If you’re diving into the world of websites, you’ll inevitably encounter a bunch of jargon and tech-speak that’s hard to crack.Â
Here, we’ll break down some of the most common (and confusing) web hosting terms into bite-sized, plain English explanations. If you’re setting up a website or just want to understand hosting a bit better, this glossary will help. Keep reading!
101 Web Hosting Terms You Should Know
The Core Ones
Web Hosting
This is where your website lives online. It’s like renting a digital space to store your website’s files. When someone types in your website address, your host sends them the pages, images, and videos that make up your site.
Domain Name
A domain name is your website’s address on the internet, like www.example.com. It’s what people type in to find you. Without a domain, visitors would have to remember a complicated series of numbers (your website’s IP address) to find you.
IP Address
An IP address is a unique set of numbers that identifies each device on a network. Think of it like a street address for your website. Even though people use your domain name, behind the scenes, the internet uses your IP address to locate you.
Server
A powerful computer that stores and processes information, making it available to users over the internet.
Types of Web Hosting Terms
Shared Hosting
In shared hosting, your website shares a server with other websites, much like living in an apartment building where you share water and electricity with your neighbors. Though it is cheap, it’s usually slower because the resources are shared. This works best for small businesses and personal websites.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting gives you an entire server all to yourself, kind of like owning a house instead of sharing an apartment. This means faster performance and more control, but at a higher cost. It’s great for large websites with high traffic.
Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting
VPS hosting is a middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting. You can think of it as having your own personal condo in an apartment building. You still share the server, but you get your own slice of resources, making it faster and more customizable compared to shared hosting.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is when your website is hosted on multiple servers, so if one server goes down, others can pick up the slack. It’s like having several backup generators in case of a power outage, providing better reliability and scalability.
Managed Hosting
Managed hosting means your host takes care of technical stuff like updates, backups, and security for you. It’s ideal if you’d rather focus on your content or business without worrying about taking care of your server.
Technical Web Hosting Terms
Bandwidth
Bandwidth refers to the amount of data your website can transfer to visitors in a certain time. Think of it as a water pipe: the wider the pipe, the more water (or data) can flow through at once. If you expect a lot of visitors, you’ll need more bandwidth to avoid slowing down your site.
Uptime
Uptime is the amount of time your website is accessible to visitors. High uptime is crucial because every moment your site’s down, you’re potentially losing visitors or sales.
Downtime
The opposite of uptime; it’s when your website is unavailable.
Load Time
Load time refers to the period it takes for your website to load up on a visitor’s screen. The faster the load times, the better the user experience; slow sites frustrate visitors and will hurt your rankings on search engines.
Latency
Another one of the most important web hosting terms is latency. It describes the delay between a user’s request and when they see your website. Lower latency means faster load times.
SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate will secure the connection of your website with visitors through the encryption of data, like passwords or credit card information. Websites with SSL have a little padlock next to their URL. Furthermore, Google favors secure websites for SEO.
cPanel
cPanel is one of the most popular control panels out there; it enables users to handle their web hosting, emails, and domains without having to deal with codes. This is the “dashboard” of your website, where you install applications, upload files, or even back up your site.
FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
FTP is a method for transferring files between your computer and your web server. If you need to upload or download large files (like images or backups) to and from your website, FTP makes it easy.
Anonymous FTP
Anonymous FTP lets people access files on a server without needing a username or password. Instead, users connect with the username “anonymous” and can often use their email as a password.Â
This type of FTP is used for sharing files publicly, like software or documents, so anyone can download them easily.
DNS (Domain Name System)
Next on our list of web hosting terms is DNS. DNS is a system that translates domain names into IP addresses so browsers can find websites.
Addon Domain
An addon domain is like adding a new website to your existing web hosting account. Instead of buying separate hosting for each site, you can create a new domain that sits under the same hosting plan.
Disk Space
Disk space is the amount of storage your host provides for files, images, videos, and code. More disk space means you can store more content.
Cache
Cache is another essential concept to learn on our list of web hosting terms. Caching is a process that stores parts of your website, such as images or code, temporarily so that visitors can load your site faster the next time they visit.
CMS (Content Management System)
A content management system is software that helps you create, edit, and manage your website content without coding. Some popular solutions include WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal.
DDoS Attack (Distributed Denial of Service)
A DDoS attack is when a server gets overwhelmed with requests from multiple sources, crashing your site.
And there you have it! See how web hosting doesn’t have to be a mystery? Whether you’re a beginner or just brushing up, knowing basic web hosting terms can make a big difference in your online journey.
FAQs
What are the keywords for web hosting?
- Web Hosting
- Hosting Provider
- Website Hosting
- Shared Hosting
- VPS Hosting
- Dedicated Hosting
- Domain Name
- Server
- Bandwidth
- Storage Space
- Uptime
- Security
- SSL Certificate
What are the three types of web hosting?
- Shared Hosting: Multiple websites share a single server. It’s budget-friendly but offers limited resources.
- VPS Hosting: You get a virtual private server, giving you more control and resources than shared hosting.
- Dedicated Hosting: You have an entire server to yourself, offering maximum control and performance.
What is the difference between a web server and a web host?
- Web Server: Software that processes requests and sends web pages to users. Think of it as the engine.
- Web Host: A company that provides the hardware and software to run your website. They house the server.
What is web hosting vs domain?
- Web Hosting: The service that stores your website’s files and makes them accessible online.
- Domain Name: The address of your website (like example.com). It’s what people type in to reach your site.