Quality web hosting is essential for operating a successful website. However, navigating the world of web hosting can be challenging for novice web administrators, given its specialized language that can seem like an impenetrable wall of jargon. Therefore, knowing the common web hosting terms is crucial to understanding and maximizing your web hosting service. In this article, we will cover 20 common web hosting terms that every web developer should know.
Bandwidth
Bandwidth refers to the amount of data that a site can access per second. Generally, the higher the bandwidth, the faster the response times and website performance. For example, a bandwidth of 1000 Mbps means that your network can transfer 1,000 megabits per second (125 megabytes).
Blog
A website that features regularly updated content. New entries are called blog posts and are used to drive SEO traffic to your site. Blogs cover all kinds of topics, from science to health, to tech, and lifestyle blogs.
CDN
A content delivery network (CDN) is a linked system of servers that provide web content, specifically files related to website text, images, page styles, and more.
CMS
A content management system (CMS) is a client used to curate and organize content. CMS lets people without coding backgrounds create their own site layouts and organizations.
Cloud Hosting
Cloud hosting is a type of web hosting that utilizes a distributed “cloud” network of servers to host site data. Cloud hosting splits site information up and stores it on multiple physical servers that work together to present site information to users. To learn more, you can see the full guide on cloud website hosting for Australians here.
CSS
CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets and is a styling language used to format HTML pages. CSS scripts define text styles, table size, and other aspects of a web page.
CPU
CPU stands for central processing unit and is the main component of a computer or server that executes commands. The CPU is like the brain of the server and controls most executive functions. Generally, the stronger the CPU, the more calculations your server can perform per second.
Data Centre
A data centre is a physical location where servers and site data are stored. It is essentially a warehouse full of servers that store website information. Some web hosting services, like cloud hosting, do not have physical data centres.
Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated Hosting is a form of web hosting that involves renting out a dedicated server for your site data. Dedicated hosting is normally the most expensive but most powerful web hosting option as users have access to all the computing resources of a server. You can learn more about dedicated server hosting for Australians here.
Domain Name
A domain name is the unique name that identifies your website and indexes it. The domain is the .com expression that appears in your web browser address bar. Some examples of domain names are google.com, facebook.com, and yahoo.co.inc.
To get a free domain name with a web host, you can check out my full web hosting guide here for Australians. In the guide, I have tested speed, bandwidth, pricing, and more, all for Australian website creators.
HTML/HTTP
HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the basic markup language that you use to organize your website. HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application protocol that transfers HTML files across the web.
IP Address
An IP address is the unique identifier that a TCP/IP network assigns to your computer or laptop. Like a home address, an IP address specifies where your network signal is coming from.
Javascript
Javascript is the main programming language of HTML. It is a high-level dynamic programming language that can be used for virtually any application.
PHP
PHP is an acronym for ‘Hypertext Preprocessor’ and is a scripting language utilised in web development. PHP combines dynamic content (such as prices and comments) with static content (like images, page styles, and text) to display it on your browser.
Plugin
A plugin is a software application that adds specific functions to a program. For instance, WordPress has numerous plugins that add functionality to WordPress sites, including calls to action, contact pages, pricing sheets, and many more.
RAM
RAM is short for ‘Random Access Memory’ and is the location where your computer stores temporary short-term data. RAM measures how many tasks your computer or server can handle at once. The more RAM, the more tasks your computer can run simultaneously.
Server
A server is a computer designed to store and host data. Website data is stored on servers, and users access that data by communicating with the servers. Most servers do not have video cards, monitors, or a keyboard, as these components affect performance.
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is a type of web hosting in which multiple users share physical space on a server. Websites using shared hosting are stored on the same server and draw from the same pool of computing resources. Shared hosting tends to be inexpensive, but has limited functionality and performance.
SSL Certificate
SSL stands for ‘Secure Socket Layer’ and is an encryption protocol designed to secure site data. SSL protocols are used to make secure connections between computers for the private transfer of data. An SSL certificate provides third-party validation to your site’s encryption key to ensure that no one can copy you.
VPS Hosting
VPS hosting is a type of web hosting where each site is stored on a separate virtual partition of a physical server. VPS hosting allows multiple sites to be stored on the same server but all still have their own dedicated pool of computing resources.
Conclusions
Web hosting can be difficult to comprehend due to the specialised language. The numerous technical terms and acronyms can be challenging to understand at first. However, with this guide, you can familiarise yourself with the 20 most common web hosting terms, which will help you get the most out of your web hosting service.