In my previous posts, we have discussed about website hosting and the best web hosting services. This post outlines the basic requirements of web hosting that every website owner should understand.
Basic Requirements of Web Hosting
Getting Started
In today’s digital age, having a website is essential for businesses, organizations, and even individuals looking to establish an online presence. However, before a website can go live on the internet, it needs to be hosted on a server.
Web hosting is the service that makes your website accessible on the World Wide Web. To ensure a successful and seamless experience, there are a few fundamental requirements for web hosting that must be met.
Here are the basic requirements of web hosting that you need to consider when setting up a website:
Domain Name
In web hosting, a domain name is the human-readable unique address of your website on the internet. It’s what people type into their browser’s address bar to visit your site. it must be registered through a domain registrar.
Example: www.kailashsblogs.comReliable Web Server
A web server in web hosting refers to both the hardware and software that serve websites to users over the internet. It is a physical or virtual machine where your website files are stored and served to users over the internet.
Storage Space
The storage space requirement in web hosting refers to the amount of disk space provided by a hosting provider to store your website's files.
| Website Type | Estimated Storage Requirement |
|---|---|
| Simple static website | 100–500 MB |
| Small business website | 500 MB – 2 GB |
| WordPress blog | 1 – 5 GB |
| E-commerce site | 5 – 20 GB |
| Media-heavy or large site | 20 GB and above |
Bandwidth
In web hosting, bandwidth refers to the amount of data that can be transferred between your website and its visitors over a specific period (usually measured per month). It determines how much traffic your site can handle and how fast data can move to and from your site.
| Website Type | Estimated Bandwidth Needs |
|---|---|
| Small blog/site | 1–5 GB/month |
| Medium business site | 10–50 GB/month |
| Media-heavy site | 100+ GB/month |
| Streaming/video site | 1 TB/month or more |
Programming Language Support
Web hosting providers typically support a variety of programming languages to allow web developers to build dynamic and interactive websites or web applications. You need to check whether the web hosting service supports the language you used in your web development.
Database Support
Database Support in Web Hosting refers to the ability of a hosting provider to offer database services that allow websites and applications to store, retrieve, and manage data efficiently. This is a critical part of most dynamic websites, such as blogs, e-commerce platforms, forums, and content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal.
Key Features to Look for in Database Support
- Number of databases allowed (some plans limit this)
- Database size/storage limits
- phpMyAdmin or admin interface availability
- Remote database access
- Backup and restore functionality
- Performance optimization (e.g., caching, SSD storage)
- Support for stored procedures, triggers, views
Security Features
When choosing or managing web hosting, security is one of the most critical aspects. Here are the key security features you should look for in a web hosting service
- SSL Certificate for HTTPS encryption (many hosts offer free SSL via Let's Encrypt).
- Firewalls, DDoS protection, and malware scanning are also important.
Email Hosting (Optional)
When you purchase a web hosting plan, many providers include email hosting as part of the package. Email hosting refers to a service that runs and stores your email accounts on a server It allows you to create custom email addresses (like yourname@yourdomain.com).
Instead of using free providers like Gmail or Yahoo, email hosting lets you have a professional email identity linked to your domain.
Customer Support
Customer support in web hosting is a critical aspect that directly affects customer satisfaction, retention, and overall business reputation. It involves providing timely, effective assistance to customers using web hosting services like from setting up their hosting environment to troubleshooting technical issues.
Summary
Whether you’re launching a personal blog or a business website, choosing the right web hosting service is critical for your website's performance, security, and growth. By ensuring your host meets these basic requirements such as reliable servers, sufficient bandwidth, robust security, and responsive support. understanding these essentials will help you make an informed hosting decision.
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