Public Hosting (Web Hosting) mode allows your site to operate as a public-facing web server, securely serving files via HTTPS without requiring login or requiring any specific API, protocol, or app.

Common Use Cases

Public Hosting (Web Hosting) mode lends itself to a wide variety of use cases due to the simplicity of setup, HTTPS security, custom domain capability (via edge platforms), and the ability to share files with regions where traditional file-sharing services might be blocked.

Software & Technology Use Cases

Software companies use Public Hosting for a variety of files and audiences.

It's simple to distribute software files, updates, and patches with sophisticated version-controlled URL systems where endpoints like /latest/ automatically redirect to the current version, so users always access the most recent software. Even Files.com uses Public Hosting to publish updates to some of our client apps.

Development teams serve API documentation, SDKs, and code samples publicly, providing developers with direct HTTPS access to essential resources.

Healthcare & Professional Services

Healthcare providers transform their patient communication by sharing intake forms, educational materials, and appointment preparation guides through clean, memorable URLs.

Legal firms create public access points for standard contracts, disclosure forms, or regulatory documents, making it easier for clients to access necessary paperwork.

Professional training organizations distribute certification materials, course content, or compliance training resources, providing learners with reliable access to educational content without requiring complex login systems.

Marketing & Media

Marketing departments share comprehensive press kits that give media outlets direct access to high-resolution images, logos, and promotional materials. Companies establish centralized brand asset distribution systems that provide partners and vendors with consistent branding materials, ensuring brand compliance across all touch points.

Simple promotional sites or product showcases that don't require interactivity are perfect for Public Hosting. Digital catalogs containing product information, price sheets, or specification documents can be shared with prospects and partners without requiring them to navigate complex corporate websites.

Event Management

Event organizers can use Public Hosting to reduce the complexity of event participation and improve the overall attendee experience.

Create comprehensive resource hubs that share speaker biographies, presentation slides, and detailed event schedules with attendees before, during, and after events.

Simplify registration processes by providing direct access to event forms, venue maps, and attendee information.

E-commerce & Retail

Enhance customer support by hosting comprehensive product manuals, warranty information, and troubleshooting resources that customers can access directly without contacting support teams.

Share product data feeds with partners or marketplace platforms, automating inventory synchronization and reducing manual data management.

Streamline customer service by providing easy access to return and exchange forms, reducing friction and improving overall customer satisfaction.

International & Localization

Global companies can implement sophisticated multi-region documentation strategies, serving localized manuals, compliance documents, or region-specific content using edge routing to ensure users automatically receive relevant materials for their location.

Manage global asset distribution by sharing marketing materials that have been adapted for different markets, ensuring consistent messaging while respecting local preferences and regulations.

File Types Supported

Your folder in Public Hosting mode can serve any type of file and MIME type. These include html, xml, css, javascript, images, videos, music/sound files, pdfs, text files, and many more.

Public Hosting mode does not support any server-side scripting or databases, such as PHP, .NET, or JSP. If you would like to serve a website that has dynamic content, that is best accomplished using Javascript that retrieves data from an external source. This is called the JamStack approach.

Public Hosting Domain

Your site uses an entirely different domain for public hosting mode as a security measure. Public hosting mode enables the hosting of any content, including Javascript that could potentially execute in a web browser. Consequently, we need to isolate this Javascript away from your site's primary domain in order to avoid CSRF attacks. Because Public Hosting uses the separate [subdomain].hosted-by-files.com domain rather than your account domain, your main site is protected.