Java’s options, you can see a whole lot of difference. Usually, the Java hosting providers charge too much which you can not afford if your app is going to be a FREE service.
One of the main reason for Java not catching up with PHP in web programming, is the hassles that are involved in hosting a Java web application. As your Java web application is going be on a shared server, which will also shared by some other applications as well, maintaining your application on this environment becomes hard. You can not release a new version of your app, with out affecting other applications. If a change in your web app needed a re-start of server which may not be possible at all in a shared environment. But for PHP, none of these matters. That’s the reason you can see a n-number of PHP hosting providers, but very few for Java.
So, In order to host your Java application in a lower cost you have the following options (as of today) in your hand.
1. Hosting Java application in Google App Engine
Google App Engine is a free service from Google that allows the Java applications to be hosted on the cloud. And, it is completely free for starters. You only need to pay if you want more bandwidth or storage space, etc. But if your application is going to be a small one, you hardly need to pay anything for hosting your Java web applications in Google App Engine.
2. Amazon EC2 – Cloud Hosting
Another hosting service from a biggie. Amazon provides this Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) for all kind of computing resources. You can host your Java application in EC2 in very cheap rates. Hosting on EC2 costs you on-demand basis. i.e. if your web application is going to get lot more hits, which means increased bandwidth and computing on cloud, you get to pay more. Otherwise, you get to pay less. Pay for what you use, that’s the advantage of EC2 (off course, there are lot more than this one!).
3. JavaProvider.net – Cheap Java Hosting
JavaProvider.net is one the cheap Java hosting provider that I could find on Google. At around 5$/month, this service provides some competitive plans with good number features. They are using CentOS as their operating system and they even allow you to start/stop tomcat, which will be a good thing.
4. Lot more Java hosting providers
Not content with the above list? You can always check this BIG directory of providers supporting Servlet. The website claims that the list contains the ISPs who support Servlet. But I’m not sure whether they provide proper Java application environment or not. You need to enquire the ISP properly if you are going to choose one from this list.
I hope this list gives you the starting point for your Java hosting provider search. Are you aware of any of the ISP provider which is not listed here? Do leave a comment, then! Your input will be very much appreciated.
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EATJ is also a good flexible java hosting provider.
http://www.eatj.com/
thanks for the addition. worth trying.
In the past, I tried Lunarpages' and GoDaddy's servlet hosting, which was also around the $5/month price mentioned above. The major problem was that they imposed some very severe restrictions. For instance, on Lunarpages, you were not allowed to use neither Hibernate nor Spring. GoDaddy had a weird policy regarding logging (IIRC you were not allowed to write anything to the filesystem, so I was stuck with piping logs to the database, which for some reason also had issues, but I don't remember what exactly)
Anyway, all those experiments were about 5 years ago. Things might have changed by now. I sure hope so.
But I would advice anyone who is considering to buy cheap “Java” hosting to inquire about restrictions.
http://java.dzone.com/news/hosting-java-web-app…
http://java.dzone.com/articles/jvm-lamp-stack
These 2 articles spawned this product
http://www.easygsp.com
You can't get PHP style development or hosting with the current batch of java servers or servlet api implementations. If Java developers are willing to live with similar types of limitations that PHP developers live with, cheap hosting is possible. Easygsp tries to fill this void in the java ecosystem.
The product is still in it's early stages, but it was started to give Java developers exactly what PHP developers have.
thanks for the insight. Since Java's landscape is filled with lots of frameworks, as you said, it is very important to checking with hosting providers whether they support those frameworks or not.
interesting project. Will have a look at it. Thanks for the information.
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If you want a basic java blog wouldn't it run you about $200 a month with amazon, being that you want the site available 24×7? Or am I calculating it wrong.
its not just going to be a simple blog – I meant a full featured Java application, like a e-commerce site, for example.
But the costs are huge compared to everything else.
I agree. I think that's the reason for the general public not using Java in websites. Java web applications are mostly used by the enterprise sector.
Everything is for people. Eye of the appeal that everything is good taste. Yes you think.
Hello, can I've found a website about hosting company that provide a window hosting basic. it's http://www.hostingfest.com/. I don't know if it can be used for hosting our java application, but there is a reliable price for 2000 MB disk space for Only $2.
hmm. that looks really cheep. but any feedback on the service?
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thanks for the addition.
Don’t go for sunDTH: I hit condemned sundirect 1 yr subscription 8 months back. The itemize of channels specified by that time is gradually kicked off. No body will respond for your queries, such category of worst client care.Their aim is to intend subscription, they never pain about the customer. Really now i am feeling very dishonor of myself to become a subscriber for this worst network. Please…….don’t go for sundirect.
Very useful article.. thanks
If you can find better pricing for dedicated JVM Java hosting than jvmhost.com has they can still beat it.
I asked a similar question about unespensive hosting options for play! framework applications
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6974265/experiences-on-free-and-low-cost-hosting-for-play-framework-applications/7217919#7217919
A really good provider is http://www.eapps.com/
Hi,
I have developed java 1.4 application with Oracle 8i backend. I like to know how to host my application in Amazon EC2. Please send the deployment steps how to host it in Amazon EC2.
Regards,
Priya
I deployed my grails app with http://www.jvmhost.com – very helpful support. I needed to take 128MB JVM option for grails to run. They do not have free accounts but prices are friendly
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