10 ms·
Why the subdomain? Can someone explain why a lot of app are doing it? Personally, I avoid using an app that uses a subdomain.
by dan_sim 17y ago
Why the subdomain? Can someone explain why a lot of app are doing it? Personally, I avoid using an app that uses a subdomain.
- pchristensen 17y agoI believe it makes it easier to partition traffic and different subdomains can have different configurations. See also http://stackoverflow.com/questions/918971/when-should-i-use-or-avoid-subdomains http://stackoverflow.com/questions/918971/when-should-i-use-... and http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/subdomains-and-subdirectories/ http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/subdomains-and-subdirectories/
- fjabre 17y agoIt's the easiest way for us to direct them to their own VM and database. It also seems to work pretty well for all the 37signals apps and and few others that segment this way.
- dan_sim 17y agoOk, if you have a special case for your app and it uses virtual machines and things like that, I would understand. But, talking about them, why 37signals are doing it? They have "normal" web applications that don't require that kind of separation to be efficient.
- fjabre 17y ago37Signals could probably do it some other way but this was the most convenient way for them it seems. They probably do it for the same reason we do: easy to direct traffic to different DBs and VMs this way, instead of waiting for the request to come in and direct it some other way. There might also be an added value to the business/account seeing their name in the url... Not sure about that one though.
- ryanwaggoner 17y agoWhy do you specifically avoid it?
- bemmu 17y agoI sometimes found myself going to 37signals.com to access my basecamp project, and couldn't find a clear login box anywhere and felt lost and frustrated.
- dan_sim 17y agoLike bemmu says, I don't remember where to log. If it's well-known site, I can live with it. If it's a new application that I just want to try, I just know that I will forget where to go.
- gthank 17y agoAt a guess, I'd say because it's a popular feature (appeals to vanity AND is easier to remember) that simultaneously makes it easier to load balance.
- rykov 17y agoA few reasons off the top of my head where subdomains make sense: 1. Letting users override subdomain with a custom domain (ala Posterous) 2. White-labeling (esp. in combination with #1) 3. SEO - last I researched, Google sees virtual hosts on same IP as separate entities, so if your clients use a custom domain and you have a "Powered by" backlink, you'll get some SEO juice