What‘s the Difference Between Domain Name and Web Hosting?

Many beginners starting their first website often ask: What is the difference between a domain name and web hosting?

At first glance, domain names and web hosting may seem similar. But in reality, they serve two different purposes in building and running a website.

In this beginner‘s guide, we will explain:

What is a domain name
What is web hosting
How domain names and web hosting work together
Key differences between the two
Do you need a domain name or web hosting to build a website
Can you buy them separately or together
How to transfer domain names or change web hosting providers

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is the unique address that internet users type in their browser to access your website.

For example, wikipedia.org, facebook.com, blogcadre.com are all domain names.

Without a domain name, it would be impossible for people to find your website online.

Now let‘s understand what exactly is a domain name and how it works:

How Domain Names Work

Every computer connected to the internet is assigned a unique IP address, which is a series of numbers, like 192.168.1.1.

While computers have no issues using these numbers, human brains can‘t remember such long strings of digits.

This is where domain names come in. They act as aliases for the complicated IP addresses.

So instead of typing 66.220.144.0, you can type google.com which is easier to remember.

Domain name entered into a browser address bar

When you enter a domain name in your browser and hit enter, the domain name system (DNS) looks up the IP address it is pointing to.

Your request then gets routed to the destination IP, which is the hosting server containing the website‘s files. These files get sent back to your browser to display the page.

This behind-the-scenes process happens within milliseconds, providing a seamless browsing experience.

How to Get a Domain Name

To get a domain name for your website, you need to purchase it from a domain name registrar. Some popular registrars are:

GoDaddy
Bluehost
HostGator
Namecheap
Domain.com

When you search for an available domain on these sites, you can choose from a wide range of domain extensions like:

.com
.net
.org
.info

The .com TLD is the most common choice for websites. Once you‘ve picked an available .com domain, you can purchase and register it.

Domain names are purchased annually, typically $10 – $15 per year. As long as you keep renewing it, the domain is yours to use.

Parts of a Domain Name

A full domain name contains two main parts:

Second-level domain – This is the main, custom name you choose like ‘Blogcadre‘ in blogcadre.com.
Top-level domain (TLD) – This is the domain extension that comes after the dot. For example, ‘.com‘ in Blogcadre.com.

Some other domain name terminology:

Subdomain – A subdomain is an additional word added before the second-level domain, like blog.blogcadre.com. You can have unlimited subdomains.
Domain registrar – The company where you purchase and manage your domain name.
ICANN – The non-profit organization that coordinates domain names and IP addresses globally.

Benefits of Using a Domain Name

Here are some key benefits that a custom domain name provides your website:

Branding – It helps build brand recognition and trust. For example, just seeing amazon.com evokes the image of a large online retailer.
Credibility – Websites without domains seem amateurish. A custom domain adds legitimacy.
Memorability – Domain names are short and easy to remember compared to IP addresses.
SEO – A domain name containing your brand name can improve search engine rankings.

Overall, a domain name uniquely identifies your website and builds its online presence. It‘s a vital ingredient for any website.

What is Web Hosting?

While a domain name points users to your website‘s location, web hosting is where the website physically resides.

Web hosting provides servers where all the website‘s files, databases, emails, etc. are stored.

When a user types your domain name in their browser, it uses the domain name system to find the IP address of the hosting server containing your website files.

These files are then retrieved and displayed in the user‘s browser.

How Web Hosting Works

All websites need web hosting services to be accessible online.

Web hosts own large data centers with hundreds of powerful servers. When you sign up for hosting, your site gets hosted on one of these servers:

Web hosting server diagram

These servers are optimized to store websites and serve traffic.

The hosting provider takes care of:

Maintaining the servers
Keeping the software up-to-date
Ensuring maximum uptime
Providing 24/7 customer support
Regular backups
Security measures against cyber attacks

This allows you to focus on creating web content while they handle the hosting infrastructure.

