Behind every website is a web hosting service Web hosting is a service that makes your website or web application available on the Internet. This is one of the most important things to keep in mind when building a website. Web hosting is usually provided by web hosts, which are companies that maintain, configure, and run physical servers that host websites.

If you purchase a hosting plan from a web hosting provider, it means that you rent their server space to store data on your website, such as HTML and CSS files, media content and other documents. Although web hosting may seem like a difficult topic to look at, this article will help you better understand its concepts and subtleties. We'll start by looking in more detail at how web hosting works. We will then review some common types of web hosting and several aspects to look for in a web hosting service.

How does web hosting work?

As mentioned earlier, web hosting is offered by web hosts that rent out their computing servers. These companies also provide the software, services and connectivity needed to launch a live website. A server is a computer that stores and makes your web files available on the World Wide Web.

Although it is possible to use any computer connected to the Internet as a server, the configuration process can be complicated for most users. This is why many website owners and businesses prefer to use the web space of a web host instead of having their own internal server. However, just buying website hosting is not enough to make your site accessible to visitors. In order for people to find your website, you will need to purchase a domain name. Domain name Domain hosting Domain hosting is a service that hosts and manages domain names. Provided by domain hosts, also known as domain name registrars. The domain name itself is the address of your website. Users enter a website domain name in the address bar of their web browser to visit this site. The domain host uses the Domain Name System (DNS) records to associate your domain with the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your site - a unique address assigned to a physical server that typically looks like this: 23.106.38.210 IP addresses they help computers identify themselves online, but it's hard for people to remember and use those numbers to access a website. Thanks to DNS, people can load a site into their browser without knowing the IP address associated with it. In addition to acting as a website address, a domain name can also be a tool to help brand a site - the first thing people see when visiting a website. It is therefore crucial that you take some time to choose a domain name that suits your project or business.VPS EXTRA. You can search for existing domains using search tools provided by ICANN or WHOIS. Purchasing a domain name from your web hosting company allows you to manage both services in one account. That way, you don't have to worry about changing the nameserver settings for your domain. Why is web hosting important? Web hosting companies keep your site available online 24 hours / 365 days a year. Provide excellent performance to the websites (uptime) they host. For online business owners, having a website with exceptional lifespan can help increase sales and improve the user experience. In addition, using a web hosting service can improve search engine optimization (SEO). The web host you choose can affect the speed of your site, one of the critical factors when search engines like Google rank web pages. Buying a web hosting plan is more efficient than having an internal dedicated server. As a website owner, you won't have to spend time maintaining physical hardware or spending money to hire a developer. Many web hosting providers also offer an intuitive control panel. This tool allows website owners to easily control their website and hosting service, manage domain names, install applications and upload files to websites. Before you start developing your first website or blog, you need to go through the following two steps. Step 1: Choose a hosting plan Web hosting is the main place to store your website online. When you register a hosting plan in VPS EXTRA, you tell the programmers to store all the data on your website on their web servers. VPS EXTRA offers three hosting plans - PRO SSD 1, PRO SSD 2 and PRO SSD 3. The basic plan includes everything a new site needs. PRO SSD 1 - 4.41 € / month PRO SSD 2 - 10.25 € / month PRO SSD 3 - 19.08 € / month. Step 2: Register your domain After choosing a hosting plan, you will need to register a domain name. What exactly does this mean? Your domain name is the address that people will use to find your website on the Internet. Think of your domain name as your house and your hosting plan as your neighborhood. My "house" is vpsextra.com and is located on the VPS EXTRA web server. You can register your domain name in VPS EXTRA for € 15.95 per year. Types of Web Hosting Different types of hosting services are available, including shared, VPS, cloud, WordPress and Dedicated hosting. Each type of hosting meets different needs and the choice of one will depend on several factors, such as the type of your site, technical knowledge and budget. To find out which hosting service is the best choice for your website, let's take a look at the most common types of hosting. Shared Hosting Shared hosting is a type of hosting in which a single computing server hosts multiple websites. This service is a popular option for startup websites, as it usually offers cost-effective hosting solutions and is relatively easy to