Various Changes (see desc)

SUMMARY.md

@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 # Table of contents
 
 * [Introduction](README.md)
+* [Choosing a Host](choose-host/README.md)
+  * [Additional Considerations](choose-host/choose-host1.md)
+  * [Recommended Hosts](choose-host/recommended-hosts.md)
+  * [Unrecommended Hosts](choose-host/unrecommended-hosts.md)
 * [Installation](installation/README.md)
   * [Local hosting / VPS](installation/local-hosting-vps/README.md)
     * [Windows](installation/local-hosting-vps/windows.md)
@@ -24,11 +28,12 @@
   * [Permissions](usage-guide/permissions.md)
   * [Thread Menu](usage-guide/threadmenu.md)
 * [Frequently Asked Questions](frequently-asked-questions.md)
+* [Config References]()
+  * [Configuration Variables](config-references/config-vars.md)
+  * [Color Names](config-references/color-names.md)
 * [OLD DOCS](old-docs/README.md)
   * [Installation](installation-1.md)
   * [Installation (continued)](installation-continued.md)
-  * [Color Names](color-names.md)
-  * [Configuration Variables (Config Vars)](configuration-variables-config-vars.md)
   * [Configure Modmail and Logviewer](configure-modmail-and-logviewer.md)
   * [Frequently Asked Questions](<frequently-asked-questions (1).md>)
   * [Modmail Usage](modmail-usage.md)

choose-host/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+---
+description: This page briefly describes our recommendations for choosing a host.
+---
+
+# Choosing a Host
+
+Choosing where to host your Modmail bot is one of the most important decisions you’ll make during setup. A good host can make your Modmail bot invaluable for running your server, a bad host can make it useless.
+
+There are three main factors to balance when selecting a host:
+
+1. **Cost**  
+2. **Availability (Uptime)**  
+3. **Simplicity**
+
+{% hint style="info" %}
+If you’re looking for specific providers that have been tested by our community, check the [Recommended Hosts](../recommended-hosts/recommended-hosts.md) page.  
+You can also view hosts that are **not suitable** for Modmail on the [Unrecommended Hosts](../unrecommended-hosts/README.md) page.
+{% endhint %}
+
+---
+
+## Understanding the Tradeoffs
+
+No hosting option is perfect — choosing where to host your bot always means balancing cost, uptime, and simplicity.
+
+You may have heard the saying *“cheap, good, fast — pick two.”* Hosting Modmail (or any Discord bot) follows a similar idea. In our case, the three factors are **Cost**, **Uptime**, and **Simplicity**. You can usually get two of them, but you’ll have to compromise on the third. Here’s a quick overview:
+
+| Low Cost | High Uptime | Simple | Example                |
+| -------- | ----------- | ------ | ---------------------- |
+| ✅        | ❌           | ✅      | Free Pterodactyl Panel |
+| ✅        | ✅           | ❌      | Private VPS            |
+| ❌        | ✅           | ✅      | Heroku                 |
+
+
+{% hint style="warning" %}
+**Free Hosting Platforms are Discouraged**
+
+Over the years, the Modmail team has spent many hours researching and recommending free hosting platforms. Starting in 2025, we are no longer spending the time, or recommending platforms purley for being free.
+
+Free platforms usually have, or develop one of these problems: remove free tier, high downtime, problematic server connection, terminating instances without notice.
+
+
+{% endhint %}
+
+### "Minimum Spec"
+
+The Modmail project does not have a minimum specification required to use run your bot. However, generally, if you hear anyone from our team, or read on this page the term "minimum spec" or "min spec", we are referring to this:
+
+|System Spec|Minimum Value|
+|-|-|
+|CPU|1 core, speed mostly irrelevant|
+|RAM|1GB|
+|Storage|~2GB (on top of OS)|
+|Network Speed| > 10 Mbps|
+---
+
+## Hosting Decision Flow
+
+{% stepper %}
+{% step %}
+### Step 1 — Identify Your Needs
+Modmail is a very lightweight bot, very minimal resources are required.
+
+> Do you have more than 1000 members in your server?
+
+If not: you likely do not need more than 512mb of memory and 1 CPU core.
