Hosting and domain – two inseparable things that you simply need for the existence of a website.
Both components are quite complex topics that could be talked about for hours.
In this case, however, I have prepared for you a very simple (but detailed) article about how hosting and domain work, what they are for, and who it is worth renting them from (at favorable prices).
Table of Contents
What is hosting and how does it work?
Hosting is a dedicated space on a server that serves as storage for websites.
Every web page has to exist somewhere – unless the page is stored somewhere, it is not meant to be displayed to the user on the Internet.
Under the term server, you can imagine a huge storage with folders (or hosting) in which various files can be stored according to needs.
Hosting therefore serves as a place (or a folder on the server) that you can control and have under control, and from where websites can be displayed to people on a computer or mobile phone via a browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, Opera, etc.).
This space is usually provided by hosting companies, which (for a certain monthly or annual fee) can reserve space for you on their servers, which you can then use for your own purposes.
Hosting has many practical uses, for example it can serve as:
- Space for websites: all files, text, images, videos, pdf, etc. are stored (and subsequently loaded by users on the Internet) on a hosting server.
- Space for an e-mail box: hosting is also used as storage for your personal or company mail.
- Space for databases – in some cases (such as MySQL) you can use hosting for complex CMS platforms with large databases.
The size (or space) of the hosting depends on your needs, the price and of course the possibilities of the provider.
💡 Note: In practice, in addition to the term ” hosting “, you may also encounter the term ” webhosting “.
These two terms are often used as synonyms, or the word ” webhosting ” is considered one of the types of hosting.
Types of hosting can be divided into several types (which you can use for different purposes):
- Web hosting – In general, it is understood as the space where web pages are located.
- Virtual server (or VPS) – This is a virtual space that behaves like a server but resides in a dedicated location of a real, physical server.
- Shared hosting – This is a place (or folder) on the server, the resources of which are used not only by you, but also by other users for their own purposes.
- Dedicated hosting – This is a place on the server whose resources belong only to you and which you do not share with other users.
What is a domain and what is it for?
The domain is the name of the website, with which users can visit the selected place on the hosting (using a browser) and download its content (or website) to their device.
Every server in the world that provides hosting is assigned a specific IP address that consists of numbers (eg 197.155.222.328 ).
Thanks to this address, it is thus possible to find the server on which your website is located and to load its content.
In everyday life, however, IP addresses are unmemorable for normal users on the Internet – that’s why specific and unique domain names are used instead, which are much simpler and more readable (e.g. ” wp.sk “).
💡 Note: The domain as such can be divided into 3 levels:
- 1st level – this is the ending that is at the end of the domain (e.g. ” .sk “, ” .cz “, ” .com ” etc.)
- 2nd level – a specific domain name by which users will remember you better (eg ” wp “, ” facebook “, ” google “, etc.).
- 3rd level – the so-called “subdomain” at the beginning of the domain, which in some cases is used for pages or e-mail addresses (e.g. for the domain ” admin.wp.sk ” there is a part ” admin. ” subdomain.).
Hosting and domain are inseparable components of how the entire process of displaying web pages on the Internet works.
The page loading process for the user is approximately as follows:
- The user enters the domain name into his browser.
- The browser detects the IP address of the server, which is hidden behind the domain.
- The browser then contacts the server at the given address and “queries” the content (web page) for display.
- The server will check whether the given content is there and provide it to the browser.
- The browser displays the content to the user on his device.
A domain, as well as hosting, can (usually) be rented from one provider for a certain fee.
The price of hosting and domain depends on a number of factors such as:
- Hosting size and speed
- Profitability and availability of the domain
- Technical compatibility of the server
- … and many other factors
How to choose the right web hosting and domain?
Which domain and hosting you should choose depends on the nature of your website as well as on the reasons for which you want to set it up.
For example, if you are still a complete beginner who just wants to try creating and managing a website, or create a small blog, you can try free hosting together with a generic domain, which may not be the best, but they are quite enough for you to start with.
