LiteSpeed Web Server vs Apache_ Differentiating Factors

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LiteSpeed Web Server vs Apache Differentiating
Factors
You are reading this blog on the web hosting
service provider MilesWeb website. Did you know
the fundamental element of running these
operations? It is the server and doesnt assume
that only one kind of server is responsible for
making web hosting operations accessible. MilesW
eb offers website hosting Apache servers
compatible with LiteSpeed. But remember that
LiteSpeed vs Apache is a huge topic to debate on.
It is because both are different concepts, and
we bet that many users are unaware of them. Thus,
LiteSpeed server vs Apache is a popular topic
among the web hosting users community. If you
also belong to the same community, this LiteSpeed
Web Server vs Apache is for you. We have
published more blogs in this category How Can
You Speed Up Your Website with LiteSpeed? and
Understanding a Web Server and Types of Web
Servers. In the server blogs series, this is
the next edition to read. Lets dive in!
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What is a Web Server? A simple piece of hardware
and software connected through relevant hardware
deals with clients requests. And as a final
result, clients get search result pages according
to their query. The web server can host multiple
websites as a machine depending on which
hardware they use. Now, dont assume that the
client would be only a person. Here we refer to
clients as a device like smartphones,
smartwatches, IP cameras, laptops, or the PC.
These devices fetch queries from the user and
request data from a web server. Then, the web
browser displays the search results for the
requested query. Even you are reading this blog
because you searched the query for LiteSpeed Web
Server vs Apache, and our hosting server
displayed the same within milliseconds. Web
servers have existed since the internet
occurrence. NeXT Computer workstation in 1990
was the first web server, and all credit goes to
Tim Berners Lee. He included all Internet
protocols in the server and used an Ethernet
setup for the internet connectivity. Along with
time, the internet evolved, and nowadays, we are
using cloud hosting or cloud databases to store
data. MilesWeb also embraces advancements thus,
we have Apache servers with LiteSpeed for robust
performance of websites and applications.
Features like mod_rewrite, .htaccess, and
mod_security ensure rock-solid security to keep
web servers away from vulnerable
cyberattacks. Its time to move on to two
different technologies, Apache and LiteSpeed,
that are here to stay in the web hosting
industry. What is Apache? Apache, the
industry-leading open-source web server, was
created in 1995 by Rob McCool and Brian
Behlendorf. These servers hold a significant
market share. That is why many web hosting
companies like MilesWeb leverage these servers.
One point we would like to highlight is that
these servers are compatible with Linux operating
systems. Hence, many Linux distributions have
pre-installed Apache technologies. Given that it
is already installed, this makes it simple to
get started. Lets not forget that HTTP, the main
internet protocol, is also the name of the Linux
process that Apache operates as, HTTPD, also
known as the HTTP Daemon.
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What is LiteSpeed? LSWS, or the LiteSpeed Web
Server, is a new kind of server technology
emerging nowadays. These servers meet
scalability and flexibility demands for websites.
LSWS works faster than Apache, which is also a
popular web server software in the website
hosting market. Fine-tune website performance,
caching, compressing and the security factor are
some major USPs of LSWS. This advancement helped
in doubling the server capacity of websites on
their servers. Moreover, if you want to know
about its USPs, its streamlined architecture
helps in enhancing the servers
efficiency. Another factor that adds up the
efficiency value of servers is advanced caching
techniques, an optimized codebase and a content
delivery speed 50 times faster than Apache.
LiteSpeed was introduced in 2003, eight years
after Apache. You will get lots of visitors, and
the content delivery speed will be
faster. MilesWeb is a trusted web hosting
company providing appropriate web hosting
solutions. Our servers are Apache with LiteSpeed.