Types of Web Hosting

There are many types of web hosting services available to choose from:

Shared hosting – Multiple websites sharing one server‘s resources. Best for new sites with low traffic.
VPS hosting – Resources of a server are split virtually. More power than shared hosting. Ideal for medium traffic sites.
Dedicated hosting – A full server allocated just for your website. Made for large, high-traffic sites.
Managed WordPress hosting – Tailored WordPress hosting with auto-installs, caching, security, andstellar performance.
Cloud hosting – Resources distributed across a network of servers with automatic failovers. Scales seamlessly with traffic spikes.
Reseller hosting – Hosting providers rent resources from large data centers and create customized hosting packages.

The right hosting type depends on your website‘s unique needs and budget.

Benefits of Web Hosting

Here are the key benefits of using professional web hosting services:

Your site gets an online home, accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
Hosting servers provide the speed, storage, and computing power to run your site.
You get access to features like email, backups, SSL certificates, firewalls, CDNs and more.
Technical support is available to troubleshoot issues quickly.
Resources can scale up as your traffic grows over time.
You can focus on your business while leaving hosting to the experts.

In summary, web hosting gives your website the rock-solid foundation it requires to be online.

How Domain Names and Web Hosting Work Together

Now that you understand what domain names and web hosting are individually, let‘s see how they work together.

The Connection Between Domains and Web Hosting

Domain names and hosting are two separate services, but deeply linked to each other. Here is how it works:

You purchase a domain name from a registrar and web hosting from a hosting provider.
Your hosting account provides a dedicated IP address where your site will be hosted.
You point your domain name to this IP address via the domain‘s DNS settings.
Now when a user types your domain name, it resolves to your hosting server‘s IP address.
The browser retrieves your website‘s files from the hosting server and displays the page.

So in summary, the domain name points visitors to the hosting server. And the hosting server hosts the website‘s files that get displayed to the visitors.

Domain names and web hosting diagram

Without one or the other, having just a domain or just hosting is useless. You need both for a working website.

Key Differences Between Domain Names and Web Hosting

Although domain names and web hosting work closely together, they are very different products. Here are the key differences:

Domain Names	Web Hosting
The address of your website that people type in to access your site.	The server space where all your website‘s files and data are stored.
Point visitors to your site‘s location on the internet.	Provide the actual destination server where your site is hosted.
purchased from domain registrars like GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.	Purchased from hosting providers like Bluehost, HostGator, SiteGround, etc.
A domain name ends with an extension like .com or .org	Hosting plans are categorized by server resources – shared, VPS, dedicated, etc.
Domain names are inexpensive, usually $10 – $15 per year.	Hosting costs vary from $3 to hundreds of dollars per month based on resources.
You can have unlimited domain names.	Each hosting account can host only one live website.
Setting up a domain name is quick and easy.	Migrating sites between different hosts is complex.
Domains are registered for 1-10 years at a time.	Hosting plans are paid monthly or yearly.
Main purpose is branding through a unique identity.	Main purpose is hosting the website‘s code, media, database, emails, etc.

This summarizes the key differences between domain names and web hosting services.

Do You Need a Domain Name or Web Hosting to Build a Website?

To launch a website, you need both a domain name and web hosting – one without the other won‘t work. Here‘s an overview:

With just a domain name – You can register any domain name you want. But without hosting, your site won‘t be live on the internet. At best, some registrars provide temporary placeholder pages on new domains.

With just web hosting – You‘ll have hosting space to store website files. But with no domain pointing to it, your site is inaccessible. Visitors need a domain name to reach your hosting account.

With both a domain and hosting – The domain name sends visitors to your hosting server where your website is stored and served from. This makes your site fully accessible online.

So in summary – a domain name gets you an address, web hosting provides the actual property at that address. You require both of them to build a website.

Domain and hosting diagram

Can I Buy a Domain Name and Web Hosting Separately?

Yes, domain registration and web hosting are two separate services, so you can purchase them from different providers.

However, for beginners who don‘t want complex configurations, it‘s highly recommended to purchase your domain name and hosting together from the same provider.

Benefits of purchasing domain + hosting together

Simple setup with no DNS configuration required
Managing domains and hosting in one dashboard
Bundled pricing discounts often available
One point of contact for support
Easy to renew and maintain both together

When to purchase domain and hosting separately

If you need a specific domain extension like .org or country-code TLD
Your domain is already registered and you just need hosting
You want to purchase domains in bulk for future use
You need hosting in a different region or niche provider

So in summary, domain and hosting go hand-in-hand for smooth management, so getting them from the same provider is usually the best idea. But you can buy them separately too if needed.

