DEV Community: mohit

Deploy a Vite + React App to Shared Hosting (2026 Guide)

mohit — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 12:29:14 +0000

Most guides for this are built on create-react-app, which the React team deprecated on 14 February 2025 — the announcement recommends migrating to a framework, or to a build tool like Vite, Parcel or Rsbuild. CRA has no active maintainers.

So the homepage field in package.json that those guides tell you to set does not exist in Vite. Neither does the build/ folder. If you followed one and ended up with a 403 or a white page, that is why.

Here is the current path, plus the three failures that fill the comment sections of every older guide.

1. Get the base path right before you build

This is the step that decides whether your app loads at all.

Vite injects asset paths into index.html at build time using the base option. If base is wrong, the HTML loads and then every script and stylesheet 404s — which renders as a completely blank page with no error on screen.

Deploying to a domain root (example.com) — the default is already correct:

// vite.config.js
import { defineConfig } from 'vite'
import react from '@vitejs/plugin-react'

export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [react()],
  base: '/',
})

Deploying to a subdirectory (example.com/app/) — you must say so:

export default defineConfig({
  plugins: [react()],
  base: '/app/',
})

Leading and trailing slashes both matter. /app will not work; /app/ will.

2. Build

npm run build

Vite writes to dist/, not build/. That difference causes more failed deploys than anything else on this page, because people follow a CRA guide and go looking for a folder that was never created.

Check it locally before you upload anything:

npm run preview

That serves the real production build the way a static host will. If it is broken here, uploading will not fix it.

3. Upload the CONTENTS of `dist/`, not the folder

This is the single most common cause of a 403 or a blank page on shared hosting, and it is almost never explained.

Your files need to land like this:

public_html/
├── index.html
├── assets/
│   ├── index-a1b2c3d4.js
│   └── index-e5f6g7h8.css
└── vite.svg

Not like this:

public_html/
└── dist/
    ├── index.html
    └── assets/

In the second case Apache finds no index.html at the document root. Depending on whether directory listing is enabled, you get either a 403 Forbidden or an empty page — and both look like a server problem when they are a path problem.

If you zip before uploading, open dist/ first and zip the files inside it, not the folder. In your host's file manager, extract into public_html, then confirm index.html sits directly there. SFTP works equally well; just drag the contents.

4. Add `.htaccess` for client-side routing

Without this, your app works until someone refreshes on /about or opens a deep link, and then the server returns 404. The server is looking for a real file at that path. There isn't one — React Router resolves it in the browser.

Create .htaccess in public_html:

<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
  RewriteEngine On
  RewriteBase /
  RewriteRule ^index\.html$ - [L]
  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
  RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
  RewriteRule . /index.html [L]
</IfModule>

The two RewriteCond lines are the important part: they say "if the request is not a real file and not a real directory, hand it to index.html". Without them you would rewrite your JS and CSS requests into the HTML too, and get MIME type errors in the console instead.

If you deployed to a subdirectory, change RewriteBase / and the final /index.html to match — /app/ and /app/index.html.

LiteSpeed, which most budget shared hosts run instead of Apache, reads the same .htaccess directives, so this block works on both.

Troubleshooting, by symptom

403 Forbidden. Files are one directory too deep. Check that index.html is directly inside public_html, not inside public_html/dist. If the path is right and you still get 403, check the file permissions — 644 for files, 755 for directories.

Completely blank page, no errors on screen. Open DevTools and look at the Network tab. If the assets/*.js requests are 404ing, your base is wrong — rebuild with the correct value. If they load fine, check the Console for a runtime error instead; a blank render is usually a crash during mount.

Routes 404 on refresh, but work when clicking links. Missing or ignored .htaccess. Confirm the file uploaded — many FTP clients hide dotfiles by default, so it is easy to think you sent it when you didn't.

MIME type errors on .js. Usually a rewrite rule that is catching real files because the RewriteCond lines are missing.

"The project was built assuming it is hosted at /". This is a CRA message, not a Vite one, and when you are deploying to a domain root it is not an error — it is the build telling you it did the correct thing. Two people in the comments of the most popular guide on this topic have been stuck on that line for three years. If you see it, you are on CRA, and it is fine.

One security note before you ship

Vite only exposes environment variables prefixed with VITE_, and it inlines them into the bundle at build time:

const key = import.meta.env.VITE_API_URL

That means anything with a VITE_ prefix is readable by anyone who opens your JavaScript. It is fine for a public API base URL. It is not fine for an API secret, a database credential, or a private key. If a value must stay secret, it belongs behind a server you control, not in a static bundle.

