cPanel is a highly popular control panel for web hosting around the world. It is the preferred choice of control panel software for various hosting types, including shared hosting, cloud hosting, and VPS hosting.
It is widely used by many web hosting providers and clients because of its ease of use and high compatibility. However, even though cPanel possesses many useful features, you need to be aware of there will always be a negative side.
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A Guide on cPanel
cPanel is a web-based control panel used for website and server management. It is a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to easily manage and control their web hosting accounts, as well as perform a variety of tasks related to website management, email management, and server administration.
With cPanel, users can manage their website files, set up email accounts, create and manage databases, install software applications, and perform other server management tasks. cPanel is designed to be easy to use and can be accessed from any web browser.
cPanel is a popular control panel used by many web hosting providers, and is often included as part of a hosting package. It is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Linux, Unix, and Windows.
In addition to its core features, cPanel also offers a range of plugins and add-ons that can be used to extend its functionality. For example, users can install additional security features, content management systems, and e-commerce platforms.
Overall, cPanel is a powerful tool that makes it easy for users to manage their web hosting accounts and perform a variety of website and server management tasks. Its user-friendly interface and extensive feature set make it a popular choice for both beginners and experienced users alike.
In this article, we will discuss what makes cPanel a good control panel for your web hosting and what its disadvantages are.
Advantages
cPanel’s high popularity comes from the positive experience of its existing users. But what exactly are the advantages of using cPanel? This section will look at the benefits you can get with using a cPanel for your web hosting.
1. Easy Installation
The first point that users want to know when using cPanel is how easy it is to install. Like most modern software, the installation process simple enough for beginners to follow.
The system requirements to install cPanel are also manageable. It only needs a Linux-based system with 20 GB of free disk space and a minimum of 512 MB of RAM. If you are unsure how to install cPanel on your hosting server, numerous tutorials can be found online to help your installation process.
2. User-Friendly Interface
cPanel has an intuitive user interface that is easy to navigate and highly responsive. The graphic interface features a simple icon-based menu that looks modern and less intimidating, even for beginners.
The menu items are sorted into different categories, allowing users to find specific features. cPanel’s user-friendly interface also allows you to execute various tasks, including disk space management, backups, and other system maintenance, with a few simple clicks.
If you are interested in customizing your control panel’s look and feel, you can change the cPanel theme using various skins.
3. Flexible Website Management
cPanel is based on Linux and is compatible with a wide range of operating systems and web hosting clients, including Redhat, Fedora, Debian, Free BSD, CentOS, and Trustix. This is one of the reasons why cPanel is popular among website hosting providers.
With its wide range of operating systems support, cPanel is also highly flexible in data migration. You can quickly transfer your website and all its content from one hosting server to another using a single compressed file.
Several features will make managing and updating a website a seamless task. Features such as quick install, server information, and built-in analytical tools can simplify the day-to-day tasks of managing a website.
cPanel can also be operated using most web browsers, including Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari, or Microsoft Edge. It also supports various third-party add-ons that allow you to customize your website further.
4. Reliable
The cPanel support page provides you with helpful documentation that will help you to solve your technical problems. The frequent software updates also add to reliability by keeping the control panel quality at its best.
cPanel’s massive number of users is proof that it offers a reliable service that fulfils many web hosting clients’ needs. Its high popularity results in solid trust in the brand and many users who share helpful information.
Disadvantages
Just like any other product, cPanel also comes with its negative points. This section will look at the disadvantages you might have when you decide to use cPanel for your web hosting.
1. Different Layout for WHM
Web Host Manager or WHM is the cPanel’s reseller control panel that gives you administrative access to the cPanel back end. While it still uses a graphic interface, the layout is quite different from the regular one. WHM uses a long list-style navigation on the left side of the interface and menu icons on the right window.
This layout still offers an easy-to-navigate interface for most users. However, if you are more used to the cPanel interface, WHM can be a little bit confusing and unfamiliar.
This can be considered the disadvantage of using cPanel since most control panel products use the same interface for their reseller and end-user control panel.
2. Security Issues
Despite its popularity, cPanel has issues with security. It relies on the server of the software it manages, making it more vulnerable to hacker attacks. These hackers can breach your system through third-party software such as add-ons and plugins.
To strengthen your website security, you will need to ensure that the hosting provider offers an additional measure, including a firewall.
3. High Cost
Compared to other web hosting control panel software, the price to use cPanel is considerably higher. Despite its quality and popularity, cPanel pricing can prove unsuitable for smaller and medium-sized companies with limited resources.
As of January 1st, 2021, cPanel also changed its pricing model from per-server into the per-account model. This means that the more websites you need to manage, the more you need to pay even though you store those websites on the same server.
4. Limitations in User Access
As a user of cPanel, accessing files can be quite a frustrating experience since you will need additional permissions. This issue can make your tasks more time-consuming and unnecessarily complicated.
Even though there is a work-around for this issue by configuring your files’ settings, most of the root-level commands, such as modifying folder permissions, visibility, or password protection, can take a long time and are inefficient.
Conclusion
cPanel is, without a doubt, the most popular control panel software for web hosting. It has gained a significant amount of popularity for over two decades due to its features and high compatibility.
Some of the most prominent advantages of using cPanel mentioned in this article including:
- Easy installation
- User-friendly interface
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