DirectAdmin
Beginner
DirectAdmin overview-features and navigation
DirectAdmin is a lightweight control panel available on some UnderHost plans as an alternative to cPanel.
UnderHost NOC
Network Operations
DirectAdmin is a web hosting control panel, available as an alternative to cPanel on some UnderHost VPS and dedicated server plans. It is lighter on resources, straightforward in design, and covers all core hosting functions: file management, email, databases, DNS, and SSL.
Interface sections
| Section | What you can do |
|---|---|
| Account Manager | Domain setup, FTP accounts, subdomain management |
| Email Manager | Email accounts, forwarders, autoresponders, spam filter |
| Advanced Features | DNS records, cron jobs, MIME types, custom error pages |
| System Info & Files | File Manager, disk usage, MySQL backups |
| Your Account | Password change, language, skin preferences |
DirectAdmin vs cPanel
| DirectAdmin | cPanel | |
|---|---|---|
| Resource usage | Lighter-lower RAM and CPU overhead | More resource intensive |
| Interface | Simpler, fewer menus | More features, more complex |
| App installer | Softaculous (same as cPanel) | Softaculous |
| Reseller panel | Built-in reseller level | WHM (separate interface) |
| License cost | Lower | Higher |
| Familiarity | Less common; steeper learning curve for cPanel users | Very widely used; most tutorials reference cPanel |
User levels in DirectAdmin
| Level | Access |
|---|---|
| Admin | Full server administration. Sets server-wide config, creates resellers and users. |
| Reseller | Creates and manages user accounts within their allocation. Has their own hosting package. |
| User | Standard hosting account. Manages their domains, email, files, databases. |
Related: DirectAdmin login | DirectAdmin email | DirectAdmin databases | cPanel overview
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DirectAdmin is available for customers who want a lightweight hosting control panel on compatible UnderHost services.
