Wondering what web hosting is all about? If you have never used a web hosting service before, we know there can be a lot of doubts running in your mind, especially when you see the jargon!
In this 101 beginner’s guide, we will be sharing with you what web hosting is and why you need it. We’re also pleased to introduce to you 20 web hosting terms, from basic to advanced. Let’s hop on!
What is web hosting and why you need it?
Web hosting is a service that allows your website to be up and running on the Internet. The purpose of a hosting service is to store your website files, such as website images, content, text and more on a server. When a visitor browses your website, it will load the website files that are stored on the web hosting server, allowing your website to become visible to the visitors.
Although you can actually publish your website on your own by setting up a server, the high cost involved makes it impractical to do so. And this is where web hosting providers come to the rescue, by allowing their customers to store their website files on the server and making sure the websites are up and running. Moreover, services such as server maintenance, upgrades, security and more are included.
Bear in mind that not all web hosting providers are the same:
- Difference in price – DomainPlus’ cheapest hosting plan starts at RM99/year, but others may charge more or less.
- Differ in website performance – The loading speed for your website depends on two things: your web hosting provider’s performance and your visitors’ internet connection.
- Differ in protection & security – In today’s digital age, cyber threats are very common. Make sure to get a web host that offers better security.
20 Terms You Need To Know
Basic Hosting Terms
- Servers – These are machines that host websites and web applications online.
- Domains – Domains are names that let people remember and find their websites on the browser. Just like our website https://domainplus.com.my/.
- Top-Level Domains (TLDs) – These are the extension of a domain, or the part that comes after the ‘dot’ symbol. The most popular ones are .com, .net, .biz, .org and more.
- Subdomains – A subdomain lets you set up multiple domain names with your existing domain name. For example, in https://support.domainplus.com.my , ‘support’ is the sub domain.
- Content Management System – This refers to a system that allows you to create and manage your website and its content. For example, WordPress is one of the most popular CMS in the world.
- Bandwidth – Most web hosts restrict how much data you can send and receive from your server, in a way to limit the resources you can access. Some web hosts do offer plans that allow unlimited bandwidth.
Hosting Plan Terms
- Hosting plans – The plans with different bandwidth, storage and features. In short, the higher the specs, the better the performance.
- Shared hosting – Multiple websites will host under a server to share the
- Virtual Private Servers (VPS) – A notch above shared hosting. Users are allocated with higher server resources for better performance and customization.
- Cloud hosting – On demand hosting resouces for higher performance and maximum scalability.
- Dedicated Servers – This costs the most as you can have your own server all to yourself.
- Reseller hosting – This type of hosting enables you to resell a web hosting company’s plans and start your own hosting business.
- Managed hosting – Provides care and maintenance to manage your hosting.
Advanced Web Hosting Terms
- Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate – It
- They show that your website is trusted and encrypted with HTTPS to protect information and confidentiality.
- Website and domain migration – The process of moving your website and domain to a new hosting provider.
- Website builders – Powerful website building tools that allow you to build a website without any knowledge of programming language.
- E-Commerce – Also known as online commerce, it means selling and buying goods and services online.
- Domain Name Servers (DNS) – These are the servers that record which website is linked to which domain name.
- Web hosting control panel – An all-in-one dashboard that allows you to manage your web hosting in a graphical interface.
- File Transfer Protocol (FTP) – This platform enables you to get your server’s files to your computer and vice versa.
With this beginner’s guide, we hope you can choose the right hosting plan even if this is your first time doing so. To know more about cheap hosting plans, feel free to visit here.
Happy choosing!
