[HOW TO] Mod hosting sites - comparation and best practices

GithubAdvocate

tl;dr
Learn and use Github.com for you mod hosting site, it has best support and extra features

As story of the Bob, a young modder:
- get's an idea about mod, spend days to learn weidu, write lot of code
- spend days for testing first release, he want to be sure that everything is fine
- feels excited to show his creation to other people and receive feedback,
- after all those long hours of work, he create mod package

Let's stop here for a moment and ask: how he package his mod, what tools he use and what are thiny details which he didin't miss? This will be covered in other guide so for now, let's assume that he done his best.

- and the time is finally come to upload his mod

At this moment, Bob looks for file hosting services. He finds some shiny sites with "Upload" button and he hear wisper "Yessss, click me!" ...

Let's stop here for a moment and ask: what hosting site he chose for uploading his mod? And why it's important? Here are requirements for good mod download link:

• it can be used by wget to check file size: wget.exe link --spider --no-check-certificate
  
• it will not change when uploading/updated the same file
  
• do not require chapta after several downloads (http://prntscr.com/6pk42t)
  
• do not advertise some adware/crapware/downloader etc
  
• do not expire after 30 or more days without download (every popular hosting site like speeedyshare, mediafire has such terms)
  
• do not require user interaction to be downloaded ( mediafire.com,googledrive.com has JavaScript download link generator that require user click)
  
• do not depend on the filename (dropbox.com/s/q72jpl132fj53lv/ModName-v1.zip?dl=1)
  

Let's talk about GitHub.com site. What makes it so great for mod hosting site?

• bacause it's not only simple file hosting, it's a hosting for 'git' code repositories
  
• bacause git itself is a "source code control version system" and comes with lot of extra features
  
• because GitHub.com extend git functionality and provide even more userfull features
  

Github.com

9/10
Adventages:

• free
  
• no adversting
  
• no chapta puzzle
  
• 99.99% time online
  
• enterprise backup of the files
  
• files will stay forever regardles of the last download time and age
  
• no chances to completly disapear because Google, Microsoft, Facebook and other companyes keep their project there
  
• always the same and unchanged download links for mod or even individual mod files
  
• ability to use comandline tools like wget or Invoke-WebRequest to download always up to date mod archive
  

Extra Fetures:

• you can develop you mod with more than one people at once
  
• you can see content of the code/text files directly throught web interface
  
• if you have account, you can have a mini-site for you mod/readme: https://sampsca.github.io/
  
• if you have account, you can add comments to each line of the code/text files
  
• if you have account, you can edit and correct spelling mistakes for other mods directly throught web interface
  

Disadvantages:

• you need to learn new things
  
• maximum size for single file: 50MB
  
• maximum size for single repository: 1GB
  

Having read all of this, do you want to see Github.com Tutorials?

Here are other sites which Bob found:

1. SHSForums.net - 6/10

(gibberlings3.net site is using the same hosting company but you cannot upload mods there)
Adventages:

• easy way to use
  

Disadvantages:

• abandoned forum without progress/improvements/moderation
  
• in the past years, site had several crashes and went offline for several days
  

2. Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive or other private/public clouds - 5/10

Adventages:

• easy way to use
  

Disadvantages:

• download limits
  
• direct link to file will change every time when you upload new version of the mod
  

3. Own hosting server - 4/10

Adventages:

• you have full control of everything
  
• unchanged download links for files if you make it so
  
• no limits
  
• no ads
  
• no chapta
  
• comandline tools like wget or Invoke-WebRequest can be used
  

Disadvantages:

• you need to pay for it and as soon as you stop everything will gone: http://web.archive.org/web/20140322030329/http://www.rpgdungeon.net/
  
• you need to pay for the domain if you don't want to use direct IP adress
  
• you need to install and maintain hosting software in order to have unchanged download links for files
  
• you need to take care about REIABLE backups
  

4. forums.beamdog.com - 3/10

Adventages:

• easy way to use
  

Disadvantages:

• direct link to file will change every time when you upload new version of the mod
  
• mod archve will have random and meaningless filename: https://forums.beamdog.com/uploads/editor/0n/u0o8jprjthu44.zip
  
• mod is doomed as soon as Beamdog company will close the forums. "What?!? Beamdog will never close forums!" Ye, sure. Please take look what happend to https://forum.bioware.com It might not happen soon, but if other much bigger companies with much more money decided to close their forums it's almost inevitable that beamdog forum will be closed someday.
  

4. MediaFire, ZippyShare, Uploaded, 4Shared and other similar shitty sites - 1/10

Adventages:

• easy way to use
  

Disadvantages:

• adversting
  
• chapta puzzle in order to download file
  
• mod will be deleted after 30 days since last download
  
• you cannot download mod file by using comandline tools like wget or Invoke-WebRequest
  
• direct link to file will change every time when you upload new version of the mod
  
• uncertain future
  
• this is by far worst choise whch Bob could make. Seriusly, avoid it at all cost.