Web Hosting Glossary
Learn the key terms and concepts you will encounter when hosting a website. From bandwidth to uptime, we explain it all.
Terms and definitions
Bandwidth
The amount of data that can be transferred between your website and visitors over a period of time.
CDN
Content Delivery Network. A distributed network of servers that delivers web content based on user geographic location.
DNS
Domain Name System. The system that translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses.
Domain
The address people type to access your website, like example.com.
FTP
File Transfer Protocol. A method for uploading and downloading files to and from a server.
HTTPS
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. A secure version of HTTP that encrypts data between browser and server.
IP Address
A unique numerical address assigned to every device connected to the internet.
SSL Certificate
A digital certificate that authenticates a website and enables encrypted connections.
Static Site
A website with fixed content that displays the same for every visitor, built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Subdomain
A prefix added to your domain name, like blog.example.com, often used to organize different sections.
Uptime
The percentage of time a server is operational and accessible. Higher is better.
Web Server
Software or hardware that stores website files and serves them to visitors upon request.
Put your knowledge to work
Host your first site in 3 steps
1. Upload your files
Drag and drop your website files or connect a Git repository.
2. Configure your domain
Choose a subdomain or connect your own custom domain name.
3. Go live
Click deploy and your site is accessible worldwide.
Ready to put your knowledge to use?
Host your first website and see these concepts in action.