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Introduction
Many people need clarification on the terms Domain and Hosting. They often think that they both are the same things. A domain name and web hosting are necessary to set up a website. However, they are not the same things. So, In this article, we will learn what web hosting, domain name, and hosting packages are. We will also see the differences between domain and hosting to solve the common misconceptions of the people.
So, for better understanding, we will start with knowing what domain names and web hostings are and their functions. Then we will move to their differences.
What is a domain name
A domain name is the address of our website on the internet. Anyone who wants to access our website can search for this address as a URL in the browser. Thus, making domain names very essential for the internet.
Need for domain names
We know that we require the IP address for accessing any internet-connected machines. These IP addresses may vary from time to time. Thus their handling can only be done by computers and is difficult for humans to memorize. So, we have a solution for handling such issues: domain names. The domain names are human-readable addresses, hence solving the problem.
Structure of Domain Name
After knowing what a domain name is and why we need it, we will now see its structure. It is typically made up of two or more parts, separated by dots. They are:
The top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of the domain name and is separated from the rest by a period. It identifies the type of organisation or purpose of the domain. Examples of top-level domains include .com, .net, .org, and .edu.
The second-level domain is the part of the domain name that comes just before the top-level domain. This is often the name of the website or organization that owns the domain.
The subdomain, if present, comes before the second-level domain and is separated from it by a period. Subdomains are often used to organize content within a website or create distinct areas for different purposes.
For example, in the domain name "www.codingninjas.com", "www." is the subdomain, "codingninjas" is the domain name, and ".com" is the top-level domain.
Securing a Domain Name
We can never own the domain name. Instead, we pay for the right to use a domain name for a period of time. We can renew the request, and our renewal precedes other people's applications.
To secure a domain name, one must register it with a domain registrar. A domain registrar can be defined as a company that manages the registration of domain names and assign unique domain names to individuals or organizations. One can choose a unique domain name that represents his brand or business. There are many different domain registrars to choose from, and one can usually find a domain name that is available for registration. Some popular domain registrars include GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Network Solutions.
To register a domain name, one must follow these steps:
Choose a domain registrar and create an account.
Search for the domain name we want to register and check the availability of the domain name.
Add additional features or services, such as privacy protection or email hosting.
Pay for the domain name and any additional features or services.
Once we have registered your domain name, it is important to renew it before it expires to ensure that you don't lose it to someone else.
What is Web Hosting
Web hosting is a service that provides a space on the internet for websites. When a website is created, it needs to be stored on a computer or server so that it can be accessed by people worldwide. This is where web hosting comes in.
A simple analogy to understand this would be: If your domain name is the address of your home, web hosting is the natural home to which that address refers.
Working
To understand the working of web hosting, we need to know about the web hosts. A web host is a company that rents out space on its servers to customers, who then store their websites on the servers. When someone types in the website's address (URL), the server sends the website's content to the person's computer, which is then displayed in their web browser.
How can we host our websites
To host our website, we must follow the following steps:
Register a domain name. We can register a domain name through a domain registrar.
Choose a web hosting provider. We can choose from various options such as shared hosting, VPS hosting, dedicated hosting, cloud hosting, or PaaS/IaaS from providers such as AWS, Azure, GCP, etc. We can also create our server, which will require many resources and be expensive.
Set up our hosting account: Once we have chosen a web hosting provider, we will need to set up an account with them. This usually involves providing personal information and payment details.
Uploading our website files: Once our account is set up, we will need to upload our website files to the server. We can do this using FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or a web-based file manager provided by the hosting provider.
Configuring our domain name: After our website files are uploaded, we will need to configure our domain name to point to the server where our website files are stored. We can do this by changing our domain name's DNS (Domain Name System) settings.
By following these steps, our website will be ready. There can be minor changes on the basis of the hosting provider and the type of hosting we choose.
Choosing the right web hosting package
There are several web hosting solutions today. To determine which is best for our needs, ask ourselves the following questions:
What website do we want to host online - a blog, an e-commerce portal, a portfolio website, etc.?
How much web traffic do we anticipate?
How robust should the infrastructure necessary to host our website be?
If we can figure out the answers to these questions, it will determine the following factors:
The bandwidth and the storage space needed.
The amount you are willing to spend, etc.
Choosing the right web hosting provider
If we have figured out your needs, this makes the process of selecting a provider relatively easier. We can compare the performance of various providers based on the metrics that matter the most to us. Additionally, we can determine how credible your prospective web host provider is. There can be several ways to assess their credibility. Some of the widely used amongst them are
number of years in the industry,
online reviews and testimonials, and
the size of their customer base.
Types of Web Hosting
There are various methods to host your website, and some might suit you better than others. They are as follows.
Shared Hosting
This is the most basic and economical type of web hosting, where multiple websites share a single server and its resources. Thus it is an ideal option to start with if you're starting with an online venture or something simple as blog writing. Since the server space is shared with other websites, this is the most affordable hosting option.
There is a major drawback also associated with it. Since we share resources with other websites, an overload with any other shared website will also slow our website down.
WordPress Hosting
This type of hosting is optimized specifically for WordPress websites. It includes features such as pre-installed WordPress, automatic updates, and improved security.
VPS Hosting
VPS[Virtual Private Server] hosting may be thought of as a more powerful, sophisticated version of shared hosting. But, it offers more resources and control than shared hosting, as the server is divided into virtual environments that each have its own set of resources. It means that, although we share a server with other websites, others do not share our resources.
Dedicated Hosting
This is the most expensive type of hosting. With this type of hosting, we have an entire physical server dedicated to our website, giving us complete control over the server and its resources. Only very demanding enterprise-grade websites are suitable for this high-end web hosting.
Cloud Hosting
This type of hosting uses a network of servers to host websites, allowing for greater scalability, cost-effectiveness, and resource allocation. It is the most recent type of hosting to hit the market, and its popularity has recently surged. Many large corporations are migrating to cloud hosting due to consistent bandwidth and infinite disc space for an unlimited number of domains.
Domain name vs Web hosting
A domain name is a website's address or URL (Uniform Resource Locator), such as www.codingninjas.com. It is used to identify and locate a website on the internet.
On the other hand, web hosting is the service that makes a website accessible on the internet. It involves storing the website's files on a server, which is a computer connected to the internet. The server makes the website available to users who type the domain name into their browsers.
In short, a domain name is the address of a website, and web hosting is the service that makes the website available at that address. This we can understand with the following diagram.
Although domain names and web hosting are two separate entities, they are closely linked. To make a website, you'll need a domain name and a web hosting account. This implies you won't be able to create a website without at least one of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a domain name?
A domain name is the address of our website on the internet. Anyone who wants to access our website can search for this address as a URL in the browser.
What is a domain registrar?
A domain registrar can be defined as a company that has the task of managing the registration of domain names and assigning unique domain names to individuals or organizations.
What is web hosting?
Web hosting is a service that provides a space on the internet for websites. When a website is created, it needs to be stored on a computer or server so that it can be accessed by people worldwide.
Why choose paid hosting when there are free hosting options?
You may experience issues such as unwanted advertising on your page and their domain name in your URL if you choose free hosting. You have complete control over the content on your website when you pay for web hosting.
Which one is more important: Domain name or Web hosting?
This is a small comparison as both these things serve different purposes and are both essential components of a website.
Conclusion
In this article, we learned about domain and web hosting in detail. We learned about the structure of domain names and how we can secure a domain name. We learned about the types of hosting and choosing the correct hosting package.
Check out our articles if you think this blog has helped you enhance your knowledge and want to learn more. Visit our website to read more such blogs.
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