What is web hosting – all you need to know

You probably can’t live without the internet, but have you ever thought of its inner workings? When you visit a website, do you ever wonder what is powering it? The answer to these questions is straightforward – web hosting. If you want to learn how to host a website, continue reading.

Web hosting – definition

This web service is what makes it possible for people to bring their sites on the internet. In other words, websites don’t only exist digitally, but they also need physical resources to power their content. This power comes in the form of servers.

A server is a powerful computer that stores all the files of your site. In fact, it is the physical space, the house of your site. When users go to your website, they are connected to the server, which holds all the necessary elements. If your server crashes, then your website suffers. A good host provider ensures that their servers are up and running all the time. This factor is called uptime, and it is considered one of the pillars of an excellent web hosting company.

To sum it up, web hosting is renting or buying server space to house your site on the internet. Your site’s content, including HTML files, CSS, and images, has to be hosted on a server so that users can reach it.

Types of web hosting

The main types include shared hosting, VPS, managed WordPress service and dedicated hosting. Let’s see what each of them means.

Shared web hosting is usually the cheapest form of service, and it is mostly considered appropriate for beginners. This type is an excellent option for small sites, blogs, and start-up projects with a limited budget. Prices per month could be as low as 3$, as this is the most affordable web hosting out there. Low pricing is possible because many other websites share the same disk space and bandwidth on the server. This condition has its implications, but it is an excellent choice for beginners, as we already said.

VPS, or Virtual Private Server, offers more resources, and it is more suitable for sites that expect traffic increases. You will have more private servers, which you can from your control panel. If you’re running an e-commerce platform, VPS would be a good fit for you. Just keep in mind that it is more expensive than shared plans, and prices could start at $30 monthly.

Managed WordPress plans are designed for WordPress-powered projects. With such a plan, your site will have daily backups, caching, and improved security, among other things. Since the keyword here is “managed,” you won’t need to do anything, as the provider you are paying is taking care of everything. Prices can be from $35 a month.

A dedicated host provider means that your site has an entire server at its disposal. In addition to the powerful server, you also receive advanced server managing tools and the option to install other software programs and an operating system. However, note that all these actions require technical skills. That’s why dedicated servers are more suitable for big sites and enterprises which need to handle more traffic.

Monthly fees differ from provider to provider but usually start at $80.

How to find good plans?

Most providers offer a portfolio with various plans with servers ready to host your project immediately. But how to choose the best one for your needs? What are the advantages of a good plan? 

Some of the most important features include reasonable price, speed, security, uptime, and support. As we already said, starting with a shared package is perfect if you are a beginner. Once your site starts growing and attracting more visitors, your provider should allow you to upgrade your plan. 

Speed, security, and uptime are associated with the type of service. Perhaps you have noticed that the uptime is displayed as a percentage, such as 99.95% guarantee. Just be careful and research in-depth – some providers promise great uptime but fail to deliver it. 

Once your site is up and running, you will understand how important it is to have an excellent support team to back you up. Always aim at support that is available 24/7.

In conclusion, from HowToHosting Guide we provided you with the most critical knowledge regarding web hosting. But the industry is vast, and you will be acquiring more knowledge and experience along the way.