Define "best".

Roof or sidewall? Wood, composite?

There's no one "best" of anything for any home or application. So many factors to consider, and you'll get better answers with more detail and context. Photos also help.

Here on Cape Cod we use white cedar shingles and let them weather out or have them dipped before install.

Elcieg - same in Rhode Island.

Same on the East End of Long Island in NY.

" Same on the East End of Long Island in NY. "

Actually East End is much more Western Red Cedar Perfections or R&R's. They hold up better to the salt water.

I don't know much about R&Rs, and I'm not sure about red or white cedar, but in my area mostly all the homes are wood shingle. Whether that's the best choice is another discussion, I'm just reporting what I see done all the time here.

To Charles Ross Homes. I looked at your website and you have used Hardie board siding. Do you feel it to be a better product than composite? I am on Lake Erie and experience snow as well as high heat. The much higher price tag for Hardie... is it worth it over the composite, in your opinion?

Fiber-cement shakes and siding including those products manufactured by James Hardie are composite materials by definition. Whether they are an appropriate choice depends on the particular application and climate zone.

If it's really a Shingle Style house use white cedar shingles factory dipped in stain.

I used them on a house on an island in a lake in Maine and they've needed no treatment or maintenance for 25 years but had to paint the tirm a few years ago.