Our company's main website, storename.com, is already hosted on Hostinger. We also have a separate site at shop.storename.com that was built as a Next.js full-stack application, and my manager wants to know whether it can be moved to the same Hostinger account. I'm not a web developer, so I'm trying to understand what's involved. Is this possible with shared hosting, or would we need a VPS or another type of hosting plan? Would the existing main domain cause any problems, and what would need to be configured for the subdomain and application?
4 Answers
Next.js isn’t a CMS; it’s a web application framework, and a full-stack Next.js project may require a Node.js runtime, environment variables, databases, and other services. On shared or cPanel hosting, check whether Hostinger supports the required Node.js version, long-running processes, and deployment method. A VPS generally gives you much more control and is the safer option if the application needs a server runtime.
It depends on the Hostinger plan. A VPS should be able to run the application, usually with Node.js and a reverse proxy such as Nginx routing traffic to the correct domain or subdomain. You’ll also need enough CPU, memory, and storage to run both sites. Tools such as Coolify can simplify deployment, but they also require additional server resources.
Before committing to the migration, contact Hostinger support with the exact requirements from the developer. Some shared plans restrict Node.js applications or don’t allow the processes needed by a full-stack site. If the application is hosted on a VPS, migrating is generally straightforward, but you’ll still need to configure the server, reverse proxy, SSL, DNS, and automatic deployments. Also make a backup and test the site on a temporary address before switching the live subdomain.
The subdomain itself usually isn’t the difficult part. You can create shop.storename.com and configure its DNS records, such as an A record or CNAME, to point to the server running the application. However, the developer will need to provide the source code, build instructions, environment settings, database details, and any required deployment credentials. Make sure you understand whether the current site is being moved completely or whether only the domain will point to a new server.
That makes sense. I originally asked about the CMS because I was told that non-WordPress sites might require a manual migration. I’ll ask the developer for the deployment requirements and confirm with Hostinger whether the current plan supports Node.js before changing any DNS records.