Web exists outside of the physical space. All websites takes up a physical space on a web server which are out of sight.
We might not see these servers but they’re a necessary part of our internet experience. And the service they provide for websites, they store them and make the the site’s content accessible to people around the world online, this is what we call web hosting.
Why Websites Need Web Hosting
Once you build a website on a device , it lives on those devices. As soon as you’re ready to publish it for the larger world to see, it has to move beyond the specific devices you own that only you have access to.
Web hosting servers are the space where your website can live and be stored while being accessible on the larger web. If you want anyone to see your website, web hosting is needed.
Do I Need a Web Hosting Service?
Web hosting is provided by a web hosting company for most websites, they own and maintain many servers and allows customers to essentially rent space on them. You have to pay the web hosting provider either monthly or annually for that space and, in return, they keep your website up and running.
It is possible for a business or individual to purchase and maintain their own private web server, yet it’s expensive and impractical for the vast majority of website owners. Servers require maintenance, proper climate control, and advanced skills to manage.
Also, the amount of bandwidth required to host your own website on a server launches you far beyond what most internet plans will allow for an individual.
A web hosting company has already made the investment in:
The servers themselves
The space required to store them
The precautions necessary to protect the servers from overheating or inclement weather
The amount of bandwidth required to keep the servers functioning consistently and speedily
The skilled professionals needed to provide proper maintenance as needs arise
The cost of replacing and upgrading servers as needed
Free Web Hosting
You know by now that you need web hosting, but do you really have to pay for it? Some searches online may reveal free platforms you can build your website on that come with hosting or free web hosting providers. Why not just go with one of them?
There may be cases where it makes sense to choose a free web hosting package—if you’re just starting a website for fun and aren’t too concerned about building it into something long lasting or profitable, for instance.
But for anyone with big goals or hopes for your website, it’s a choice that comes with serious risks.
Free hosting has more limitations.
Free platforms and hosting plans offers fewer customization and branding options. If you wish to be able to design and build a website to your own preferences and specifications, you won’t have much to do so with these.You can’t change much more than the colors, backgrounds, and the content on the page.
If your website will be for a business or a personal brand you want to grow an audience for, then all these limitations will cause a real issue with branding. You’ll have to work that much harder to differentiate your website from others.
Free hosting also means less storage than paid hosting options. You’ll be limited in the number of files you can add to the site, especially with media that tends toward larger file sizes like video and audio.
Functionality, like setting up URL redirects or creating custom error pages will not be accessible. You won’t have the same options for keeping backups of your site or keeping it secure.
Most web hosting services use a “free” offer to get you signed up, once you get started, you realize you can’t do much of anything with the free web hosting plan.You have to upgrade to one of their paid plans.
When you’re not paying for web hosting, your just site does not belong to you totally. You have less control and at risk of losing everything.
If you break one of your providers rule or they changed their operations your website could be wiped off and you have to start from the scratch.
What Does Web Hosting Cost?
So you’ve accepted you need web hosting from a legitimate web hosting provider. Now you need to figure out how to budget it for it.
There are different plans and options to choose from.What you spend will depend on what provider you go with, the type of plan you determine you need, and the features you want included.
In conclusion, If you’re going to learn how to start a website,web hosting is needed and a part of the whole process of creating a site.If you want your website to be beyond having a little fun, you need to take some time to identify and invest in the right web hosting plan for what you need.