Thus, clients get maximum website performance
and a higher ROI from their hosting
experience. Related How Can You Speed Up Your
Website With LiteSpeed? LiteSpeed vs Apache
Outlining Differences
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• Popularity
• In terms of market share, Apache takes the lead
  in comparison with LiteSpeed. Apache, since it
  was launched, it captured a whooping market
  share. Due to the late arrival of LiteSpeed, the
  market share is lesser but significant. According
  to some reports, more than 30 of the market
  share is captured by Apache.
• LiteSpeed hosts less number of websites and
  captures around 5 to 10 of the market share.
  One more competitor is there of these two NGINX.
  We can discuss the same in another blog some
  other day lets stay focused on LiteSpeed vs
  Apache.
• Performance
• LiteSpeed is much more adaptable with larger
  traffic and concurrent connections thanks to its
  asynchronous nature. The technique takes
  advantage of intelligent caching, which allows
  the system to keep compressed cache files rather
  than generating new requests each time a user
  attempts to access them.
• By doing this, LSWS is able to boost the PHP
  servers performance by 50, making it, in the
  end, up to six times faster than Apache for
  static content. Additionally, LiteSpeed performs
  wonders when it comes to page compression, so
  that is a benefit.
• In this manner, every new request is processed
  more quickly and uses less RAM. LiteSpeed
  clearly lives up to its name static websites can
  benefit from LSWS significantly more than they
  do with the default Apache server configuration.
• OS Support
• Another crucial aspect that you must not ignore
  is the operating systems configurations. Linux
  servers hold a massive market share in the web
  hosting industry. Apache supports all Linux
  distributions, versions and instances like
  Fedora, Ubuntu and others. And not just that,
  its current versions support Windows, OpenVMS,
  and a wide variety of Unix-like systems.
• Therefore, Apache is accessible on different
  operating systems. But LiteSpeed does not
  support Windows OS. Windows systems require
  extensive reconfiguration of the current
  configuration because they differ greatly from
  Unix-like solutions.
• Technical Support
• In the website hosting operations, users cant
  imagine it without technical support. Even
  MilesWeb offers 247 tech support to make the web
  hosting experience better for

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customers. Hence, as far as the technical
documentation is concerned, LiteSpeed has a
better technical community to support novice
users. Not just the dedicated forums, LSWS have
their own groups in Slack and Facebook. As a
user, you have the freedom to discuss
optimization tips for resolving issues. There
isnt any live tech assistance offered by Apache.
The community is your greatest hope for live
support because the software is open-source.
LiteSpeed, in contrast, is a commercial product.
Therefore, they properly provide specialized
support. From your user area, you may quickly
file a help request, and the operators are
typically helpful. LiteSpeed vs Apache The
Verdict In conclusion, both LiteSpeed and Apache
are popular web server software options, each
with its own strengths and weaknesses. LiteSpeed
is known for its exceptional performance and
efficiency, offering high-speed handling of
concurrent connections and advanced caching
mechanisms. It is designed to be a drop-in
replacement for Apache, which means it can work
seamlessly with existing Apache configurations.
LiteSpeed also provides comprehensive security
features, including built-in anti-DDoS protection
and enhanced SSL/TLS performance. On the other
hand, Apache is a highly versatile and widely
adopted web server that has been around for a
long time. It offers a rich set of features and
extensive community support. Apache is known for
its flexibility and compatibility with various
modules and configurations. It is often the
go-to choice for complex setups or environments
that require extensive customization. Ultimately
, the choice between LiteSpeed and Apache depends
on your specific needs and priorities. If
performance and scalability are paramount,
LiteSpeed may be the better option. On the other
hand, if you require extensive customization
options, compatibility with existing modules, or
prefer a more established and widely supported
solution, Apache may be the preferred
choice. Its worth noting that LiteSpeed is a
commercial product with certain licensing fees,
while Apache is open-source and freely available.
Therefore, budget considerations may also play a
role in your decision-making process. Overall,
both LiteSpeed and Apache are reliable web
server options, and the final verdict should be
based on careful evaluation of your
requirements, performance expectations, and
budget constraints.
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