{"id":20857,"date":"2018-12-06T08:57:09","date_gmt":"2018-12-06T13:57:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/?p=20857"},"modified":"2020-11-19T15:50:18","modified_gmt":"2020-11-19T21:50:18","slug":"web-hosting-basics-how-web-hosting-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/web-hosting-basics-how-web-hosting-works\/","title":{"rendered":"Web Hosting Basics: How Web Hosting Works"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/web-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">web hosting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a crucial part of having a website live on the internet. The 'hosting'\u009d aspect of web hosting is a service that companies offer where they\u2019ll store your website\u2019s files, which can then be accessed by a web browser.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These files are essentially stored on a giant computer, known as a server. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If that sounds a little complex, don\u2019t worry; by the end of this post you\u2019ll have a better understanding. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below you\u2019ll learn about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/web-hosting-basics-how-web-hosting-works\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">web hosting basics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/benefits-of-using-web-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">benefits of using web hosting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the different kinds of hosting available, and finally, the things you should look for when choosing a web hosting company. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"hgrp\"><h4>You might like&#8230;<\/h4><ul><li><span class=\"prod-icon\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/web-hosting\" data-element-location=\"body.post_content.related_prod_block\" data-element-type=\"button\" data-element-label=\"shared_hosting\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/shared-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/shared-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/shared-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/shared.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/web-hosting\" class=\"hgrp-link\" data-element-location=\"body.post_content.related_prod_block\" data-element-type=\"link\" data-element-label=\"shared_hosting\">Shared Hosting<\/a><\/li><li><span class=\"prod-icon\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/website-builder\" data-element-location=\"body.post_content.related_prod_block\" data-element-type=\"button\" data-element-label=\"website_builder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/website-builder-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/website-builder-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/website-builder-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/website-builder.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/website-builder\" class=\"hgrp-link\" data-element-location=\"body.post_content.related_prod_block\" data-element-type=\"link\" data-element-label=\"website_builder\">Website Builder<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-website-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Is Website Hosting?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you purchase a web hosting service you\u2019re essentially buying yourself space to store your website\u2019s files. These files can then be accessed by a web browser, in order for your website to be live on the internet. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Web hosting is offered by various service providers who have the necessary technology to properly store your site\u2019s files. By signing up for a hosting service you\u2019re essentially renting space on a server that their web hosting companies own and manage.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since most people or even businesses don\u2019t have servers of their own, they rent out server space from a third-party web hosting company. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A server is a physical computer that runs 24\/7, so your site\u2019s files can always be accessed without interruption in service. These servers are loaded with the necessary hardware and software that your website needs to function.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your web host is responsible for things like server maintenance, security, and running the right software, so the files on the server can be readily accessed by a website browser, like Google Chrome or Firefox. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-web-hosting-work\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Does Web Hosting Work?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your website is just a collection of different files. When you create a website you need a place to store all of these files. That place is your hosting company\u2019s server. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On this server, you\u2019ll store your website\u2019s media, files, databases, and anything else required to properly render your website. Exactly how much storage you have will depend on the hosting plan you choose (more on this below).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re just getting started online, then you\u2019ll probably just be renting a portion of a server that you\u2019re sharing with other websites. As your storage and traffic needs increase, then you may need to scale up to renting an entire physical server-or at least using the resources of one, with a cloud or VPS server.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you sign up for a web hosting package you\u2019ll usually get access to the server via a solution like cPanel. This makes it easy to upload your files to the server. Or, you can install a CMS like WordPress to easily build out your site.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to have a fully functioning website, you\u2019ll also need &nbsp;to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/domains?_ga=2.101113096.887288042.1540306980-398252940.1540306980\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">register a domain name<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Once you purchase this you\u2019ll point it towards your server, which lets the web browser know that this is where your files are located.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then, when a person types in your domain name or clicks on a link to your site, the web browser gets the files from the server and displays them for the viewer. All of this should happen in a few seconds or less. If this process takes too long, then you either need to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/7-ways-to-speed-up-your-website\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">speed up your website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or consider <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/moving\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">switching hosts entirely<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-web-hosting-and-datacenters\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Web Hosting and Datacenters<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Web hosting and datacenters get confused a lot. They\u2019re kind of the same thing. But, technically, they\u2019re different. The term web hosting refers to the service you pay for that hosts your website\u2019s files, so they can be displayed on the internet.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most crucial element of a datacenter is the network of servers. A server is actually kind of similar to the desktop computer you might have sitting on your desk, only they\u2019re more powerful. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term 'datacenter'\u009d refers to the actual technical infrastructure used by the hosting company to provide the hosting service. Beyond servers, this will typically include things like backup supplies, security measures, connection devices, air-cooling systems, and a lot more. