Web hosting is mentioned whenever people talk about setting up a website, but what does it actually mean? In this article we explain the matter in plain language.
Web hosting in brief
Web hosting is space rented from a service provider's server, where your website's files, databases and mailboxes are located. When a visitor opens your site, their browser loads the pages from the web hosting server. As the name suggests, your site therefore "lives" in a hotel whose maintenance, security and functioning are looked after by the service provider.
How does web hosting differ from a domain?
These two often get mixed up. A domain, that is a domain name, is your site's address (yourcompany.fi), while web hosting is the place where the site physically resides. You need both. The domain directs visitors to the web hosting where the pages are. Usually it is worth getting both from the same service provider, so that they work together without separate settings.
What does good web hosting include?
- Storage space for the site's files, preferably on fast NVMe drives
- An SSL certificate, which encrypts traffic and shows a padlock in the browser
- Mailboxes on your own domain
- Automatic backups in case of faults
- A control panel, from which you manage files, emails and installations
- Support, which helps in problem situations
Web hosting or a VPS?
Web hosting is a shared environment. Several sites run on the same server, which makes it affordable and easy. A VPS, that is a virtual private server, gives you your own dedicated resources and full administrative rights, but requires more expertise. A rule of thumb. An ordinary business site, blog or small online shop works on web hosting, and a VPS becomes relevant only for special needs.
What kind of web hosting should I choose?
The choice is affected by the size of the site, the number of visitors and whether you need, for example, a WooCommerce online shop. We have gathered the selection criteria into a separate guide: how to choose web hosting. You can see Nordweb's packages and prices on the web hosting page, and for a WordPress site there is a dedicated WordPress web hosting.