Do I need a domain name or web hosting?
Nowadays, there are very few people who don’t know what a website is. The understanding that a website is made up of a set of web pages forming a whole is well established. That said, it’s not as clear to understand the elements necessary for a website to function properly.
What better than an analogy or comparison to properly understand the concept of a website? Referring to a concept known to all is the key to this publication.
Basically, a website is like a house!
The website is your house
In our analogy, your website is your house. A house can be small or large, have one or several floors and contain various materials.
Your website can contain a single page or thousands, display only information or sell online. Just like for your house, there is no wrong answer. A small house is not better than a large one, it depends on your needs.
Just like your house, your website can evolve. However, there may be limitations. If you built your house in such a way that you can add a second floor later, life will be great when you’re ready to make the addition. On the other hand, if you decide, overnight, to add a basement without having planned it, it may simply be impossible.
The planning of your website, as with your house, will dictate what comes next. The more adequate your planning, the simpler the evolution will be.
Now that you have the plans for your house, you need to identify the right location to build it.
Web hosting is your land
Whether you choose to build a shed or a 10-story building, you will need land. Obviously, you don’t shop for land for a shed the same way as land for a 10-story building! The same principle applies to websites.
For your house, you will choose land based on its location (city), its area and nearby services. For your website, you will choose its location (city where the server will be located), the required storage space (the area) and the supported technologies (services).
Is web hosting necessary for my website? Yes! In the same way that it’s impossible to build a house without land, it’s impossible to create a website without web hosting.
For your building project, you will need to pay attention to zoning: residential, commercial or industrial.
In the web world, there are various types of hosting that meet various situations.
You now have a house and land… but how will people be able to find you?
The domain name is your address
For people to visit you, you’ll need to give them your address.
If you want to visit SatelliteWP’s offices, you can go to Latitude: 45.5644669, Longitude: -73.7909246. Not easy to find your way with GPS coordinates, right?
The same principle applies to the web! On the internet, computers communicate with each other via what’s called an “IP address”. Without going too much into technical details, an IP address looks like this: 172.64.80.1.
Imagine having to give your GPS coordinates or your IP address for your customers to visit your offices or your website. It would be hell!
This is where the domain name comes into play! The domain name consists of an identifier (letters, numbers and hyphens) separated by a dot and a few characters. For example: satellitewp.com.
This principle of naming a website serves to help you remember the site’s address, nothing more. Exactly like your building’s address if we compare with GPS coordinates.
Is it absolutely necessary to have a domain name? In theory, no. But technically, not having one requires a set of very specific conditions that makes it very unlikely.
We have never seen anyone operate a website without a domain name attached to it.
Conclusion
And then, not so complicated all that, right?
Obviously, the web has its rules and subtleties… like real estate. Real estate experts can help you properly manage your buildings, land and municipal laws and regulations
And SatelliteWP experts can support you with your domain name, your hosting and your WordPress website. Don’t hesitate to contact us for any issue with your website.