When shared hosting is the wrong answer

Worth saying plainly, because the happy path above does not cover everything.

Shared hosting serves static files. That is all a built SPA is, so it works well. What it cannot do:

Server-side rendering. Next.js with SSR, or any app that renders on the server, needs a Node process. Static hosting has none.
API routes. If your app needs a backend, you need somewhere to run it.
Background jobs, cron, WebSockets. Same problem.

If any of those apply, a VPS is the honest answer, and the specs that matter for a Node workload are different from the ones hosting companies advertise — I wrote up which ones actually matter here.

And if you are only serving a built SPA, do not overbuy. A static bundle needs very little; the entry tier of almost any host handles it, and the thing worth checking is the renewal rate rather than the intro price — I keep a breakdown of what the cheap plans actually cost here.

The short version

Set base correctly before building — / for a root deploy, /subdir/ otherwise
npm run build outputs to dist/, and npm run preview tests it locally
Upload the contents of dist/, so index.html lands in public_html
Add the .htaccess block, or every refresh on a sub-route 404s
Never put a secret behind a VITE_ variable

That is the whole thing. Most of the pain people hit with this is step 3.

I'm a full stack developer from India. I write about hosting, performance and technical SEO at mohitkoli.in.

Shared, Cloud, or VPS Hosting — The Upgrade Ladder Nobody Explains Simply

mohit — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:48:03 +0000

Hosting tiers are named to confuse you — "Premium", "Business", "Cloud", "VPS" — so here is the entire ladder in plain language, with September 2026 prices from the Indian market.

Rung 1 — Shared hosting (₹149–249/mo intro)

Your site shares a server with hundreds of others. Fine for blogs, portfolios, and small business sites up to a few thousand visits a day.

You stay here longer than the industry wants you to believe.

Rung 2 — Cloud hosting (₹599/mo intro)

Same simple dashboard, but dedicated resources — your neighbour's viral post can't slow your site down. This is the rung for stores and high-traffic content sites.

I've broken down every cloud tier and its renewal price in my cloud hosting guide for India.

Rung 3 — VPS (₹599+/mo)

Root access, your own virtual machine, nobody manages it but you. You need this only when you run custom apps — Node.js backends, Docker, cron-heavy workloads.

If that's you, my guide to Node.js hosting in India covers which VPS specs actually matter.

The three signals it's time to climb a rung

Your host emails you about resource limits more than once a month.
Your pages take over 3 seconds despite caching.
You need to run something the shared dashboard simply doesn't offer — a custom runtime, a queue, a websocket server.

The mistake in both directions

Beginners buy VPS "for growth" and end up paying to be their own sysadmin. Growing stores stay on ₹149 shared hosting while checkout crawls.

Match the rung to today's traffic, not the dream.

I'm a full-stack developer from India. I publish price-checked hosting and domain guides at mohitkoli.in.

Cheap Web Hosting Under ₹200/Month in India (2026)

mohit — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:23:31 +0000

Cheap Web Hosting Under ₹200/Month in India (2026): Practical Options That Actually Work
Looking for reliable web hosting in India without spending more than ₹200 a month? In 2026, it’s genuinely possible — but this price range is also full of traps like misleading intro prices, hidden renewal hikes, and plans missing essentials such as a free domain or solid performance.
This guide covers real options that deliver usable hosting for blogs, portfolios, student projects, and small business sites, while highlighting what to watch out for. For a detailed, up-to-date comparison with specific plan breakdowns and current pricing checks, see the excellent resource at https://mohitkoli.in/blog/cheap-web-hosting-under-200-india.
Quick Picks for Under ₹200

Best overall value: A mid-tier shared plan around ₹139/month (especially on longer terms) that includes a free domain for the first year, SSL, email, and support for a few websites.
Tightest budget: Entry-level “single site” plans near ₹99/month — workable for one simple site or learning project, but with more limits.
Truly free for static sites: GitHub Pages, Vercel, or Netlify free tiers (perfect for portfolios, documentation, or landing pages — no WordPress or dynamic features).
Avoid: Any “unlimited everything for ₹49” offers that bury high renewal rates or cut critical features.

