ASP, Active Server Pages

ASP stands for Active Server Pages. 

Classic ASP is a server-side scripting language developed by Microsoft for use on servers running Windows.  ASP Classic allows you to use the popular VBScript language (the default), as well as JScript (Microsoft's implementation of ECMAScript).  Files using ASP Classic typically have the extension .asp and are interpreted at runtime (i.e. when the page is loaded).

Microsoft also has developed a version called ASP.NET based on Microsoft's .NET Framework.  Files using ASP.NET typically have the extension .aspx and are compiled which makes them faster and more robust than server-side scripting in ASP.  ASP.NET is intended to supersede ASP Classic.

Technically Classic ASP is just called ASP.  The introduction of ASP.NET led to use of the term Classic ASP for the original technology.

Although there are many similarities, ASP and ASP.NET code are not typically readily interchangeable.  However, ASP.NET pages may still include some ASP scripting.

Availability on Linux Hosting

Linux Dedicated Servers

A Linux dedicated server cannot support ASP unless you provide your own Chilisoft license which costs extra money and extra time to install. Unfortunately, Chilisoft is EOL (end of life), so HostGator cannot provide a copy to you. Our best advice is to order a Windows dedicated server; it's the same price as a Linux server and does not need Chilisoft. 

Note: Chilisoft has limited classic ASP support. For full support of classic ASP, you must have hosting on a Windows server.  Also, Linux dedicated servers cannot support ASP.NET, even with Chilisoft.  Windows hosting would be a better fit if you want ASP.

Linux Shared Hosting

We can no longer support ASP Classic (.asp) on our Linux servers with Chilisoft (a third-party, non-microsoft edition of ASP). We now offer Windows Shared Hosting, which is a better solution for ASP.

Reseller Hosting

We are currently not offering ASP accounts to Reseller customers as we do not have ready Reseller Servers at the moment. The current servers will be branded with a HostGator theme which wouldn't be suitable for a Reseller customer. Unfortunately, we do not have an approximate ETA at this time for Windows Reseller Servers.

SEO Hosting

We cannot provide ASP for your entire account, nor can we move individual domains to the ASP servers. The ASP servers do not have separate C-class IP's, and there are no Windows SEO servers.

VPS

We cannot provide ASP for your entire account, nor can we move individual domains to the ASP servers. There are no Windows VPS hosting plans. (VPS can be ordered with Plesk for Linux, but that does not add Windows compatibility.)