| Web hosting is a broad term used to describe the | | | | have the ability to process dynamic content. |
| act of storing web files on a web server so that | | | | Dynamic content is a web file that contains |
| they can be viewed by people on the Internet or | | | | scripting languages such as php, where code |
| an intranet. There are many different | | | | contained in the file will determine what the web |
| configurations and options available when it comes | | | | server sends in the response to the browser. This |
| to how you decide to host your web files. | | | | allows data and information to be loaded from a |
| Regardless of which method you choose, you | | | | database and displayed to the user, or to process |
| should understand the basics of whats involved | | | | user data from form input. This differs from |
| and what you should get with any web hosting | | | | static content such as a plain HTML file that is |
| service. | | | | written and always displayed the same regardless |
| A web server is a computer that is continuously | | | | of who views the content, sort of like a painting. |
| connected to the Internet and has special sever | | | | Almost all web hosting services should come |
| software (most commonly Apache web server) | | | | equipped with php, MySQL and other popular |
| that reads hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) | | | | dynamic content utilities. They should also feature |
| requests from client side programs (such as web | | | | FTP account/ access to allow you to transfer |
| browsers), processes the request and sends | | | | your files to the web server from your |
| either the requested file or resource, or any error | | | | development computer, an online control panel |
| codes in an HTTP response. You store your web | | | | that allows you to manage your account and files |
| files on the servers hardrive. A web file is most | | | | and tools to measure your bandwidth usage and |
| commonly an HTML file but can also include | | | | the disk space that you have used. |
| dynamic content files such as PHP files. Web | | | | Some additional features that are being offered |
| hosting services will specify the amount of disk | | | | on shared hosting plans include online web page |
| space or storage that you get when you use | | | | builders that allow you to created web pages in a |
| their hosting services. This is a measurement of | | | | what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) |
| how much space you are allowed for your files | | | | interface. This makes it easy for people with little |
| on their hard drive and is usually measured in | | | | or no understanding of HTML to create quality |
| gigabytes. | | | | web sites with ease. |
| Data transfer, or bandwidth is the terms web | | | | When making your choice between web hosting |
| hosting companies use to refer to how much | | | | companies the things that matter most will be the |
| information you are allowed to send through their | | | | kind of customer and technical support that you |
| server connections each month. If you have a | | | | receive. As a beginner, being able to get a human |
| web file that is one megabyte, each time | | | | on the other end of the phone who knows whats |
| someone downloads or views that file you send | | | | going on well enough to easily guide you through it |
| one megabyte of information through the | | | | is an amazing value. If it comes down to a hosting |
| connection. Since most web files are relatively | | | | company that offers "unlimited" storage and |
| small, disk storage and bandwidth are not usually | | | | transfer but isn't there to answer your questions, |
| needed in huge amounts. The exceptions apply to | | | | and one that offers "only" 10 gigabytes of |
| sites that get a lot of traffic and contain a lot of | | | | storage but is highly reputable and has great |
| large multimedia files such as videos. | | | | customer support, the obvious choice would be to |
| Any web hosting service you sign up with should | | | | go with the support. |