Hosting

Choose and manage web hosting services for websites and apps without server administration.

Security Scan

This is an instruction-only guidance skill about choosing and managing web hosting; its requirements and instructions are consistent with that purpose and it does not request credentials, install software, or perform actions outside its scope.

Purpose & Capability

Name and description match the content: the skill provides high-level hosting guidance and does not request unrelated binaries, env vars, or platform access.

Instruction Scope

SKILL.md contains advisory content only (recommendations on hosting types, databases, DNS, backups, cost, migrations). It does not instruct the agent to read files, access credentials, or contact external endpoints.

Install Mechanism

No install spec and no code files — nothing is written to disk or executed during install.

Credentials

The skill declares no required environment variables, credentials, or config paths. No disproportionate access is requested.

Persistence & Privilege

Skill has default invocation settings (not always:true). It is user-invocable and can be run by the agent, which is appropriate for an informational skill and does not grant elevated system privileges.

Assessment

This skill is a read-only advisory guide and does not perform actions or ask for secrets — it's safe to install from a permissions perspective. Keep in mind it provides general recommendations, not automated operations. If you expect the agent to actually manage hosting (deploy sites, change DNS, create databases), you'll need provider-specific credentials and a different skill that documents precisely which API keys and actions are required — request those only from vetted providers and avoid sharing long-lived secrets unless necessary. Also verify any provider suggestions independently (pricing, limits, backup/restore capabilities) before committing to a provider.

Web Hosting Guidance

Choosing the Right Type

• Static sites (HTML, CSS, JS only): Use Vercel, Netlify, Cloudflare Pages, GitHub Pages — free tier often enough, no server management
• Dynamic sites with backend: Platform hosting (Railway, Render, Fly.io) handles servers without manual management
• WordPress or PHP: Managed WordPress hosts (WP Engine, Kinsta) or traditional shared hosting
• E-commerce: Shopify or platform-specific hosting — payment security is not worth DIY risk
• Don't recommend VPS to someone uncomfortable with terminal — managed hosting exists for a reason

Shared Hosting Reality

• "Unlimited" bandwidth and storage always have fair use limits — read the terms
• Performance depends on neighbors — bad neighbors slow your site
• SSH access may be limited or unavailable — verify before assuming
• Cron jobs and background processes often restricted
• Fine for small sites and blogs — not for growing businesses

Platform Hosting (Vercel, Netlify, Railway, etc.)

• Free tiers have limits — check build minutes, bandwidth, function invocations
• Serverless functions have cold start latency — first request after idle is slow
• Vendor lock-in varies — static files portable, platform-specific features less so
• Preview deployments per branch are invaluable for review workflows
• Environment variables configured in dashboard — never commit secrets to repo

Database Considerations

• Most platform hosts don't include databases — need separate provider (PlanetScale, Supabase, Neon)
• Database location should match app location — cross-region latency hurts performance
• Connection pooling often required for serverless — direct connections exhaust limits
• Backups may or may not be included — verify and test restore process

Domain and DNS

• Hosting provider often offers DNS — but separating them gives flexibility
• Point nameservers to host: simpler setup, less control
• Point A/CNAME records: more control, slightly more complex
• SSL certificates usually automatic with modern hosts — verify HTTPS works after setup

Email Separation

• Web hosting and email hosting are different services — can use different providers
• Don't rely on free email with web hosting — often limited and unreliable
• Google Workspace, Zoho, or dedicated email providers are more reliable
• MX records for email don't affect web hosting

Backups

• Managed hosts usually include backups — verify frequency and retention
• Download periodic backups locally — host backups don't help if host goes away
• Know the restore process before you need it
• Database backups separate from file backups — need both

Cost Awareness

• Monthly vs yearly billing — annual often 20-40% cheaper but commits you
• Traffic spikes can trigger overage fees — understand the billing model
• Free tiers often enough for side projects — don't overpay for unused capacity
• Compare total cost including add-ons — base price rarely tells the whole story

Migration Readiness

• Keep content in portable formats — avoid excessive platform-specific features
• Document how the current setup works — needed when moving
• Export data regularly — don't assume you can always access it
• DNS propagation takes up to 48 hours — plan migrations with overlap

Common Mistakes

• Choosing by price alone — support quality matters when things break
• Not testing staging before production — preview environments prevent disasters
• Ignoring geographic location — hosting in US for European users adds latency
• Assuming backups exist — verify and test before you need them
• Overcomplicating for small sites — a blog doesn't need Kubernetes