Understanding - Hosting
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
| Understanding Hosting | |
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Hosting is the process of making a website or application accessible on the internet. It involves storing your website’s files, images, and other content on a physical or cloud server, which is a powerful computer system designed to be available 24/7. These servers are maintained by hosting providers, ensuring your website can be accessed by anyone, anywhere, through a web browser. When a user types your website address (domain name) into their browser, the browser connects to the hosting server where your website is stored. The server then sends the necessary files back to the user’s device, allowing them to view and interact with your site. |
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| Key Components of Hosting | |
| Server | The computer where your website data is stored. |
| Domain Name | The address users type to find your website. |
| Hosting Provider | The company that owns and maintains the server infrastructure. |
| Bandwidth | The amount of data transferred between your server and users. |
| Storage | The space allocated to store your website's files and databases. |
| Types of Hosting | |
| Shared Hosting | Multiple websites share the same server. Affordable but less flexible. |
| VPS Hosting | A virtual private server gives you more control and dedicated resources. |
| Dedicated Hosting | You rent an entire server for your website, offering maximum performance. |
| Cloud Hosting | Uses multiple servers to balance traffic and provide high uptime. |
| Examples of Free Hosting Services | |
| GitHub Pages | For hosting static websites (HTML, CSS, JavaScript). Ideal for developers and portfolios. Free subdomain: yourusername.github.io. |
| Neocities | Simple hosting for personal websites. Free subdomain: yourwebsite.neocities.org. |
| InfinityFree | Offers unlimited disk space and bandwidth. Free subdomain: yourwebsite.epizy.com. |
| 000WebHost | Supports PHP and MySQL. Free subdomain: yourwebsite.000webhostapp.com. |
| Netlify | Designed for modern web apps and static sites. Continuous deployment with Git integration. |
| Examples of Paid Hosting Services | |
| Bluehost | Shared, VPS, and dedicated hosting options. Free domain for the first year and 24/7 support. Plans start at ₹179/month. |
| HostGator | Affordable shared hosting with unlimited bandwidth. Free domain and SSL certificate. Plans start at ₹125/month. |
| SiteGround | Excellent speed and customer service. Free daily backups and WordPress optimization. Plans start at ₹299/month. |
| AWS (Amazon Web Services) | Cloud hosting with scalable options. Pay-as-you-go pricing for custom needs. |
| DigitalOcean | Developer-focused cloud hosting. Droplets (virtual private servers) start at $5/month (~₹400). |
| GoDaddy | Domain registration and web hosting. Simple setup with flexible plans. Starts at ₹199/month. |
| Comparison | |
| Free Hosting | Best for experimentation or lightweight websites. |
| Paid Hosting | Offers reliability, better performance, and professional support for scaling websites. |