Drupal hosting requirements — what to expect from a server
Wrong hosting does not take a Drupal site down — but it makes updates harder, performance worse and maintenance more expensive. Here is what to check.
Drupal runs in many server environments, but not all environments work equally well. A simple site may run on minimal hosting, but as the platform grows — more modules, integrations, content — limitations from the wrong hosting start to show.
PHP version
Drupal 11 requires PHP 8.3 or newer. Drupal 10 supports PHP 8.1–8.3.
Check which PHP version the hosting provider offers and whether it can be changed when needed. Some cheaper packages stay on older PHP versions — which means Drupal cannot be updated in the future without switching hosting providers.
Minimum requirement: PHP 8.3 (for Drupal 11)
Memory limits
Drupal needs sufficient PHP memory to run. By default, many hosting providers set memory_limit too low.
| Scenario | Recommended memory_limit |
|---|---|
| Simple informational site | 256 MB |
| Medium-complexity site | 512 MB |
| Complex platform, many modules | 512 MB – 1 GB |
Running Composer updates often requires 512 MB or more — if the memory limit is too low, the update process will fail with an error.
Composer and SSH access
Drupal 9+ requires Composer for managing modules and dependencies. This needs:
- SSH access — Composer runs from the command line, not through a web browser
- Composer installed on the server — or the ability to install it yourself
Without SSH access, Drupal security updates cannot be managed professionally. Uploading files via FTP is not a reasonable option in a Composer-based workflow.
Check: does the hosting package include SSH access? Is Composer available on the server?
Database
Drupal supports MySQL 8.0+, MariaDB 10.6+ and PostgreSQL 16+. Most hosting providers offer MySQL or MariaDB, which works well.
Check the database version — especially if you are planning to move to Drupal 11, as it requires newer versions than Drupal 9/10.
Filesystem write permissions
Drupal writes files to several directories — uploaded images, cache files, private files. The server must allow Drupal to write to these directories.
On shared hosting this may be restricted — worth checking before installation.
Cron jobs
Drupal needs regularly running cron tasks — cache clearing, indexing, sending emails. This can be set up either through Drupal's built-in Poorman's Cron (runs on page visits) or server-level cron (more precise and reliable).
For higher-traffic sites, server-level cron is preferable over Poorman's Cron.
Which hosting we use
In WebPro projects we primarily use Zone.ee and Veebimajutus.ee — both offer SSH access, up-to-date PHP versions and Estonia-based support.
If you would like to order hosting from either of them, the discount code webpro gives you a discount at checkout. The code works at both Zone.ee and Veebimajutus.ee.
Summary — what to ask your hosting provider
Before signing a contract, ask:
- Which PHP version is available and can it be changed?
- What is the default
memory_limitand can it be adjusted? - Is SSH access included in the package?
- Is Composer available on the server?
- Which MySQL/MariaDB version is in use?
If all of these have a clear positive answer, the hosting is suitable for Drupal. If the answers are vague, ask us before deciding — we can help assess whether the environment is a good fit.
Kaido Toomingas
WebPro Company OÜ
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