Domain and hosting are both required to create a website. However, they are not the same thing. In the beginner’s guide, we’ll go over what domain and hosting are, how they work, and how they differ from one another.
WHAT IS A DOMAIN?
“IP Addresses” are technically referred for the addresses used on the internet. IP addresses are a long string of figures that humans cannot comprehend. In fact, the initial websites on the internet could only be accessed via an IP address. Instead of typing the IP address like 192.168.1.2 into a browser, a website owner can register a domain that will direct traffic to that IP address. Therefore, domain names can be defined as the addresses that visitors use to access website content. In a nutshell, domain is the name of the website.
The syntax for the domain name is www.yourwebsitename.com
Where www stands for World Wide Web.
Yourwebsitename is the name you have chosen for your website
.com is an extension.
There are many extensions available, such as .in, .com, .gov, .org, .edu, .us, and so forth.
Example: www.odmt.in
WHAT IS HOSTING?
A lot of files, folders, and data make up your website. The information needs to be stored on a server so that the visitors can view and access your website. This is where web hosting servers come into play. Hosting is required to link your domain name to the internet so that your website may be accessed. It is used in combination with your domain name. For a moderate price, they store your website files and provide visitors the access to them.
In a nutshell, hosting is the space in the server.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DOMAIN AND HOSTING:
Despite being closely related, domain and hosting are two distinct services.
A domain is the address of the storage place where your website files are physically saved, and hosting is the location where your website files are physically stored. A domain can be thought of as an “address” on the Internet. The “land” or space where your website files reside is known as hosting. People will not be able to find your website if you do not have a domain name, and you cannot build a website without web hosting.
| DOMAIN | HOSTING |
| 1) A domain is an Internet address that users can use to reach your website. | 1) Hosting is an Internet service that makes your website to be accessible to the World Wide Web. |
| 2) Domain is a name that is universally recognised by web servers and online organisations and is registered in the DNS. | 2) Web hosting entails acquiring space on the internet to store your website and serve visitors. |
| 3) A domain can be thought of as an “address” on the Internet. | 3) The “land” or space where your website files reside is known as hosting. |
WRAPPING UP DOMAIN V/S HOSTING:
The distinction between domain and hosting is not as perplexing as it may appear. We hope that this post has clarified some ambiguities and provided a broader understanding of the differences between domain and hosting. If you enjoyed reading this article, be sure to check out our WordPress video lessons on our YouTube channel.