use. The number of sites that a shared server can host can range from tens to hundreds. These websites share the same server resources, including disk space, random access memory (RAM), and CPU power. Users will also share the same root directory - a folder that stores web content and other files - but they will not see each other's data because they do not have root access to the server. However, the lack of root access means that the website owner will be restricted from performing specific tasks, such as changing configuration files throughout the server or installing software that is needed for a particular project. A shared hosting solution typically provides many features, including a site builder, databases, FTP accounts, and other additional tools included with the web hosting provider. Shared web hosting providers will also take care of your server configuration and handle server tasks such as software updates and security tools. This helps you focus on building and growing your site instead of maintaining it. This type of hosting is easy to set up, so it won't take long to get started. With this service, website owners can also install and host multiple sites in one account, which is great for working with multiple site projects. The number of websites you can manage for each account will depend on the web hosting provider and the hosting plan you choose. Here are some other reasons to choose a shared web host service: Low maintenance - the web host will take care of the main tasks of server maintenance and monitoring activities, so that website owners do not have to worry about the technical side of the hosting. Economical - as many users use the resources of one web server, server maintenance fees will also be distributed equally. This is why most shared hosting plans have relatively low costs. Supports dynamic websites - a shared web server can run programming languages ​​such as PHP, Perl and Python to create dynamic websites. Some examples of dynamic websites include e-commerce stores and social media platforms. There are also a few negative aspects to keep in mind before purchasing a shared hosting plan, such as: Vulnerable to security issues - Website owners will share both resources and vulnerabilities in hacking attempts when using this type of hosting. If a hacker attacks the entire server, all websites on the same server will be affected. Unstable site performance - High traffic to other websites you share a server with can also slow down your site. If you are planning to create a blog or website for a small business, you should consider choosing this type of hosting. This service is usually available at affordable prices and is very convenient for beginners. VPS hosting Virtual private server (VPS) hosting is a type of web hosting service that hosts multiple accounts on one server, but provides special resources for each of the users. With VPS, website owners can deploy their own operating system (OS) and software. This is because VPS hosting providers use a hypervisor to install a virtual layer on their server's operating system, dividing the server into multiple partitions. There are two types of VPS hosting - unmanaged and managed. Using an unmanaged VPS means that you are responsible for configuring and maintaining the server. You also need to perform various tasks, such as monitoring security threats, installing and upgrading software and backup services. For example, if you want to create a WordPress website, you must also install server technologies such as Apache or LiteSpeed. Because using an unmanaged VPS requires users to start and maintain a server themselves, This is a good choice for web developers or website owners with technical experience. For those without technical knowledge, a managed VPS plan will be more useful - the web host will be the one that keeps the virtual server running. However, managed VPS plans are usually more expensive than unmanaged VPS solutions. Regardless of the type of VPS hosting, go for this service if you want a more reliable service than shared web hosting. With VPS hosting, the performance of the website will not be affected by the activities of others on the same server. Because each account will have its own server space and storage space, users will not be competing for computing power. These are other reasons why you should consider using VPS: Root access - users have access to the root environment, which means that they can change the server and install any software that meets their hosting needs. Highly scalable - it's easy to scale your VPS web hosting plan up and down without interfering with server performance. Secure - Website owners have more control over the security of their server by adding additional security tools and installing firewalls. Using a VPS also minimizes the risk of the site being hacked by hacking attempts against another user on the same server. You should also keep these negatives in mind before choosing a VPS hosting plan: More expensive - this service costs more than shared hosting, as it offers better performance and more flexibility against the limitations of your resources. Requires technical knowledge - VPS implementation is more complex than shared hosting - requires technical understanding of server and command line management. VPS hosting is an excellent service for those who require complete control over their server environment and do not want to rely on other users. If you want to use a VPS but do not have the technical knowledge, consider hiring a developer to keep the website running smoothly.

