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By Paul
The development of mobile applications is rapidly increasing. Mobile application hosting has become a hot topic. Read on to understand why you need a mobile app hosting service.
In this article
- What is mobile app hosting?
- Why do you need mobile app hosting?
- How does mobile app hosting work?
- What are the different types of servers for mobile app hosting?
- FAQs on mobile app hosting
What is mobile app hosting?
Mobile app hosting refers to storing the entire executable code, front-end elements, back-end components, databases, connections, and all other files of a mobile app on a server. The process utilizes both hardware platforms and software solutions. Mobile app hosting enables users and mobile app developers to access the app at any time.
Why do you need mobile app hosting?
Imagine you hire a mobile application development agency to create a mobile app. The company develops and tests it. The entire app remains on the computer of one developer. You want a large user base for your app. Furthermore, you want availability, reliability, scalability, performance, etc.
You can’t meet any of these requirements if the mobile app remains on the computer of the above-mentioned developer. Your app needs a hosting server for performance, reliability, scalability, availability, etc.
Do you have a very simple mobile app? Can the entire front-end and back-end of the app reside on the device of a user? You don’t need mobile app hosting for such simple apps. You need mobile app hosting for anything more complex than that.
The target operating system doesn’t influence that. Whether you create native mobile apps or cross-platform apps has no bearing on this.
How does mobile app hosting work?
You have the following two options for mobile app hosting:
- Renting a server from a cloud hosting provider like AWS;
- Using an MBaaS (Mobile Backend-as-a-Service) platform like Kinvey.
You need to do the “heavy lifting” in the first option. You need to install the required tools, manage the server, optimize the server, implement security measures, etc.
In the second option, your mobile app development team can just focus on development. MBaaS platforms are cloud service providers. They manage the cloud infrastructure, networking, persistent storage, etc.
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Users of your mobile app interact with the front-end of the app. Depending on the nature of the interaction, the front-end part needs to send a request to the back-end part.
The back-end part contains databases, APIs, and other necessary connections/code. It’s hosted on the cloud server. The back-end of your app processes the requests and returns results. Users get to see the relevant output on their screen, and they don’t need to bother about the hosting.
What are the different types of servers for mobile app hosting?
The different types of servers for mobile app hosting are as follows:
1. Shared hosting
You get a predefined amount of processing power and disk space with a shared hosting plan. Cloud service provides management of the server hardware and other infrastructure. They provide uptime guarantees.
Shared hosting costs less; however, they have limitations. It’s suitable for mobile apps that consume limited computing resources.
2. Virtual private servers (VPSs)
A virtual private server is a virtual machine. Cloud service providers manage the infrastructure part of a VPS, and they optimize its performance. You need to do everything else.
VPS plans cost more than shared hosting. However, they cost less than dedicated servers. You can use them to host apps that need more resources than what’s offered by a shared hosting plan.
3. Dedicated servers
Dedicated servers are real servers hosted by a cloud service provider. It belongs entirely to you. You can manage it the way you want, e.g., you can install the software of your choice. Dedicated server hosting plans offer maximum control and computing resources. These plans are expensive.
4. Cloud clusters
Cloud clusters are large groups of VPSs. They are suitable for apps that require great scalability. You can easily have more computing resources allocated to your app if it needs that. Cloud clusters are expensive.
Developing mobile apps? Reach out to DevTeam.Space to hire mobile app developers.
Related to the mobile app hosting service articles
- Mobile App Hosting: Where to Find the Best Provider for Hosting Apps?
- Mobile App Development Services
- How to Host a Mobile Backend?
FAQs
You can set up mobile app hosting yourself. However, it’s complex. You need to manage servers, networks, middleware solutions, storage space, bandwidth, databases, runtime environments, security, and all other mobile system resources. We recommend working with hosting providers.
Mobile app hosting doesn’t take care of the app distribution. A mobile application development company needs to submit the developed app to app stores like Google Play and Apple App Store. The distribution of mobile apps is done via app stores since users download them from them.
The top mobile backend hosting providers are Back4App, Kinvey, AWS Amplify, Firebase, Kumulos, Backendless, Azure Mobile Apps, Digital Ocean, Heroku, and Linode.
