What are the differences and what is the domain?
Since many of our clients are business owners and are not very familiar with computer terms, they ask us to explain the differences between hosting and domain. Many people don't know that hosting and domain are different. For this reason, we decided to provide more explanation about hosting and domain in this article.
What is a domain?
The domain, or domain name, is the address of your website that users enter into their browser to enter your site. In other words, if we consider the website as a building, your domain becomes the address of that building.
Now let us explain this matter further.
The Internet is a huge network of computers that are connected to each other. In order for each computer to be easily identified, each of them is assigned a number called IP Address or Internet Protocol address. This IP address is a combination of different numbers separated by periods. For example, an IP address looks like this:
130.185.73.225
Computers can easily recognize these numbers and store them in memory. But it is almost impossible for humans to enter the IP address of a site every time they want to connect to it.
To solve this problem, the domain (or domain name) was invented.
A domain name can consist of letters and words. Thus, it is much easier to remember and use than an IP address.
So, if you want to enter a website, you can enter the name of the website instead of entering a number. like the appchar.com which is the name of our site.
What is a host?
The host, or web host, is where all of your site's files are stored. Hosting is like your website home where your site is located.
Just like the example we gave about the domain and said that the domain is like the address of the house, the host is like the house itself. Therefore, all websites on the Internet must have a host.
When someone types your site's address into their browser, the domain name is translated to the IP address of your web hosting company's computer. This computer has your website files and sends them to the user's browser.
Hosting companies specialize in maintaining and providing website files. They usually offer various hosting plans for their customers to use.
What is the relationship between host and domain?
Hosting and domain are two separate services. However, having a website requires both.
In fact, it can be said that the domain is like a big address book that is constantly updated. In front of each domain name, the website host address is written.
Without a domain, it is impossible for users to find your website, and without hosting, you will not have a website.
Which one is needed to build a website? Host or domain?
You need both a host and a domain to build a website.
If you only buy a domain, only that domain will belong to you for a certain period of time (usually 1 year).
Therefore, in addition to the domain, you will also need hosting to store your website files. After getting the host, you need to update your domain name settings and point it to your host.
Should you buy hosting and domain together? Or can it be bought separately?
You can buy hosting and domain from two different companies. But in this case, it is necessary to refer your domain to your host by correcting the DNS settings. That is, match the host and domain.
But if you buy hosting and domain from the same company, you don't need to modify DNS settings anymore. Another advantage is that domain management and renewals can be done in one place.
Can the domain be transferred to another company?
Yes, this is possible. Usually, when you buy a domain, you are given the right to use and transfer it. So you can move the domain anywhere you want.
For example, suppose you bought your domain from Iranian hosting companies, and your hosting from Mihan Webhost. Now you are planning to transfer your domain from Iran host to home web host.
This is easy to do. Both of these companies provide you with the necessary information to transfer the domain. You can perform the transfer by executing the domain transfer instructions.
Is it possible to transfer the website to another host without changing the domain?
Yes, this is also possible. Since the domain is yours, you can change its settings and point it to another host.
For example, suppose you bought your hosting and domain from Iranian hosting companies and now you plan to transfer your hosting to Mehen Webhost. To transfer a website from one host to another, it is necessary to transfer its files and information. Then you need to change the domain name setting and refer the domain to the new host.
