Web hosting service: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Service for hosting websites}}

{{redirect|Web host|the policy "Wikipedia is not a web host"|WP:WEBHOST|selfref=1}}

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[[File:Paris servers DSC00190.jpg|thumb|An example of [[rack mounted]] servers]]

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Typically, web hosting requires the following:

* one or more [[server (computing)|server]]s to act as the [[Host (network)|host(s)]] for the sites; servers may be physical or [[hardware virtualization|virtual]];

* [[colocation centre|colocation]] for the server(s), providing physical space, electricity, and [[Internet]] connectivity;

* [[Domain Name System]] configuration to define name(s) for the sites and point them to the hosting server(s);

* a [[web server]] running on the host;

* for each site hosted on the server:

** space on the server(s) to hold the files making up the site;

** site-specific configuration;

** often, a [[database]];

** software and [[credential]]s allowing the client to access these, enabling them to create, configure, and modify the site;

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== History ==

Until 1991, the [[Internet]] was restricted to use only "... for research and education in the sciences and engineering{{Nbsp}}..."<ref>March 16, 1992, memo from Mariam Leder, NSF Assistant General Counsel to Steven Wolff, Division Director, NSF DNCRI (included at page 128 of [http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/recordDetails.jsp?ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED350986&searchtype=keyword&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&accno=ED350986&_nfls=false Management of NSFNET], a transcript of the March 12, 1992, hearing before the Subcommittee on Science of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, Second Session, Hon. [[Rick Boucher]], subcommittee chairman, presiding)</ref><ref name="tib1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.tibus.com/blog/the-history-of-web-hosting-how-things-have-changed-since-tibus-started-in-1996/ |title=The history of web hosting|website=www.tibus.com|access-date=2016-12-11}}</ref> and was used for [[email]], [[telnet]], [[FTP]] and [[USENET]] traffic—but only a tiny number of web pages. The World Wide Web protocols had only just been written,<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5242252.stm |title=How the web went world wide| first=Mark| last=Ward|work=BBC News| access-date= 24 January 2011|date=3 August 2006}}</ref> and notthere until the end of 1993 would therewouldn't be a graphical web browser for Mac or Windows computers until the end of 1993.<ref name="Raggett21">{{Cite book|title=HTML 3: Electronic Publishing on the World Wide Web|last=Raggett|first=Dave|author2=Jenny Lam|author3=Ian Alexander|date=1996|publisher=Addison-Wesley|isbn=9780201876932|___location=Harlow, England; Reading, Mass|page=21}}</ref> Even after there was some opening up of internetInternet access, the [[National Science Foundation Network#Commercial ISPs.2C ANS CO.2BRE.2C and the CIX|situation was confused]]{{Clarify|reason=|date=August 2020}} until 1995.<ref name=ConneXions-April1996>[http://www.cbi.umn.edu/hostedpublications/Connexions/ConneXions10_1996/ConneXions10-04_Apr1996.pdf "Retiring the NSFNET Backbone Service: Chronicling the End of an Era"], Susan R. Harris and Elise Gerich, ''ConneXions'', Vol. 10, No. 4, April 1996</ref>

To host a [[website]] on the [[internet]], an individual or company would need their own [[computer]] or [[Server (computing)|server]].<ref>{{Cite web|urlname=https:"tib1"//www.tibus.com/blog/the-history-of-web-hosting-how-things-have-changed-since-tibus-started-in-1996/|title=The history of web hosting|website=www.tibus.com|access-date=2016-10-08}}</ref> As not all companies had the budget or expertise to do this, web hosting services began to offer to host users' [[website]]s on their own servers, without the client needing to own the necessary infrastructure required to operate the website. The owners of the websites, also called [[webmaster]]s, would be able to create a website that would be hosted on the web hosting service's server and published to the web by the web hosting service.

As the number of users on the World Wide Web grew, the pressure for companies, both large and small, to have an online presence grew. By 1995, companies such as [[GeoCities]], [[Angelfire]] and [[Tripod.com|Tripod]] were offering free hosting.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.biztechmagazine.com/article/2012/02/history-web-hosting-infographic|title=A History of Web Hosting [Infographic]|date=2012-02-24|newspaper=BizTech|access-date=2016-11-04}}</ref>

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===Static page hosting===

The most basic is [[Static web page]] and small-scale file hosting, where files can be [[upload]]ed via [[File Transfer Protocol]] (FTP) or a web interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web "as is" or with minimal processing. Many [[Internet service provider]]s (ISPs) offer this service free to subscribers. Individuals and organizations may also obtain web page hosting from alternative service providers.

Free web hosting service is offered by different companies with limited services, sometimes supported by advertisements,{{Update inline|date=October 2022|?=yes|reason=Is this still a thing?}} and often limited when compared to paid hosting.

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Single page hosting is generally sufficient for [[personal web page]]s. Personal website hosting is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or inexpensive. Business website hosting often has a higher expense depending upon the size and type of the site.

Commercial services that provide static page hosting include [[GitHub Pages]], where the website version control is tracked using [[Git]].

===Larger hosting services===

Many large companies that are not Internet service providers need to be permanently connected to the web to send email, files, etc. to other sites. The company may use the computer as a website host to provide details of their goods and services and facilities for online orders.{{Incomprehensible inline|date=October 2022}}

=== Peer-to-peer hosting ===

{{Excerpt|Peer-to-peer web hosting}}

===Larger hosting services===

A complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that provides [[database]] [[Data center management#Tech Support|support]] and application development platforms (e.g. [[ASP.NET]], [[ColdFusion]], [[Java Platform, Enterprise Edition|Java EE]], [[Plack (software)|Perl/Plack]], [[PHP]] or [[Ruby on Rails]]). These facilities allow customers to write or install scripts for applications like [[Internet forum|forums]] and [[content management]]. Web hosting packages often include a [[web content management system]], so the end-user does not have to worry about the more technical aspects. [[Secure Sockets Layer]] (SSL) is used for websites that wish to encrypt the transmitted data.