Throughout my time working in the web design industry one question I usually find myself asking first time site owners is do you have existing web hosting you can give me access to. The most common answers i usually receive are
- “No, what is that???” 2.” I purchased a domain through namecheap” 3. (last and definitely least) “yes”
So I figured I might as well save myself some time and write an article that answers one of the most common questions I get.
So what is web hosting?
Simply put web hosting is what makes your site accessible to the internet by storing all of your websites files, images, videos, and other content,
How does web hosting work?
Web hosting works by paying a web hosting provider such as wpengine to rent space on their servers where they will store all of your files, think of renting a storefront to display all of your merchandise (just on the internet). Once you sign up your web hosting provider will give you access to a control panel or dashboard where you can do a variety of things such as adding editors to your site, uploading files, and installing applications.
Now for the second most common question typically as a followup to the first question, What are all these different types of hosting and what is best for me?
There are several different types of hosting plans and which one you should purchase is dependent on your needs, so I’m going to explain each type.
- Shared hosting is the simplest and cheapest type of hosting. With shared hosting you share a server with several other websites. (back to the storefront analogie this is the equivalent of renting a stall in a mall food court or a fair, it’s not the largest space and i’m sharing the space with others but i still have a place to sell my product). This is typically the best option for newer businesses not expecting large amounts of website traffic due to shared hosting costing significantly less than other hosting types for example (sitegrounds link hidden as sitegrounds) costs only 1.99$ a month.
- VPS hosting is ideal for websites exceeding the limits of shared hosting but don’t want to shell out the high costs associated with dedicated or cloud hosting. VPS hosting works by using virtualization technology the hosting provider installs a virtual layer on top of the operating system (OS) of the server. This layer divides the server into partitions and allows each user to install their own OS and software by doing this it allows you to have the same privacy benefits as dedicated hosting at a much lower price.(in the analogie this is having your own storefront in the mall your no longer sharing space or being greatly confined but your still in the mall)
- Dedicated hosting is ideal for large businesses with large amounts of site views, it allows for greater security and capacity because you have your own server just dedicated to your website.(this is the equivalent of having your own store completely separate from any other stores) a single website.
- Cloud hosting is a newer type of web hosting that uses a network of servers to host websites. This type of hosting is highly scalable and can handle large amounts of traffic without slowing down. (In our analogie it is a food truck its cheaper than other options and highly versatile)
When choosing a web hosting provider, there are several factors to consider. These include the hosting type, server location, uptime guarantee, support, security, and pricing. In conclusion, web hosting is an essential service that allows businesses and individuals to make their websites accessible on the internet. With so many different types of web hosting services available, it is important to carefully consider the needs of your website and choose a hosting provider that can meet those needs.