What You Actually Get at Different Price Points
Budget hosting in India typically falls into a few clear tiers (prices approximate based on common long-term sale rates as of mid-2026):

Feature~₹99/mo tier~₹139/mo tier~₹199/mo tierWebsites1325–50Storage~30 GB SSD20 GB SSD50 GB NVMe (faster)Free domain (Year 1)Usually noYesYesFree SSLYesYesYesEmailLimited (1)2–35+BackupsWeeklyWeeklyDailyBest forFirst blog / projectBlog, portfolio, small bizBusiness sites, light stores
The key insight: a slightly higher intro price that includes a free domain often costs less overall in Year 1 than a cheaper plan where you must buy the domain separately (a .com typically runs around ₹1,000–1,200/year).
Common Pitfalls to Check Before Paying

Renewal pricing — Many plans start low and jump 2–3× after the first term. Always check the renewal rate at checkout and lock in the longest affordable term.
No free domain — This alone can add the equivalent of ₹100/month in Year 1 costs.
Slower storage — Entry plans often use standard SSD; higher tiers in this range move to faster NVMe.
Resource limits — Watch inode counts, database size, and concurrent process limits (rarely an issue for normal blogs, but relevant for plugin-heavy sites).
Support quality — Lower tiers can mean slower response times.

Who Should Choose What?

Student or first personal site → ~₹99 single-site plan (or free static hosting if possible).
Serious blogger or portfolio → ~₹139 tier with free domain — usually the sweet spot.
Small business or light e-commerce → ~₹199 tier for better speed, daily backups, and more resources.
Fully static site → Stick with GitHub Pages / Vercel / Netlify and spend ₹0.

Is Cheap Hosting Good Enough for WordPress?
Yes, for typical blogs and small business sites. Most plans in this range offer one-click WordPress installs and perform well with proper caching (LiteSpeed is common). They comfortably handle tens of thousands of monthly visits on a well-optimized site. Heavy WooCommerce stores or high-traffic projects will eventually need to move up.
Free classic hosting is generally not recommended for anything important — ads, downtime, domain restrictions, or sudden shutdowns are common. The free static platforms mentioned earlier are the reliable exception.
Final Recommendation
For most people who need a real website with a custom domain, the ~₹139 long-term plan that bundles a free domain, SSL, and multi-site support delivers the best balance of cost and features under ₹200. Always verify current sale prices and renewal terms at checkout, as offers rotate.
For the full side-by-side comparison, exact current pricing notes, detailed renewal guidance, and more FAQs, read the original in-depth guide here:
https://mohitkoli.in/blog/cheap-web-hosting-under-200-india
Prices and features change, so double-check at the provider’s checkout before purchasing. Happy launching!

Hostinger Domain Price in India 2026:

mohit — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:22:16 +0000

Hostinger Domain Price in India 2026: .in from ₹99, .com from ₹149 (Real Registration + Renewal Costs)
Looking for the actual Hostinger domain price in India 2026? Most sellers flash a low first-year number and hide the renewal. This guide shows the real costs in INR for the extensions Indians buy most (.com, .in, .co.in, .store, .online, .xyz and more) — registration and renewal — plus the smartest way to get a domain free for the first year.
Disclosure: This post contains Hostinger referral links. You get an extra discount; I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Domain prices change with sales — always confirm the live price at checkout.
The 30-Second Answer

Best value for Indian audiences: .in domain — roughly ₹99–₹299 first year, ~₹699/year renewal.
Most trusted worldwide: .com — ~₹149–₹749 first year, ~₹1,199/year renewal.
Free for year one: Buy any Hostinger Premium (or higher) plan on a 12-month+ term — the domain is included.
Warning: Cheap-looking extensions like .store, .online or .tech can renew at ₹2,299–₹3,499. Always judge by the renewal price.

→ Check live Hostinger domain prices with extra discount
→ Alternative referral link: Hostinger with HOSTFIFTY code
Hostinger .in Domain Price in India 2026
A .in domain on Hostinger typically costs ₹99–₹299 for the first year and around ₹699 per year on renewal.
.in is India’s country-code domain (managed by NIXI). It signals a local business to Indian visitors and has one of the lowest long-term costs. The same ~₹699 renewal usually applies to .co.in (great fallback when your exact .in is taken).
Pro tip: Register for 2+ years if the domain is important — you lock today’s rate and reduce the risk of losing the name.
Hostinger .com Domain Price in India 2026
A .com registers for about ₹149–₹749 in year one (sale price rotates) and renews near ₹1,199/year.
.com renewal is largely set by Verisign’s wholesale fee, so most registrars sit in a similar band. If the brand matters long-term (business, product, personal brand), budget for the renewal and register multiple years upfront.
Full Hostinger Domain Price Table (India 2026) — First Year vs Renewal
The gap between the two columns is everything. A ₹199 domain today can cost ₹3,499 next year.

