DirectAdmin Hosting Features Overview

DirectAdmin hosting from Domain India gives you one control panel for your website files, domains, email, databases, SSL and backups, on a CloudLinux server shared with other accounts but isolated from them. This overview lists what is actually on our DirectAdmin server, as measured in September 2026, so you know what you can use before you build on it.

1. At a glance

For step-by-step help with each area, read the DirectAdmin end-user guide.

2. Security and isolation

Security runs server-wide, with the same protection for every account whatever the plan.

• CloudLinux and CageFS. Each account lives in its own virtual file system and cannot see other customers' files. Resource limits stop one busy site from slowing the rest; see understanding hosting resource limits.
• Imunify360. Its full ModSecurity ruleset filters attacks on your website, and proactive defence stops malicious PHP as it runs.
• Automatic malware cleanup. Imunify360 scans the server weekly and in real time, removes malicious code from infected files automatically, and keeps the original for 14 days. You cannot start your own scan from the panel, and you are not emailed when something is cleaned.
• Firewall. CSF blocks repeated failed logins. If your own IP gets blocked, chat with us or open a ticket with your public IP address.

Imunify360 cleanup is automatic protection, not a manual site-repair service. If your site has been hacked, follow the hacked website checklist.

3. Websites, files and domains

• Folders. Each domain has its own domains/yourdomain.com/public_html folder. DirectAdmin serves index.html before index.php, so remove a leftover placeholder page after uploading a PHP site.
• File Manager. Upload, edit, compress and extract files, and change permissions. It accepts uploads up to 500 MB, and its Trash Bin keeps deleted files for 30 days. See the DirectAdmin File Manager.
• FTP. Pure-FTPd with TLS. Each FTP account is locked to its folder, and logins take the form [email protected].
• Domains. Add domains under Account Manager › Domains, and show one site under a second name with Domain Pointers. How many domains you can add depends on your plan.
• .htaccess. Rewrite rules, mod_expires and mod_headers work, and compression is on server-wide. php_value lines give a 500 error because PHP does not run as an Apache module. There is no Custom Error Pages tool, but an ErrorDocument line in .htaccess works.

4. PHP, apps and developer tools

• PHP versions. Choose per domain from 5.6, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3; pick 8.3 for new sites. See changing the PHP version in DirectAdmin.
• PHP limits. Uploads up to 64 MB, and scripts run for up to 30 seconds by default.
• Extensions. ionCube and sodium are available on PHP 8.1 to 8.3, Imagick on 8.1 and 8.2. OPcache is on for every version except 8.3. There is no Redis, Memcached or APCu.
• Disabled functions. exec, shell_exec, system, proc_open, popen and dl are disabled, and on most sites curl_exec too. That means Composer cannot run on shared hosting: build locally and upload the vendor/ folder. See PHP disabled functions.
• Node.js and Python. The panel's Node.js and Python selectors let you run apps; choose Node.js 22 or 24, and Python 3.8 to 3.13. See deploying a Node.js app.
• Installers. Softaculous installs WordPress and hundreds of other apps in a few clicks; SitePad builds a site by drag and drop.
• Cron jobs. Schedule scripts from the panel. The shortest effective interval is every 4 minutes; jobs set to run every 1, 2 or 3 minutes are changed to every 4.

5. SSH access

Jailed SSH access is available on every shared hosting plan (cPanel, DirectAdmin, Webuzo). It is off by default; ask support to enable it for your account. Login is by SSH key only. Inside the jail you have git, php, scp, SFTP, tar, curl, mysqldump and WP-CLI, but not rsync, so deploy by packing an archive, copying it with scp and unpacking it. See enabling SSH on DirectAdmin hosting.

6. Email

• Webmail: Roundcube at https://yourdomain.com/webmail or /roundcube, with Filters and Out of Office built in. There is no webmail.yourdomain.com address on DirectAdmin.
• Filtering: SpamAssassin for spam and ClamAV for viruses.
• Authentication: DKIM signing with the selector x; most domains already have a key. See checking DKIM in DirectAdmin.
• Limits: messages up to 50 MB, and 1,000 outgoing messages per day per account.
• Forwarders: an address that has both a mailbox and a forwarder keeps a copy, and forwarded mail uses SRS so it passes SPF checks.

7. SSL and backups

SSL. Free Let's Encrypt certificates cover your domains and renew automatically 17 days before they expire. See enabling Let's Encrypt in DirectAdmin.

Backups. JetBackup 5 backs up your account every Sunday and keeps five copies. You can restore files, databases or email, or download a backup, from JetBackup in the panel. Take your own copy before big changes. See backup and restore with JetBackup.

8. DirectAdmin plans and prices

These are Domain India list prices on 19 September 2026, excluding 18% GST. DA Starter hosts one website and DA Growth five. Shared hosting has a full refund within 30 days of a new purchase.

Ready to start? Compare DirectAdmin hosting plans, read the DirectAdmin end-user guide, or chat with us 24/7 if you're not sure a feature fits your project.