Web hosting is renting space and computing power on a server that is always online, so your website is available to anyone, any time. The hosting company runs the hardware, network, security and software; you upload your site and manage it through a control panel.
In short
- A website is files (HTML, images, PHP code) and usually a database.
- Hosting stores them on a server in a data centre and answers visitors' requests around the clock.
- Your domain name points visitors to that server; see domain vs hosting vs email.
What runs on a hosting server
| Component | Role |
|---|---|
| Web server (LiteSpeed, Apache, Nginx) | Receives requests and sends pages, images and files. |
| PHP and other runtimes | Run the code of apps like WordPress to build pages on the fly. |
| Database (MySQL/MariaDB) | Stores posts, products, users and settings. |
| Mail server | Sends and receives email for your domain. |
| DNS server | Answers where your domain and mail live. |
| Control panel (cPanel) | Lets you manage all of the above in a browser. |
| Security and backups | Firewall, malware scanning, isolation and daily backup copies. |
How a visit works
A visitor types your domain, DNS returns your server's IP, the browser connects over HTTPS and the web server returns the page, running PHP and database queries if needed. The full path is explained in how a website loads.
Types of hosting
Shared hosting puts many accounts on one well-managed server; reseller hosting lets you sell hosting to others; VPS and dedicated servers give you your own resources and root access. See hosting types compared.
What good hosting includes
At MdmHost, cPanel hosting runs on LiteSpeed web servers with NVMe storage and CloudLinux, with free SSL through AutoSSL, daily JetBackup backups, Softaculous one-click installs and 24/7 human support, in Germany, the USA or Singapore. Whatever host you choose, look for these essentials: fast storage, isolation between accounts, automatic SSL, real backups and responsive support.