Web hosting for non-technical people

How Does Web Hosting Work?

Once you decide to publish your brand newly created website, you need to sign up for a hosting account in order to get the server space you need and the domain name if you dont have it already. When you sign up for a web hosting service, your web hosting provider becomes responsible for running and maintaining the server on which your website will be hosted. When somebody types your domain name into their browser, the web host transfers all the files needed and your web page is displayed. That’s why it is important to find a trustworthy provider and choose a hosting plan that suits your needs.

Web Hosting types

Most web hosting providers offers many hosting options that fit different client needs. Whether you have a big company or just wish to start a simple blog, you’ll need help choosing web hosting services, so let’s see your options. Choosing the hosting type depends on few aspects, including the type of site you intend to throw on your server, your budget, and your level of technical ability. These are the most 5 popular options:

1. Shared hosting
2. VPS hosting
3. Cloud hosting
4. Dedicated hosting
5. WordPress hosting

Now let’s go through them and check out all the options in detail.
1. Shared Hosting

This type of hosting is a popular option for starter websites such as personal blogs and sites built for small businesses. As you share the space and the server hardware resources with other clients, this option is very cost-effective and very simple to use.
One single shared server can host hundreds of small websites. These clients would share the same space; however, they wouldn’t see each other’s files as they have limited access to the server.
So, the first question would be: what is shared web hosting good for? and who will get the most from it? And the simple answer can be that people who don’t need a lot of resources for their website and do not mind the risk of potential security/privacy issues that arise from sharing a server with many other websites. The main pros and cons in using shared hosting:
Pros of Shared Hosting:
Cost-effectiveness
Because multiple clients are using one server, the server maintenance costs are split between them. Therefore, most shared hosting plans have fairly low prices.
Minimal care
There’s no need to stress about technical details as the web hosting provider takes care of basic webserver maintenance and watches all the activity.
Cons of Shared Hosting:
Unstable performance
The traffic fluctuations on other websites that operate the same server can impact your site’s performance, slowing it down or making it unresponsive.
Security problems
Websites that use this type of web hosting share the same server resources. This means that if an atacker takes down the hosting server, all of its websites will be affected.