+
+If yes: you can potentially get away with the minimum spec, but you should consider upgrading.
+
+> Do you require your Modmail bot to be online with 0 downtime?
+
+If yes: you want to steer away from free hosts, and in most cases, local hosting as well.
+
+> Do you plan to have significant usage of your bot?
+
+If yes (ie plugins, hundreds of active threads at once - being replied to not sitting dormant, etc): you can potineitally get away with the minimum spec, but you should consider upgrading.
+
+If you aren't sure: Talk with our [community and team](https://discord.gg/nfErcs7mDM).
+
+If no: use the minimum spec above.
+
+> How technical are you?
+
+If you struggle with technology, you may want to consider a PaaS (Platform as a Service) host, which handles the backend of a server for you. If you have strong technical proficiencies, a VPS or local hosting is likely a better fit for you.
+
+{% endstep %}
+
+{% step %}
+### Step 2 — Decide on Your Budget
+- **$0:** Not recommended. Free hosts are unstable and may terminate at any time.  
+- **$2–10/month:** Ideal for most users. Reliable cloud or VPS hosting with full control.  
+- **$15+/month:** Used for hosting multiple **large** modmail bots and/or extra services besides modmail. Unnecessary for hosting a single modmail bot.
+{% endstep %}
+
+{% step %}
+### Step 3 — Pick Your Platform Type
+| Platform Type | Best For | Pros | Cons | Examples | 
+|-----------|-----------|------|------|-|
+| **PaaS** | Simple setup requiring less technical knowledge | Simple UI, auto-deploys, managed | Paid Plan usually Required | Heroku, Railway| 
+| **Hetzner / OVH / DigitalOcean (VPS)** | Users with basic technical knowledge | Full control, high uptime | Linux/Docker setup required | See [Recommended Hosts](../recommended-hosts/README.md) |
+| **Local Hosting** | Users with special cost requirements, or other locally running, always on, computer at home. | No subscription, complete control | Local outages affect uptime | Old Computer, Raspberry Pi, etc|
+{% endstep %}
+{% endstepper %}
+
+
+## Related Pages
+- [Recommended Hosts](../recommended-hosts/README.md) — Tested VPS and PaaS providers our users trust.
+- [Unrecommended Hosts](../unrecommended-hosts/README.md) — Platforms known to cause Modmail reliability issues.
+
+
+{% hint style="success" %}
+### Our Recommendation for Most Users
+For nearly all cases, we recommend a cheap Virtual Private Server from one of our [Recommended Hosts](../recommended-hosts/README.md).
+
+For users who do not wish to pay, we recommend locally hosting the bot from hardware you already own, like a Raspberry Pi, or old computer you can keep running 24/7 in your house.
+
+In situations where you significantly struggle with technology, a PaaS option *may* be better with you. Feel free to consult with our [team](https://discord.gg/nfErcs7mDM) if you don't know if this is the best option for you.
+{% endhint %}
+
+{% hint style="danger" %}
+### A Caution on Free Pterodactyl based hosts.
+
+Many hosting "companies" have popped up in recent years using the free, open source, [Pterodactyl](https://pterodactyl.io/) hosting platform. These hosting sites are particularly problematic. With the biggest concern usually revolving around **your data security**. Many, if not all, of these platforms do not provide, possess, or follow proper agreements relating to the access of your uploaded information. This includes your MongoDB Conncection URI, and Bot Token, allowing the "staff" of these "companies" to access any message ever sent to or from your bot, any message in your server, and carry out actions as your bot (ie. deleting channels, reading messages, banning users).
+
+Additionally, many of these hosts are run with substandard hardware and infrastucture, usually resulting to temporary IP bans from Discord, poor uptime, poor performance, improper dependancy installation, and more.
+
+We **strongly** encourage you to conduct **full and complete** research before using these hosts. *Our general recommendation is to: avoid them.*
+
+{% endhint %}