Extension1st Year (Sale)Renewal / YearBest For.com~₹149–₹749~₹1,199Global trust, brands, long-term.in~₹99–₹299~₹699Indian audience, best value.co.in~₹99–₹399~₹699When .in is taken.xyz~₹99–₹199~₹899Startups, side projects.online~₹99–₹299~₹2,299Cheap year-one only.store~₹199–₹399~₹3,499Ecommerce vibe (high renewal).shop~₹99–₹399~₹2,799Keyword-rich store domains.tech~₹399–₹799~₹3,499Tech/SaaS brands (expensive to keep)
Figures are typical 2026 India prices in INR and move with sales. Always verify on the live checkout page.
Hostinger Domain Renewal Prices in India (What You Actually Pay Every Year)

ExtensionRenewal / Year.in / .co.in~₹699.xyz~₹899.com~₹1,199.online~₹2,299.shop~₹2,799.store / .tech~₹3,499
5-year reality check:

₹99 .in → roughly ₹2,895 total
₹199 .store → roughly ₹14,195 total

Choose by the renewal column. Register multiple years when possible and use a valid first-term discount.
How to Get a Free Domain for the First Year with Hostinger
Do not buy the domain separately if you need hosting.
Every Hostinger plan from Premium and above, purchased on a 12-month term or longer, includes:

Free first-year domain (.com, .in, .online, .store and many others)
Free WHOIS privacy
Free SSL + email
DNS management and unlimited subdomains

Year-two renewal is the standard rate from the tables above — budget for it.
Premium (starts around ₹139–₹149/mo on longer terms) is usually the sweet spot for blogs and small business sites. Higher plans add more power for ecommerce or traffic.
→ Claim free domain + hosting with referral discount
→ Or use: https://www.hostinger.com/?REFERRALCODE=HOSTFIFTY
.com vs .in — Which Should You Choose?
Choose .com if:

You want maximum global recognition and trust
You may expand outside India
It’s a personal brand or product name
You’re comfortable with ~₹1,199/year renewal

Choose .in or .co.in if:

Your main audience is in India
You want the lowest long-term cost (~₹699/year)
The exact .com is already taken
You want an instant “local business” signal

Many smart Indian brands register both and 301-redirect one to the other.
Hostinger vs GoDaddy Domain Prices in India
First-year offers look similar at both. The real difference is renewal and extras:

Hostinger renewals stay closer to standard registry rates.
WHOIS privacy is free forever on eligible domains.
GoDaddy has raised Indian renewal prices multiple times in the past.

Always compare the year-two (and beyond) cost, not just the flashy first-year banner.
How to Register a Domain on Hostinger (5 Simple Steps)

Search your desired name and check available extensions.
Compare the renewal price, not just the sale price.
Register for 2+ years if the domain is important.
Enable free WHOIS privacy (included).
Bundle with a Premium+ hosting plan to get the domain free in year one.

→ Search domains & see live prices now
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Hostinger .com domain price in India 2026?
Typically ₹149–₹749 first year (sale) and ~₹1,199/year on renewal.
What is the Hostinger .in domain price in India?
Around ₹99–₹299 first year and ~₹699/year renewal — one of the best-value options.
Can I get a free domain with Hostinger?
Yes. Premium and higher plans (12 months+) include a free domain for the first year.
Why is domain renewal higher than registration?
The first year is a promotional price. Renewal reflects the real long-term registry cost. This is standard industry practice.
Is it cheaper to buy domain + hosting together?
Almost always yes for a new project. You get the domain free in year one plus hosting, SSL and email.
Should I choose .com or .in for an Indian website?
.com for global reach and maximum trust. .in for local Indian audience and lower cost. Many register both.
How much does domain transfer to Hostinger cost?
Usually close to the normal renewal rate of that extension, and it adds one full year of registration.
Final Recommendation
For most Indian users in 2026:

Want lowest long-term cost + local signal → get a .in
Building a serious brand → get a .com (and preferably the .in too)
Need a website → buy Premium+ hosting and take the free domain

Check the current live prices and claim the extra referral discount here:
https://www.hostinger.com/?REFERRALCODE=MOHITKOLI
or
https://www.hostinger.com/?REFERRALCODE=HOSTFIFTY
Original detailed guide: Hostinger Domain Price in India 2026Prices can change — always confirm on the Hostinger website before purchasing. Happy domain hunting!