How shared Web Hosting actually works
Shared hosting fundamentals — how resources are split, what the L7 layer does, and what you can and cannot do on the server.
Shared Web Hosting means one server hosts many customer accounts at once. Each account is isolated at the filesystem and process level, but the underlying CPU, memory and I/O are shared. Understanding this helps you pick the right plan and avoid surprises.
How resources are shared
- CPU — fair-shared between accounts. Short bursts are fine; sustained 100% CPU on shared hosting is not.
- Memory — each PHP-FPM pool has a per-account ceiling.
- Disk — your plan quota (5 / 10 / 20 / 50 GB) is hard-enforced.
- Network — shared 1 Gbps uplink, with our Layer 7 anti-DDoS in front of every request.
What the Layer 7 layer does
Our custom L7 protection sits between the public internet and the web server. It inspects HTTP requests, filters bot/abuse patterns, and absorbs HTTP-flood attacks before they reach your site. You do not need to configure anything — it is on by default for every account.
What you can run
- Static sites, WordPress, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, Laravel apps, custom PHP.
- Node.js apps via DirectAdmin's Node selector (limited).
- Cron jobs (per-minute granularity).
What shared hosting is not
- Not a VPS — no root access, no installing system packages, no custom kernel modules.
- Not a game server host — long-running game / voice servers belong on a VDS or dedicated box.
- Not for heavy background workers — if your app needs a persistent queue worker (Laravel Horizon, Sidekiq, etc.) running 24/7 under heavy load, you want a VDS.
If your project has outgrown those limits, see the Choosing Web Hosting article for upgrade paths.