Most of the beginners don’t know that domain and hosting are separate. That’s because the domain and hosting work together to set up a website. Domain and web hosting are two different elements. And it is important to know the difference and use specimens. In this article, I’m going to explain the domain and hosting, how they work together, and also how they are different from one another.
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What is Domain?
A domain name is an address of your website that users type in the browser’s URL bar to visit your site. In a simple word if your website is like your house then your domain is your house address. Basically, the domain name has two parts separated by a dot. The first part is your brand or business name and the 2nd part is domain extensions like .com .net .org etc.
The Internet is an enormous network of computers that are connected to each other by cables. Every computer has a series of numbers called IP addresses. This IP address is for easily identifying them. This IP address is a combination of a number and a dot. That is too long so it’s hard to remember for many people. And also typing on the search bar to get your website. Domain names were invented to solve this problem. Domain names are much easier to remember. Now no one needs to type a long number instead they can search any website with an easy domain name.
What is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is the place where all your website files are placed. It’s like the home of your website where all your files are live. If your domain name is like the address of your house then the web hosting is your actual house. To create a website you need both domain and hosting. When a user enters your domain name on a browser, the domain name is translated into the IP address. The IP address of your web hosting company’s computer contains your website files and it transmits those files back to the user’s browser. Web hosting companies are experts in storing and serving websites. They offer various kinds of hosting plans to their customers.
Are Domain name and Web Hosting Related?
However, domain name and web hosting work together but they are two different services. You need both domain and hosting equally to create a beautiful website. You can’t make your website possible without any one of them.
Behind every domain name, there is an address of a web hosting service that reserves the website files. It will be impossible for any users to find your website without a domain name on the other hand you cant create a website without web hosting. To build a website, which one do I need? domain name or web hosting? To build a website you need both of them. The domain name and web hosting both are equally important to build a website perfectly. After buying a domain name alone you can only use it for a specific time. To store your website files you need web hosting. After getting a hosting you have to update your domain name setting and spot it to your web hosting service provider.
Do I have to buy the domain and hosting together or can I buy them separately?
Yes, you can buy a domain and hosting separately, you can buy them from the same company. But if you want to buy them separately in that case you have to point your domain name to your web hosting company through its nameserver. On the other hand, if you buy your domain name and hosting from the same company then you don’t need to change or edit your domain name setting. It will be easier to manage and renew both domain and hosting services under the same dashboard.
Can I move my Domain name to a different company?
Yes, you can, after owning the domain name you have the right to use it and move it anywhere you want. For example, you bought a domain name from a company but now you want to move it to another company. You can easily transfer and renew your domain name. But I will suggest you wait at least 45 days after the registration to start the transfer. The international organization ICANN observes domain names, whenever a one-year renewal transfer starts. Before that period if you transfer your domain name you may lose that year’s renewal fee.
Can I move my website to another hosting company without changing the domain name?
Yes, you can change your website to another hosting company as well. After registering a domain name you just have to change its setting to point it at any web hosting company. For example, suppose you purchase your domain name and hosting from any hosting company now you want to move your web hosting to a different company You just have to transfer your files and data then you need to edit your domain name settings. After that, you have to point them to your new hosting provider. So, following some of these easy steps, you can move your web hosting.I hope now you can understand the difference between a domain name and web hosting.