A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a virtual machine running on a shared physical host, sold with a fixed allocation of CPU, RAM and disk and usually with administrator access to its own operating system.
Why it matters
A VPS sits between shared hosting and a dedicated server. You get isolation from other customers and the freedom to install your own software, firewall rules and runtimes, at a price far below a whole machine. In exchange, you are responsible for updates, security and backups unless you pay for a managed plan.
Performance depends on how the provider allocates resources. Some plans guarantee CPU cores; others share them, so a busy neighbor can slow you down.
Example
A small plan might offer 2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM and 80 GB SSD. You log in with SSH, install nginx and PostgreSQL, and point your domain's A record at the VPS IP address. If memory runs out, the kernel's out-of-memory killer may stop your database, so monitor usage.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the server unpatched and with password SSH login enabled, which invites automated attacks.
- Choosing a plan by price alone without checking whether CPU is dedicated or shared.
- Having no off-server backups; a provider-side failure can take your data with it.
Related
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This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.