View source for Developer-hosted platform

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A developer-hosted platform is a website service operated by the software developer. The user creates a website on the developer's platform, without having to install any software themselves.

(The term generally refers to services for making your own blog or website. In a wider sense, nearly all [[social media]] runs on developer-hosted platforms, but the present page discusses only ''website hosting'' services.)

==Free hosted blogs==
It is quick and easy to sign up for a free [[blog]] on a developer-hosted platform. See the selected list of free blog platforms below.

The blog software is operated by the service provider. When you sign up for the service you get your own blog, running under the provider's software. Your new blog generally starts with a default format. Most of these platforms will let you customize your blog, but the degree of possible customization varies widely between providers. 

For a high degree of customization, you must generally know how to use [[HTML]] and [[CSS]]. Such customization can thus rapidly become quite complicated. If the software permits, you may also create a website with a structured hierarchy of pages, rather than being limited to the blog format.

==Paying hosted blogs==
Paying for a hosted blog brings additional services, notably customer support. Some blog hosts, such as [http://typepad.com Typepad], offer only a paying service. Others, such as [http://wordpress.com Wordpress], offer both an entry-level free service and a paying service for additional features and support.

==Selected list of developer hosted platforms==
===Selected free blog platforms===
*Blogger (customizable, but the software has no stand-alone version): http://blogger.com
*LiveJournal (one of the oldest existing platforms): http://www.livejournal.com
*Posterous (simplified blogging): http://posterous.com
*Skyrock (high penetration in France): http://skyrock.com
*Tumblr (simplified blogging): http://www.tumblr.com
*[[Wordpress]] (customizable, using nearly the same software as the stand-alone version): http://wordpress.com

===Selected paying blog platforms===
*Typepad: http://typepad.com
*[[Wordpress]] (similar to the free Wordpress hosting, but with additional services): http://wordpress.com

==External links==
*List of developer-hosted platforms in Wikipedia article about blog software: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog_software#Developer-hosted_platforms

==See also==
*[[Blog]]
*[[Microblogging]]
*[[Social media]]
*[[How to make a website]]

[[Category:Websites]]
[[Category:Web hosting]]