The process of creating a website, if you are passionate about your idea, is really exciting. Sometimes, as beginners, we think about important aspects like the design, content, a very attractive name, but we don’t consider the technical side.
One of the first needs that you will face is web hosting. Where on the Internet will your website live? Where are you going to store all its content and tech resources?
What is web hosting?
It is the action of allocating space on a server to save all files (images, videos, text, code, etc.) belonging to a website. This action is a service provided by many different hosting companies. Web hosting is a must for your website (all the files that integrated it) to be accessed online.
Think about it like the online space where your website will live. When you look for a web hosting provider, it’s like searching for an online home to rent.
Types of web hosting
Servers are computers equipped with the necessary tech and connectivity to make your website available for the whole world or for a specific zone, whatever your goal is.
Thinking that a server will be your business home, you can get livable or a sophisticated, more or less independent and equipped home. Besides, there is a vast menu of plans and fees (even free choices) to cover all kinds of businesses’ needs. These are the main types of web hosting.
Shared hosting. It’s a cost-effective solution for beginners, small businesses, and even medium ones. You will have all the necessary tech features for your website to be online. What you need to consider is that many more websites will be hosted on the same server. And all of them will share the resources. If a “neighbor” has a special sale, it can suddenly get big loads of traffic. To manage such traffic will take more resources (bandwidth, processor power, RAM…). As a result, your website can be very sluggish. Put it bluntly, what happens to others, can negatively influence your site’s performance.
Virtual Private Server (VPS). Again, your website will be hosted on the same server, next to many more “neighbors”. But there’s a big difference. Resources are not shared. Even living on the same server, every website has totally separated resources. No matter the e-shop next to you has a special sale, this won’t affect your site’s performance. It’s pretty affordable because to have many guests on the server means they all contribute to paying for the technology and maintenance of the server.
Dedicated server. This is a premium service. You can rent your own server for hosting only your website. No more sharing, bye “neighbors”. Absolutely all the resources and space will be for you to enjoy them. The price goes up considerably, but many big businesses for sure can afford this choice. If you have massive traffic and you look for total control of the server’s software, security systems, etc., this is for you.
Cloud hosting. Traditional web hosting offers you to host the website through tech solutions installed on a server. Cloud hosting works through a network composed of multiple servers to host you. Scalability and flexibility are highlights of its infrastructure.
Conclusion
If you are wondering which alternative to choose, the answer is, depending on what your website really needs and your budget. It’s easy to get dizzy while checking innovative and premium features, but why buy a private jet for a local trip around your city?