The video titled “Why I’d never host my apps on a VPS” by Web Dev Cody, published on September 25, 2023, discusses the considerations and trade-offs between using third-party services and hosting applications on a Virtual Private Server (VPS) for software development, particularly in the context of SaaS products.

Key Points from the Video:

  1. Services for Building SaaS Products: The video begins with a discussion on various services needed for building a SaaS product, highlighting the debate between using paid services versus a DIY approach on a VPS.
  2. Cost Analysis: The speaker analyzes the cost of hosting on platforms like Vercel, comparing it to the hourly rate of a software engineer in the U.S., emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of using third-party services.
  3. Importance of Logging: The importance of logging in a production system is discussed, along with the complexities of setting up logging systems like ELK Stack.
  4. Database Hosting Considerations: Challenges and risks associated with hosting databases on a VPS are presented, promoting the use of database services like Supabase or Atlas.
  5. Authentication Services: The use of authentication services and the advantages of social media login over email-password authentication are highlighted.
  6. File Storage: The importance of using services like Amazon S3 for file storage, especially to handle large volumes of data, is stressed.
  7. Server Hosting and Node.js: The video explains the anxiety associated with hosting Node.js on a VPS, including the potential for server crashes and memory issues.
  8. Conclusion: The speaker concludes by advocating for the use of third-party services to offload work and ensure reliability, especially in a professional, client-driven environment.

Metadata:

  • Duration: 13 minutes and 43 seconds
  • View Count: 17,699
  • Likes: 692
  • Comments: 252

Top Comments:

  1. @WebDevCody emphasizes the practicality of using third-party services in the U.S., considering the operational costs and the importance of having a migration strategy to avoid vendor lock-in.
  2. @ZiNean00 appreciates the video for covering topics not usually taught in school.
  3. @theLowestPointInMyLife talks about the ease of setting up backend services on a VPS for someone with coding and system administration knowledge.
  4. @mycode0 highlights that software building is subjective to specific situations, especially for companies working with small-budget clients.
  5. @dontwanttousemyrealnametol6765 shares a personal experience of wanting to replace their company’s ERP software with a custom solution for better efficiency and offline capability.

Watch the full video for a detailed understanding: Why I’d never host my apps on a VPS.