Website Hosting and Domain Registration are two major elements for running a website. But it’s important to know the difference and use cases.Web Hosting is an account on a computer (aka server) which will store and serve website files via the internet.
Domain Registration is a human-readable word (e.g., cloudhostservices.com) that directs the people to a specific website files via a browser.As for a comparison, a domain is an “address” on the Internet. Hosting is a “land” or a space on the internet where your website files live.
That’s the short version. But there’s more to web hosting vs. domain registration than their definition.
How Hosting & Domains Work?
Web hosting ,domain registration are regularly paired together. But it’s important to know exactly what they are doing.
Domain Registration
Internet addresses are technically “IP Addresses.” IP addresses are an extended series of numbers that make no sense to humans.
So rather than typing an IP address to access a website, the website owner can register a site which will route to a specific IP address.
When you register a website name, you’re renting it from the Internet Corporation for Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN provides domains via approved registrars.
A domain doesn’t do anything on its own. Registration provides you the authority to “point” your domain wherever you wish.
You can redirect it to a different website – but usually, you’ll want it to direct browsing for your website at your hosting account.
Web Hosting
Web hosting is an account on an internet server that “hosts” your website files.If you do not have a domain name which points to your hosting account, then you’ll be able to access it with an IP address.
While you technically build your own server reception, most of the people buy hosting from a hosting company.A hosting company is a company that owns a bunch of pre-configured servers that they lease out consistently with different hosting plans.
What do I need to build a Website? Domain Name or Web Hosting?
To build a web site you’ll need both a domain name and web hosting account.
Buying the domain name will give you the right to use that specific name for a particular period (usually 1 year).
You need web hosting to save your website’s files.
How to get start a Domain & Hosting?
So how to start a domain registration and web hosting?
Well – it depends on what you would like to try to do. There are plenty of options that you simply can mix together to make different setups. It will be confusing, but nearly all options boil right down to three usual paths
Buy Domain and Hosting Separately
With this path, you register your domain name at a domain company of your choice and your hosting at a hosting company.
Advantages
- Better long-term pricing.
- Easier to leave with some fewer service commitments.
- Companies usually specialize in one from another.
- Cheaper the hosting project it won’t launch soon.
Disadvantages
- Losing out short-term specials & discounts.
- Not as much as convenient when using for a single company.
- Have to troubleshoot across different companies.
- Extra configuration steps.
Buy Domain & Hosting Together
With this path, you can buy your domain and hosting together with a single company.
This is the common path for creating a website. It’s convenient and makes a lot of sense. Most domain providers also sell hosting. And most of the hosting providers also sell domains.
In fact, many hosting providers will provide you the free domain for a year.
Advantages of Buying Domain & Hosting Together
- Convenience and simplicity.
- Unified support from one company.
- Bundled specials and discounts.
- No additional configuration.
Disadvantages of Buying Domain & Hosting Together
- Harder to leave and transition to a new company or used some backup services.
- More expensive for long-term with costlier domain renewals.
- Hard to manage for many domains, especially if some are inactive.
- Loss of specialization in the domain services (or hosting services).
Buy Everything Bundled Together
With this path, you purchase your domain, hosting, and your website software and website services during a single bundle from one company.
This path is otherwise referred to as going with a hosted “website builder.”
This path is common among website owners. It’s convenient. It’s simple and it makes tons of sense for many website owners.
Advantages
- Convenience and simplicity.
- Unified support for a single, proprietary product.
- Integrated functionality – everything “just works”.
- Professional speed, security, and maintenance.
Disadvantages
- Loss of total control and access to the server.
- Usually more expensive over long-term.
- Usually more expensive over long-term.
- Hard to troubleshoot without customer support.
- Hard to leave a company for different option.
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