💡 Tip: If you just need simple cheap hosting, you can read my article: Free web hosting: When is it worth it (and when is it not)?
If, on the other hand, you plan to set up, for example, a serious e-shop and want to start doing business on the Internet, you should consider several important aspects (and you should pay extra for hosting and domain):
1. Storage size and load speed – The size and speed of the server your website will be hosted on is perhaps one of the most important things you should consider.
If you plan to create an e-shop with a large number of products, you should choose one of the hosting providers that will provide you with a stable speed and a large enough storage.
2. Technical support – When choosing a hosting and provider, make sure that in case of any technical problem, technical support will be able to help you and you will not be completely alone.
3. CMS compatibility – compared to free hosting, paid hosting can ensure that your CMS (e.g. WordPress ) runs smoothly on the server, or so that it is even possible to install it on the hosting.
4. SSL certificate – from the point of view of security (and SEO ), you should definitely have an SSL certificate assigned to your website from the hosting provider.
5. Availability and fast provision of the domain – free hosting providers usually only assign you a generic domain name (such as ” 123random.nazov.net “).
Therefore, consider whether it would be better for you to switch to a paid hosting and domain provider and choose a domain of your choice.
💡 Tip: Not sure how to choose the right domain? In that case, be sure to read my article 63 tips on how to choose the best domain name for a website .
Now let’s take a look at some popular (and reliable) hosting and domain providers.
Web support
Websupport is one of the largest domain registrars and hosting service providers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
This giant, which has been operating in the market for more than 20 years, provides domains with hundreds of endings, thanks to which you can verify free domains and choose the ones that suit you best.
As part of web hosting, Websupport can provide you with reliable storage for your website with high performance and sufficient space.
In addition to standard hosting services, Websupport also provides extra services such as:
- E-mail box – You can have an e-mail address available immediately after paying for the order and you will be able to use it on any device.
- SSL certificate – With Websupport, you have the opportunity to choose a certificate that suits you best in terms of security
- EasySEO – As part of online marketing, you can also use the EasySEO tool at Websupport to improve the position of your pages in the Google search engine.
- Great customer support – In case of any problem, you have the option to contact technical support, which is available from morning to night, 7 days a week.
💡 Tip: If you are interested in this provider and would like to learn more about it, you can read my article: WebSupport – the most used hosting in Slovakia (Review) .
Webglobe Yegon
Webglobe Yegon was created in 2014 by the merger of Webglobe and Yegon and provides its excellent services to more than 20,000 customers in Slovakia.
This provider of hosting services and domains hides an incredible number of interesting services, such as:
- Hosting management – Intuitive WY Panel, FTP migrator, Smallbox and Bigbox additional services, etc.
- E-mail – Unlimited number of e-mail boxes.
- Tools for creating and managing a website – WordPress, Prestashop, Opencard, etc.
- Security elements – SSL certificates, Git access, data backup, etc.
💡 Tip: You can read more about this hosting provider and domains in the article: Presentation of Webglobe hosting – Yegon (WY.sk) .
Bluehost
Bluehost is a specialist for hosting and domains, especially for websites that run on the WordPress platform .
In addition to pre-installed WordPress, together with hosting, it can also provide you with various types of hosting services, such as:
Among other things, Bluehost is also a provider of domains ending in com, .tech, .org, .net, etc.
💡 Tip: You can find more information about what this provider hides on the page: Bluehost – hosting recommended by the WordPress community (Review)
Wedos
Wedos , like the aforementioned providers, can offer high-quality web hosting and domains at reasonable prices.
With its price packages, this company covers all types of business entities – from individuals to larger companies to huge conglomerates.
In addition to renting a domain and space for a website, Wedos can also be proud of excellent customer support, which is here for you practically 24 hours a day.
💡 Tip: For more information about the Wedos provider, you can go to my article: WEDOS – the best-selling hosting in the Czech Republic (Review) .
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