Cloud hosting

Cloud hosting is a type of hosting that uses multiple web servers to provide maximum performance and uptime. Compared to other types of web hosting plans, this service offers exceptional accessibility as it is able to distribute web files across multiple virtual servers. Cloud web hosting also does a much better job of increasing traffic by using other web servers for unused resources. Many cloud web hosting services include simple server management, which allows users to quickly scale and track hosting metrics such as data transfer, disk activity, and CPU usage. There are other benefits to using cloud hosting, such as: Protected from physical server issues - when using a leased server(Dedicated server), your website may crash immediately if there is a sudden increase in traffic, hacking attempt, or hardware failure. However, with cloud hosting, if one physical server stops working, another server will automatically start hosting your website, keeping it accessible. Backup and Disaster Recovery - Cloud web hosting can automatically recover web files, reducing the risk of data loss. Scalable - This service can increase your resources to meet your current needs without being limited by physical hardware. There are also some downsides to keep in mind when hosting cloud hosting: High prices - cloud hosting plans are more expensive than shared and VPS hosting services. Many web hosts offer cost-effective cloud web hosting plans. Unclear prices - Some cloud web hosting providers allow customers to pay only for the resources they end up using. However, this makes it difficult to estimate the real costs of using this service. Cloud hosting is a suitable option for medium and large enterprises that require high performance, bandwidth and uptime. This service is also great for website owners who get huge amounts of traffic that can slow down their websites. What to look for in a web hosting service Before you buy any of the hosting services, it is important to look for a web host that offers the best features for your site. Here are the main aspects to keep in mind when choosing a hosting provider for websites: Speed ​​The speed of the site can affect the user experience - about 40% of visitors expect a website to load in no more than three seconds and leave the site if it takes longer to load. Be sure to choose hosting companies that offer fast servers, which can increase the speed of your website. Website loading speed Data from a controlled site speed test Look for hosting providers with data center locations close to your visitors, as this will help load web pages faster for them Check tools like GCP Ping to measure how distance affects charging speed. Productivity Choose a reliable web host with an uptime guarantee, promising, that the provider will keep your site available online for a certain percentage of the time. Many companies in the web hosting industry offer 99.9% uptime. Look for a hosting option with uptime monitoring tools that can alert website owners in the event of a downtime. Security Website owners need to choose a web host that provides the necessary security features to keep their websites secure. Keep in mind that the security tools you need will also depend on the type of website you have. For example, if you create a WordPress site, it will be useful to have a spam prevention tool to remove unwanted comments on your page. Make sure your hosting provider offers SSL certificates for data protection and personal information to visitors. Add-ons Sometimes a website needs additional tools or services to improve its functionality. This way, choose a web host that offers a wide range of add-ons such as antivirus software, email accounts, content delivery networks (CDNs), or additional bandwidth and storage. Supports For beginners who have no experience in web development, choose hosting providers with round-the-clock support. This allows website owners to get help from experts when a technical difficulty arises. The web host should also offer an extensive knowledge base or educational blog to help users stay informed about various web related topics. Costs Remember that hosting is a fixed cost, so it is essential to take the time to research the service. which offers the best value for your money. If you are still unsure about buying a hosting service, try to find a web host that comes with a money back guarantee. This allows you to test the performance of the web host and request a refund if you are not satisfied with the service. The web hosting provider you choose should also offer an update option that allows you to upgrade to a plan with more resources without affecting the performance of your site.

Frequently asked questions about web hosting

Now that we've covered a few important aspects of web hosting services, let's look at some frequently asked questions about website hosting. Do I really need web hosting? You need web hosting to store your web files and make your website available on the internet. In addition, buying a dedicated server is expensive and impractical. Hosting your website on web host servers allows you to focus on more important issues, such as creating great content and driving traffic to your website.

How much does web hosting cost?

The prices of web hosting services depend on the provider and the type of hosting you choose. For example, if you are planning to create a blog, then a shared hosting plan should suffice. The average price of shared hosting plans varies from 3 to 5 levs / month. Which web hosting is the best? The best web hosting for you is according to your budget, skill set and the type of website you are looking to build. For example, a large online store with thousands of visitors per month has different hosting needs from a single portfolio website with less than a hundred visits. Let's see which web hosting is best to start with: Shared hosting - best for personal use VPS hosting - best for small and medium businesses Cloud hosting - best value for money and best for large business

Web hosting is a must for any website

Anyone who wants to build a website needs web hosting to store the files on their website and make them accessible to visitors around the world. There are different types of hosting to choose from, and the right option for your project relies on your budget and preferences. Here is a brief summary of the three common types of web hosting:

Shared hosting

- Easy to manage and has cost effective plans, making it an excellent choice for beginners and personal websites.

VPS hosting

- offers special resources for each user. This is a great option for small and medium businesses that have outgrown the resources of a shared hosting plan.

Cloud hosting

- Suitable for fast growing business websites that expect constant performance. With so many web hosting providers, be sure to look for a hosting company that offers fast servers, an uptime guarantee, security tools, a variety of add-ons, round-the-clock support and reasonable prices. We hope this article has helped you better understand what web hosting is and why you need it.