Can I Transfer My Domain Name to a Different Registrar?

Yes, you can transfer your domain name registration from one registrar to another at any time.

When you register a domain, you own the rights to that domain. The registrar just handles the registration and renewal payments on your behalf.

The steps to transfer a domain name are:

Make sure your domain name has been registered for more than 60 days. Transfers within the first 60 days are restricted.
Unlock your domain name at the existing registrar account for transfer.
Obtain the EPP transfer code from the current registrar.
Go to the new registrar and initiate domain transfer by providing the EPP key.
Both registrars will exchange authorization requests.
Once authorized, the transfer to the new registrar will complete within 5 days typically.

Domain transfers may incur some fees from the registrars involved, so check this before initiating a transfer.

Also, when transferring a domain name, the registration period gets extended by 1 year automatically. Keep this in mind before transferring domains that still have a long registration period remaining.

Can I Keep My Domain and Change Web Hosting Companies?

Your domain name and web hosting are independent of each other. So you can certainly switch your web hosting provider while keeping the same domain name.

For example, if you have your domain registered with GoDaddy but want to change your hosting from HostGator to SiteGround, it is easily doable.

The steps would be:

Sign up for a hosting account with the new provider – in this example, SiteGround.
Note down the IP address, name servers, and account details of the new hosting.
Back up your entire website from the old host in case anything goes wrong.
Log in to your domain registrar account – GoDaddy in this case.
Under the domain‘s DNS settings, change the name servers and A records to the new hosting provider‘s details.
This will point your domain to the new host‘s servers.
You can then upload your site to the new hosting account.

So in essence, you detach the domain from old hosting and re-point it to the new hosting. The domain name itself remains unchanged throughout the process.

Can I Transfer My Website to a New Domain?

Instead of your web hosting provider, you may sometimes need to change your domain name itself while keeping the same website. This is also perfectly possible.

For example, if your business has been acquired or rebranded, you may need to move your existing site to a new domain name.

Or you may simply want to purchase a better domain extension like .com instead of .net.

In such cases, you‘ll need to:

Register the new domain you want to use.
Point the new domain to your current website‘s hosting account.
Set up 301 redirects on your old domain to forward visitors to the new domain.
Update the site content and settings to reflect the new domain name.
Submit change of address in search engine webmaster tools.
Gradually build up SEO metrics under the new domain.

This allows you to seamlessly move websites between domain names while preserving traffic and rankings.

Just be sure to have both domains active simultaneously for a few months during the migration.

Choosing the Right Domain Name and Web Host

Now that you know the core differences between domain names and web hosting, here are some tips for choosing the right domain and host for your website:

Tips for picking the best domain name

Brandable – Includes your brand, business or site name if possible
Short – Between 5-15 characters is ideal
Easy spelling – Avoid complex words or unintuitive phonetic spellings
Keyword rich – Contains relevant keywords for your niche
Unique – Stands out from competitors in your industry
Scalable – Works for future growth beyond just a blog or small site

Tips for choosing a good web host

Uptime – Look for uptimes of at least 99.9% per month
Page speed – Fast hosting with less than 1s avg load times
Support – 24/7 customer support via live chat, phone, tickets
Features – SSL, CDN, backups, caching, security, and more
Scalability – Ability to scale hosting resources up as your site grows
Budget – Balance performance with your budget constraints
Location – Hosting data center located close to your target audience

Following these tips will help you make informed domain and hosting decisions for your website.

Conclusion

We hope this detailed guide helped you understand the critical differences between domain names and web hosting.

Here are the key takeaways:

Domain name is your website‘s unique address that visitors type in to access your site.
Web hosting provides the server space where your website‘s data is stored and served from.
You require both a domain and hosting to have a complete, accessible website.
Domains and hosting are purchased separately, but best to get them from one provider for simplicity.
You can change web hosts without changing your domain name, or vice versa.
Take your time to pick the right domain and hosting for long-term success.

Having the right domain name and web hosting provider will give your website a solid foundation to grow upon in the years ahead.