Why Cloud Isn't Always the Answer: A Case for VPS and Linux

Introduction

In the past few years, cloud services have become the default choice for deploying web apps and services. But while the cloud can be super convenient, it’s not always the best fit. For a lot of developers, the high costs, lack of control, and relying on third-party providers can be real downsides.

In this post, I want to share why it’s a good idea to consider alternatives like VPS (Virtual Private Servers) and self-hosted Linux setups. VPS options are getting cheaper and easier to manage, so it’s a great time to question the “cloud-first” mindset. Let’s dive into why going back to Linux and VPS might actually be the smarter move for your projects.

Why Cloud Isn’t Always the Right Choice

For a long time, the cloud has been marketed as the ultimate solution for everything—scalable, flexible, and easy to set up. But the truth is, the cloud isn’t always the perfect fit, especially when it comes to cost and control.

For smaller projects or apps with a modest user base, cloud services can quickly become expensive. You might end up paying for resources you don’t need, all while losing some level of control over your infrastructure.

That’s where VPS and Linux come in. A VPS gives you your own slice of a physical server, offering more control at a fraction of the cost compared to cloud services. With VPS providers becoming more affordable, you can have a dedicated environment for your web apps and services without the high costs associated with cloud platforms. Plus, running a Linux-based server allows you to fully customize your setup, optimize performance, and keep everything under your control.

A Shift Back to VPS and Linux

Using a VPS is a great way to learn how things really work behind the scenes. It pushes you to understand how systems operate, how to secure your setup, and how to keep everything running smoothly. One of the big benefits of running your own VPS is that it makes you more aware of what your app truly needs. As a programmer, I think it’s super important to know exactly how much power your app requires to perform its best.

My advice: don’t start with too many resources. If you give your app too much upfront, you might miss out on important ways to make it run faster and more efficiently. Starting small forces you to focus on improving performance, and that’s always a win.

Learning Linux is one of the best investments you can make in your future as a developer. It’s a foundational skill that will help you no matter where your career takes you. As a programmer, you should look beyond just writing code—understanding how systems work and what it takes to keep your app running smoothly is just as important.

Containerization and Automation

These days, running multiple services on a single VPS is easier than ever, thanks to containerization. With tools like Docker, you can isolate different services in their own containers, keeping everything separate and running smoothly without conflicts. This means you can host your web app, database, and other services all on one VPS without worrying about them interfering with each other.

On top of that, the rise of automation tools like Ansible and Terraform makes setting up and managing your VPS a breeze. You can automate everything—from configuring your server to deploying your app—with just a few scripts. It’s never been simpler to get a robust setup running quickly and efficiently.

Don’t Over-Engineer Early On

One thing I’ve learned over the years is not to worry too much about scalability right from the start. Chances are, your web app won’t hit those huge numbers anytime soon, so there’s no need to over-engineer things.

Don’t stress about early optimizations either—focus on building something that works first. The same goes for the services you think your app might need down the road. Don’t add complexity before it’s necessary. You might imagine your app growing to 100,000 users and needing expensive hosting, but until you actually get there, keep things simple. You’ll have plenty of time to scale and adjust when the need arises.

Wrapping Up

To wrap things up, don’t overthink your app’s infrastructure before you really need to. Focus on what’s right in front of you: building a solid web app and understanding how it runs on a VPS. The truth is, most apps won’t hit those huge scaling issues right away, and there’s plenty of time to adjust as you grow. Keep things simple, and learn the basics of hosting and managing your own server.

If you’re a programmer looking to dive into VPS hosting, I’ve got something that can help. I created a GitHub project called ubuntu-server-automation. It’s an introduction designed to help you get started with hosting your apps on a VPS. The project walks you through the entire process, using Ansible to automate the setup and management of your server. It’s a great resource for anyone wanting to take control of their infrastructure and learn more about what’s under the hood.