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-different-kinds-of-web-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Different Kinds of Web Hosting<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most web hosts will offer various forms of hosting packages. Each type of hosting will cater to different website needs. For example, a site that gets millions of visitors per month will have different requirements than a site that was built a few weeks ago. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/00_Hosting-Pool_1950x2400-832x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-26266\" width=\"473\" height=\"581\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/00_Hosting-Pool_1950x2400-832x1024.jpg 832w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/00_Hosting-Pool_1950x2400-244x300.jpg 244w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/00_Hosting-Pool_1950x2400-768x945.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/00_Hosting-Pool_1950x2400-1248x1536.jpg 1248w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/00_Hosting-Pool_1950x2400-1664x2048.jpg 1664w, https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/00_Hosting-Pool_1950x2400.jpg 1950w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 473px) 100vw, 473px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a breakdown of the most common forms of web hosting packages out there today:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-shared-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shared Hosting<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/web-hosting\">Shared hosting<\/a> is easily the most common form of hosting. It\u2019s also probably the most suitable style of hosting for a lot of website owners. With a shared hosting plan, you\u2019re sharing the physical server environment with dozens to hundreds of other websites. And sometimes even more. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the server is partitioned, so your site is secure from other websites using the same server. Since you\u2019re effectively splitting server resources with other users of the same server your costs will be very low.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Websites that have low to moderate traffic levels will be fine using a shared host. Since this is the most beginner-friendly option you\u2019ll be able to manage your hosting environment, install a CMS, setup email, and a lot more, all without any technical skills.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-vps-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VPS Hosting<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you know <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/what-is-vps-hosting\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what VPS hosting services are?<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VPS stands for Virtual Private Server. This style of hosting relies upon something called 'virtualization'\u009d. This allows you to use the resources of multiple different servers, but it all acts like it\u2019s a single server. So, essentially you can tap an entire network of servers and scale those resources up or down as your needs change.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A VPS server acts like a dedicated server, but you\u2019ll still be using servers that are shared with other users.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VPS hosting can be great for website owners who want the resources of a dedicated server, but don\u2019t have the budget for one. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/vps-hosting\">VPS hostin<\/a>g can be cheaper and more flexible. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-cloud-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud Hosting<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/cloud-hosting\">Cloud hosting<\/a> is a relatively newer form of hosting. However, it\u2019s risen quickly to become one of the premier forms of hosting available today. In case you don\u2019t know <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/what-is-cloud-hosting\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what&nbsp;cloud hosting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is, it\u2019s when your website is hosted on multiple different servers simultaneously. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The physical servers are partitioned into cloud clusters. This is beneficial because if one of the servers becomes overloaded, then the traffic will be automatically routed to another cloud server within the cluster.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With cloud hosting, you get an extremely reliable form of hosting. Plus, it\u2019s very flexible and can be scaled up or down in real-time, so you only pay for the server resources you\u2019re currently using. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-dedicated-server-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dedicated Server Hosting<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/dedicated-server\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dedicated hosting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is exactly like it sounds.You\u2019ll get access to the resources of an entire physical server. Dedicated hosting is generally the most expensive as you\u2019re not splitting server costs with other websites (as you do with shared hosting).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This style of hosting is usually reserved for websites that either receive a very large volume of traffic or require a unique server configuration. Since you have access to the entire server you\u2019ll be able to run whatever software configuration your website requires.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With dedicated hosting, you\u2019ll get incredible performance and enhanced security. However, you might need the technical skills, or the team behind you, to effectively manage your server environment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond dedicated hosting, you also have the option of managed hosting. Where you can have the hosting team help to manage and optimize your server for you. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-wordpress-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress Hosting<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you run a WordPress site, then you\u2019ve probably come across WordPress hosting. You can easily run your WordPress site on multiple types of hosting environments. But, you also have the option of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/managed-wordpress-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress managed hosting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is completely custom-tailored to the WordPress platform.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a pretty small site and you\u2019re not getting much traffic, then you probably won\u2019t notice a difference in performance. But, if your traffic levels are increasing and your site only continues to grow, then you could see a decent improvement in performance.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you are sharing web server space you\u2019ll be sharing that space with other WordPress sites, so the server will be uniquely configured to get the most out of it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond improved performance and server optimization, this type of web hosting is also important for your overall security. By only running WordPress it\u2019s much easier to protect against attacks that specifically target the WordPress platform. Not only that you\u2019ll have a team of skilled experts behind you who are working to optimize your site, and the servers it runs on.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-do-i-need-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why Do I Need Hosting?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might be thinking: if website hosting is just a collection of servers (which is essentially a computer), couldn\u2019t I just host my own website?