Hosting

Hosting is when the files for a website or online service are stored on a server that is online, so other people can reach the site. If you hosted a site on your own computer at home, it would only be reachable while that computer was switched on and connected, and it could be slow for visitors far away.

Using a hosting company

Most websites and online services are hosted by a hosting company. The company runs servers and keeps them connected to the Internet all the time. You upload your website files to the company's server, and visitors' browsers request the pages from there.

• You do not need to buy, run or maintain your own server.
• The servers are reliable and always on, so your site stays available day and night.
• The company provides fast Internet connections, so pages reach visitors quickly.
• The company handles maintenance, updates, security and backups, which you would otherwise have to do yourself.

You still need a domain name

The hosting company stores the files, but you still need a domain name that points at the hosted server. That is the name visitors type or click, and it must be set up so that it leads to the server holding your site.

For example, a school chess club could pay a hosting company to store its fixtures and results pages. The club does not keep a server in a cupboard; the hosting company's server stays online, and the club's domain name points visitors to it.