Web Hosting vs. Domain Hosting: Understanding the Key Differences
Web hosting stores your website's content (text, images, videos) on internet servers, while domain hosting provides the address (like www.yourdomain.com) that visitors use to access your site. Though related, these are distinct services that work together to make your website accessible online.
Web Hosting:
- Stores your website's actual content on servers
- Provides space for displaying your site
- Handles the technical aspects of serving your content to visitors
- Includes tools for managing and updating your website
Domain Hosting:
- Provides your website's address (domain name)
- Manages domain registration and DNS records
- Acts like a postal address for your website
- Directs visitors to your web hosting location
How They Work Together:
- Domain hosting connects visitors to your web hosting server
- Multiple domains can point to the same web hosting
- Your content remains the same regardless of which domain visitors use
- Similar to how multiple street addresses can lead to the same building
Understanding the difference helps when:
- Setting up a new website
- Choosing service providers
- Managing your online presence
- Troubleshooting website issues
Best practice is to maintain both services actively to ensure your website remains accessible and functions properly for visitors. Regular monitoring of both hosting services helps prevent downtime and access issues.