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technically, you could. But, unless you\u2019re an experienced webmaster whose just using their own server for personal projects, it\u2019s more of a headache than it\u2019s worth.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few reasons you don\u2019t want to self-host your own website:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>You\u2019re responsible for power outages.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If the power goes out in your neighborhood due to weather or a fallen tree, then your website will go down as well.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Your internet probably isn\u2019t fast enough.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When you pay for internet the speeds are usually measured by the download speed. But, when you\u2019re hosting a website your biggest concern is upload speed. Even if you have super high download speed, your upload speed probably won\u2019t be fast enough.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Regular maintenance can be a hassle.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Running servers is no joke. Most hosting companies have massive IT teams that tend to server issues, both on a hardware and software level. If you\u2019re running your own server and it breaks, then you\u2019ll have to diagnose the issue, order any parts, and fix it yourself. All the while, your website will be offline.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Your IP address isn\u2019t stable.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Your home internet connection probably uses a dynamic IP address, which means that it changes over time. You want a static IP address, so the IP address always remains constant. This is usually only something your hosting company can provide.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s how a web hosting company solves all of the above issues:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>They have power backups.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The power supplies at web hosting companies are not only always on, but they have backup generators to ensure your site stays online, even if power is cut to the main datacenter.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Incredible speeds.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Web hosts are equipped to handle millions of concurrent visitors across their server network.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>A dedicated maintenance staff.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Maintaining a network of servers is no joke. Most web hosts have a dedicated team whose sole job is to keep the servers running with the latest hardware and software components.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Finally, you have a static IP address.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This means that your IP address will remain the same for the length of time you use the same hosting company.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/do-i-need-web-hosting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you need a web hosting service<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you want your life to be easier, and you want higher performance and safety for your website.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-to-look-for-in-a-web-host\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What to Look for in a Web Host<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every web host isn\u2019t created equal. The host you choose will have a dramatic impact on how your site performs, its uptime, and your overall site management experience. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some of the factors you\u2019ll want to look for when choosing a web host.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For starters, you\u2019ll want a host that actually offers the kind of hosting you need, and is within your budget. Sure, you might want to opt for the highest level of WordPress hosting available, but if you\u2019re just building out your first site, then a general shared host will be fine.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond that, here are some specific features to look for:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Bandwidth\/Traffic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Your bandwidth is the amount of traffic you receive each month, along with the number of pages each person views. You\u2019ll typically want to select a web hosting plan that can support your maximum bandwidth needs. <\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Storage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Website files are generally pretty small, but if you\u2019re storing a lot of user data, videos, or other media, then you\u2019ll need to make sure the provided storage is sufficient. <\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Uptime<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Most hosting providers will list their uptime as a percentage. It\u2019s typical to have 99.9% uptime. But, some websites might require 100% uptime. <\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Email accounts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Usually, your web hosting provider will allow you to create a domain associated email address. Some hosts will provide this for free, while others will charge you. <\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>FTP<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; FTP lets you upload files directly from your computer to your server. You might not require this function, but some users will demand it. <\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Support<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; It\u2019s always good to know that a support team has your back. Look for a quality support staff that goes the extra mile to ensure any issues are solved in a timely manner. <\/span><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-closing-thoughts\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Closing Thoughts<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hopefully, by now, you have a better understanding of what web hosting actually is, how it works, and why you need it. So next time you ask yourself <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/why-web-hosting-is-important\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">why web hosting is important<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, refer to this article and think about all of these benefits. The best part is you don\u2019t have to understand all the intricacies of a web hosting package to actually use it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All you need to do is decide on your hosting provider, pick a web hosting plan, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/website-builder\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">start building your website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The more time you spend in the backend of your web server, the more your knowledge will improve, and the topics above will start to come to life.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getting web hosting is a crucial part of having a website live on the internet. The &#8216;hosting&#8217;\u009d aspect of web&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":144,"featured_media":20947,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-web-and-hosting-tips"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.2 (Yoast SEO v23.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Web Hosting Basics: How Web Hosting Works | HostGator<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Wondering exactly how web hosting works? Learn how with our latest blog post on web hosting basics. Check it out now!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/web-hosting-basics-how-web-hosting-works\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Web Hosting Basics: How Web Hosting Works\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wondering exactly how web hosting works? Learn how with our latest blog post on web hosting basics. 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