What is web hosting? Web hosting makes your website accessible online. Think of it as your method of renting space on the internet. The web host is the landlord who makes sure your website is visible. The services they provide include website operation and security, and they have the technology needed to make your website visible to the public.
💻 Web hosting is a vital part of any online endeavor, as you cannot have websites without web hosting. It also ensures that your website has sufficient protection and the stability to remain online.
What is web hosting: types of hosting
There are several types of web hosting available. You may choose each of these depending on your preferences or what the website needs. These are:
- Shared hosting: Your website shares space with other websites on a single server to make it more affordable. Since you are sharing space with others, you may encounter performance issues over time.
- Dedicated hosting: Dedicated hosting is the opposite of shared hosting. A website has a dedicated server (or servers) to run its online operation. This method provides you with more control over the software that your servers are running and its security.
- Cloud hosting: The host of your website sits within a network of computers called a cloud. It’s much better than shared hosting because you still get 100% of resources dedicated to performance thanks to the network.
- VPS hosting: VPS (a Virtual Private Server) is the opposite of the cloud, where you get dedicated resources from a single server running multiple VPS setups.
- WordPress hosting: WordPress hosting is a type that’s limited to WordPress websites. The main benefit is that you get dedicated services from WordPress itself, including backups and security.
Choosing a web host
There are many web hosts available, but few stand out among the rest. However, you have to consider several factors before making a decision.
The first thing you want to find is a service with good reputation. The service must have a majority of positive reviews because it speaks to the quality of services they offer. Apart from that, you want to know if they can provide you with ample support and website security when needed.
Your web host should also be able to scale with you as the website grows. That way, you ensure your website is future-proof.
👉 If you want more tips on how to choose your next web host, read this in-depth guide.
Setting up a website
There are multiple ways in which you can set up your website these days. Most commonly:
- You can hire a web developer to create a custom website from scratch and host it with your chosen hosting company.
- You can use a Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress, which allows users to manage their website content and design using pre-made templates and plugins.
- You can try writing code from scratch using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for a more customizable and scalable solution.
WordPress, by far, is the easiest and cheapest option on this list. 😎
Most web hosts these days are compatible with WordPress and will assist you in using it as the engine that runs your site. Many of them will even install WordPress for you – so that you can literally just step in and start working on your site’s content instead of dealing with any of the technical setup.
👉 If you want to learn more, here’s an in-depth guide on how to install WordPress on most popular hosts.
Conclusion on what is web hosting 🧐
🌐 Web hosting is an essential process for setting up a website. There are many options available, but you must choose one that provides you with a reliable and secure environment.
The host must also scale along with you as you grow. Take the time to find the right web hosting service that caters to your needs and will be able to handle the type of website that you want to create.
Take the time ⏳ to find the right web hosting service that caters to your needs and will be able to handle the type of website that you want to create.
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