If you want a website, you’ll need two things: a website name and web hosting. They go together, but they are not the same. Here’s what each one does and why you need both.
What’s a Website Name (Domain name)?
A website name is what people type into their computer to find your website. For example, google.com, amazon.com, are all website names.
Think of it like the street address for your website online. Just like a real store needs an address so people can find it, your website needs a name so people can find it online.
You can get a website name from companies that sell them, like GoDaddy or Google Domains. Website names are special and unique, and you usually pay a little bit each year to keep it yours.
What’s Web Hosting?
Web hosting is like renting space online to keep all the stuff that makes up your website. This includes all the computer code, pictures, videos, and words on your site. Without hosting, your website can’t be on the internet.
Web hosting companies have big computers (called servers) where your website lives. These computers are connected to the internet all the time, so anyone can visit your website whenever they want.
Different hosting plans* give you different amounts of space, speed, and how many people can visit your site at once. It depends on what kind of website you have.
Why You Need Both
To put it simply:
The website name is how people find you.
Web hosting is where your website’s stuff actually is.
You need both to have a website that works.
Think of your website name like a shop sign, and web hosting as the building that holds everything inside. Without the sign, no one knows where to go. Without the building, there’s nothing to show.
When someone types your website name into their computer, it finds the computer where your website’s files are stored (that’s the hosting) and shows them your website.