choose-host/choose-host1.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+description: This page expands on our recommendations for choosing a host.
+---
+
+## WIP
+
+This page is currently still a work in progress. Expect an update to come soon with content. We appreciate your patience.

choose-host/recommended-hosts.md

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+---
+description: These hosts are hosts we, and members of our community have had success with.
+---
+
+# Recommended Hosts
+
+{% hint style="info" %} The Modmail Team does not have any affiliation with any hosting providers or platforms. {% endhint %}
+
+## Official Modmail Hosting
+[See details on the Hosting page](../choose-host/README.md).
+
+## VPS Providers
+
+### ✦ Large Providers:
+[Hetzner](<https://www.hetzner.com/cloud>) (DE†) ↦ Cloud - CAX11 for $4.10/mo. †US region also available for an extra 61¢ (CPX11).
+
+[OVHCloud](<https://www.ovhcloud.com/en/vps>) (CA) ↦ VPS - Starter for $4.20/mo.
+
+### ✦ Lesser-Known Providers:
+[GalaxyGate](<https://galaxygate.net/hosting/vps>) (US) ↦ VPS - Standard 2GB for $5.00/mo.
+
+
+[Netcup.eu](<https://www.netcup.eu/vserver/vps.php>) (DE) ↦ vServer - VPS 200 G10s for $3.52/mo. (6 mo. contract).
+
+
+[HostHatch](<https://hosthatch.com/products>) (US) ↦ Compute VMs - NVMe 2 GB for $4.00/mo.
+
+### ✦ Other Reliable Providers:
+[BuyVM](<https://buyvm.net/kvm-dedicated-server-slices>) 
+
+[Digital Ocean](<https://www.digitalocean.com/products/droplets>) 
+
+[Linode](<https://www.linode.com/products/shared>) 
+
+[Tier.net](<https://www.tier.net/vps>)
+
+[Vultr](<https://www.vultr.com/products/cloud-compute>)
+
+[IONOS](<https://www.ionos.ca/servers/vps>)
+
+### ✦ Budget Providers: Cheap! But Less Reliable.
+
+[HostVDS](<https://hostvds.com/#cloud>) (US) ↦ Cloud VDS - 1 vCPU 2 GB for $1.99/mo.
+
+[RackNerd](<https://www.racknerd.com/NewYear/>) (US) ↦ Intel KVM VPS - 2 GB KVM VPS for $17.38/yr.
+
+
+{% hint style="info" %} Pricing current as of time of publication, October 5th, 2024. Check websites for up to date pricing information {% endhint %}
+
+{% hint style="warning" %} Be sure to research hosting providers before renting a server from one. Our recommendations and experiences should be used as recommendations only, we cannot guarantee any specific experience with any provider, nor can we provide billing or other support regarding the operating system, or availability of servers. Support is only provided through the process of installing and maintaining Modmail itself. {% endhint %}
+
+{% hint style="info" %} The Modmail Team always recommends exercising security best practices with any server. While we are unable to provide official support on this matter, we can recommend some good places to start:
+
+- [Digital Ocean](https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/an-introduction-to-securing-your-linux-vps)
+- [Plesk Recommendations](https://www.plesk.com/blog/various/how-to-secure-your-linux-server-a-detailed-guide/#)
+- [ninjaOne Recommendations](https://www.ninjaone.com/blog/key-steps-for-a-more-secure-linux-server/)
+- [Linux.org Fourms Recommendations](https://www.linux.org/threads/the-ultimate-guide-to-reasonable-security-for-your-debian-ubuntu-linux-server-for-new-linux-admins.49199/)
+
+    *Consider these a starting point, but be sure to do your own research. The Modmail Team holds no liability for any security mishaps that may occur with a server not rented by us and under our full, direct, and exclusive control. (in other words: we aren't responsible for your server)
+
+ {% endhint %}
+
+## PaaS Providers
+
+PaaS Hosting is usually more expensive, but a simpler to setup solution, which removes the need for securing a server, ssh configurations, terminal usage, and similar. However, because of this the platforms are usually more restricted, and difficult to troubleshoot. Despite this they are still an adequate and supported option.
+
+[Heroku](https://www.heroku.com/)
+
+[Railway](https://railway.com/)
+
+[Northflank](https://northflank.com/)

choose-host/unrecommended-hosts.md

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+---
+description: These hosts are hosts we, and members of our community have had little success with.
+---
+
+# Unrecommended Hosts
+
+{% hint style="warning" %} The Modmail team does not in any way intend to defame, harm, or otherwise create badwill between Modmail and the open source community as a whole, and any hosting provider. We simply provide this list to our users through our experience. We do not in any way imply that these hosts are bad, unreliable, or that it is not possible to use them, we simply state that these are not a good fit for hosting Modmail. {% endhint %}
+
+### Repl.it
+
+- [Website](https://repl.it)
+- Repl.it is a provider aimed at hosting websites. Meaning, it does not have the proper tools and features to properly host the Modmail bot.
+- This host is particularly problematic, and there have been many documented unexplainable issues that occur when hosting your bot with this method. Because of this it is **strongly discouraged** for use.
+
+
+### Bot-hosting.net
+
+- [Website](https://bot-hosting.net/)
+- bot-hosting.net is a free or low cost hosting provider that bases their hosting platform on the common free and open-source panel [Pterodactyl](https://pterodactyl.io/).
+- Hosting on any Pterodactyl panel based host is already challenging, however, bot-hosting.net shares IP addressess among users, which has resulted in high numbers of our users reporting rate limits being applied to their bot. In other words: your bot will randomly stop working with nothing you can do to fix it.
+
+
+### Pylex Nodes
+
+- [Website](https://pylexnodes.net/)
+- Similar setup and issues as Bot-Hosting.net — shared resources and inconsistent reliability.  
+
+### Karlo Hosting
+- [Website](https://karlo-hosting.com/)
+- Another free or low cost hosting provider based on the Pterodactyl panel, our users have reported unusual difficulties deploying Modmail with this host due to their specific Pterodactyl configuration and limitations.
+
+
+{% hint style="danger" %}
+### Why These Are Not Recommended
+These hosts generally:
+- Use **shared or oversold Pterodactyl setups**  
+- Offer **free or ultra-low-cost tiers** with limited resources  
+- Experience **rate limits, sleep periods, or unresponsive containers**  
+- Provide **no control over environment configuration**
+
+If you value stability, security, and consistent uptime, avoid free or oversold shared hosts.  
+Refer to [Choosing a Host](../choose-host/README.md) for guidance on reliable alternatives.
+{% endhint %}