What is self-hosting?
Self-hosting means that you download software and install it on your computer. Only the person who is using the computer can access the desktop app. Same for mobile apps. A desktop app doesn’t require an internet connection. Examples: Photoshop, MS Office.
Anyone can access web apps through any internet browser. You only need the URL and your login information. You don’t have to install anything. However, some computer (in this instance, a server), still needs to run the app and manage data. Without an internet connection, web apps won’t work.
Hybrid apps are the same as web applications, but you can also use them on a desktop or mobile device (if they were developed by the company). Because some server manages all data, hybrid apps can display the same information across different devices. Many hybrid apps require an internet connection to work. Some also have an offline mode that restricts what you can do. Hybrid apps are the majority of apps you use today. Examples: Gmail, Facebook, ActiveCollab.
ActiveCollab is a web-app, but it can also be used as a desktop and mobile app. ActiveCollab runs on a server because it is primarily a web app. However, you can also use it as a desktop app or mobile app. We take care of hosting and maintenance. Self-hosting ActiveCollab requires you to pay a one-time license and receive ActiveCollab source code. You then install it on your own server.
After paying a one-time licensing fee, you will receive a link to download ActiveCollab’s source code. After downloading ActiveCollab’s source code, you can upload it to your server. Usually, this is done by renting a server from an internet provider. You can then invite people to ActiveCollab and use it as normal.
ActiveCollab requires domain name and URL. If you wish to access ActiveCollab only from your local network you will need ISP and domain names. Depending on how active ActiveCollab is and how many files you have, you may need more than the standard system requirements. The server must be able to handle more users.
Domain name and ISP. It is possible to use it only on the local network, but this is rarer.
Someone who can take care of maintenance and installation. This is something you can do if you have basic knowledge about the system administration.
What is self-hosting different to using the cloud?
ActiveCollab’s speed and accessibility depend on the stability and configuration of your servers.
DDoS attacks, SQL injections and other security exploits are dependent on the configuration of your server
Although you can modify source code, we strongly discourage it because it could cause problems with the upgrading process.
Backups are your responsibility in the event of data loss
Hosting and domain fees are your responsibility. IT staff is your responsibility.
If you need to run custom reports, you have direct access to the SQL Table. It is not recommended to make changes directly in the database.
All data is yours, so you can guarantee 100% privacy
As long as your server(s), can handle it, you can have unlimited storage and team members.
Self-hosting vs cloud
The self-hosted version offers the same features as the cloud one, but the self-hosted version is a bit slower than the cloud users. Some features
