What is Web Hosting?

Web hosting is the process of renting or buying space to accommodate a website on the World Wide Web. Website content such as code and images has to be stored on a server to be viewable online. When a hosting provider allocates space on a web server for a website to store its files, they are hosting a website. Web hosting makes the files that comprise a website (code, images, etc.) available for viewing online. Every website you’ve ever visited is hosted on a server.

And what is a server? A server is a computer or collection of computers. As the name implies, web hosting service providers have the servers, connectivity, and associated services to host websites. They offer a variety of hosting plans which cover hosting needs, from small blogs to large organizations.

If you’re planning on creating a website then reliable web hosting is essential. There are literally hundreds of web hosts available today providing thousands of varieties of web hosting services. Plans range from free with limited options to expensive web hosting services specialized for business. The plan you choose will depend primarily on how you plan to use your website and how much you have budgeted for hosting.

We hosting typically comes with other services such as email, a domain name and the possibility to add multiple domains. For more information about getting a domain name see this video.

Many hosting providers have introductory offers such as this one from

HostPapa

which saves you over $6 a month for the first 3 years. Once the 3 years is up you can always switch your web hosting to another provider who is promoting a special offer at that time. See How to move a website.

Here are some other hosting providers with special offers:

Siteground

Has three plans and everyone can sign for any of them with a great discount. Their StartUp plan is perfect for people with one website that are starting now.

Namecheap

Has some great deals, here are their plans for shared hosting.

Ionos

Have a great offer at the moment of only £1 + VAT per month for 12 months.