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A Complete Hosting Glossary for Juniors

Written by: Anne

web hosting glossary

Mini Dictionary of Hosting Technical Terms

As a beginner in the hosting field, you may not know the prominent features and technical terms. So here is an ultimate web hosting glossary for the newcomer.

 Explaining Prominent Hosting Types

There are several types of hosting services that are available across. Each hosting type has particular and varied features and specifications. Depending on the hosting provider’s user can choose the affordable hosting types and plans for their website launch.

  • Shared Hosting – Hosting, where websites hosted on the server will share the space and other features offered by the server with other clients.
  • Cloud Hosting – In this hosting service, a group of servers with websites, files, and other resources share each other. If anyone of the cloud servers is busy or down, the request automatically switches to the same group’s different server.
  •  VPS Hosting – VPS hosting has grown a favorite choice because it is cheaper than dedicated hosting but gives better features than shared hosting. Here clients get root access to the server, providing them the right to install credentials and do the settings without interrupting the hosting provider.
  • Dedicated Server Hosting – Independent hosting service. In that, clients will get a whole physical server solely for their website. So that helps to configure according to the requirements such as selecting OS and other software.
  • Reseller Hosting – In this hosting, an individual buys a group of server resources from an original web host to repackage the resources and resell them as their hosting services under its brand name.
  • Linux Hosting – A server powered by Linux (a free open source OS popular with the majority of shared and accessible web hosting companies)
  • Windows Hosting – It’s a server based on Windows OS. So the windows hosting plan costs a bit because it offers certain windows features.
  • WordPress Hosting – It’s a type of shared hosting service, especially for WordPress website hosting with the more pre-installed plugin and other supports.
  • Magento Hosting – It’s the hosting compactable for Magento, free eCommerce software for online business.
  • Drupal Hosting – It’s the hosting type for completely responsive with open CMS platform Drupal
  • Joomla Hosting – This hosting Joomla supported hosting service for Joomla websites.
  • Windows VPS Hosting – it’s a VPS hosting platform based on the Windows operating system.
  • Minecraft Hosting – It’s a multiplayer game server. This Player can start their server either by setting one up on a computer using the software.
  • Email Hosting – It’s a premium hosting service with ad-free support, which provider rents out email servers to its users.
  • Managed Dedicated Servers – This hosting service provider leases a dedicated server but manages the server functions. The provider handles server, software, and hardware maintenance, provides security, monitors activity, and takes care of backup services.

Check out here to know more about WordPress hosting exclusively.

Technical Terms in Host Plans 

Here are a few points that to take care of before selecting the desired plan. If you are the first time in hosting, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with commonly using web hosting terms. Very briefly and in simple terms explaining each of the web related terms here.

  • Add on domains – An additional domain that can host in a single hosting account.
  • Apache webserver – Open Source cross-platform server software. A group of developers maintains it.
  • Bandwidth  – It’s a measure of how much data transferred within the account.
  • Backups – Process of keeping a copy of website data for securing from any malware attack or hacking.
  • Dedicated IP – It is the unique IP for a website from a single hosting company. It is required to get an SSL Certificate and avoid spamming by other users in a shared environment and suitable for SEO maintaining website reputation.
  • DNS – Domain Name Server. It is like a telephone directory. It stores a database of domain names and translates them into the corresponding IP.
  • Domain Registrar – It’s the entity that registers domain name and link with IP.
  • Domain Privacy – The security offered by various domain name registrars. Need to purchase. Then details will hide from WHOIS records.
  • Domain Aliases – Many Similar domain names pointing to the single main domain.
  • Domain Name  – This is the name of the website which used to find in online. Domain names can purchase with our choice.
  • DKIm  – DomianKey Identified mails, used to verify the authenticity of incoming mails
  • Live Chat – It is a customer service system, communicating through chats within the web platform lively.
  • Parked domain – It is an additional domain, which is redirecting to the original domain.
  • SSL – Secure Socket Layer, its encryption technique, which helps to secure transactions on the web.
  • Sub Domain  – It’s the domain part of the main domain
  • Serverside Includes – SSI, This platform enables the web developers to add additional HTL comments and scripts to the website.
  • Trial Period – It is a short period offered by the hosting companies to try out their packages and features for free.
  • TLD  – Top Level Domain, that is part of domain name comes after the dot(.)
  • Uptime – Amount of time the server is up without any interruption online.

 Read Simple Guide on WordPress Hosting for Beginners

Email Related Terms

Important terms that related to emails which commonly come along with web hosting are listed bellow

  • Autoresponders – pre-drafted email that schedules to send when getting new mail in inbox/ as a reminder.
  • Cache all – A pre-defined email address that captures all emails (those without an already assigned email address) sent to the account
  • IMAP – Internet Message Access Protocol, Email recovery method from the server copy.
  • Mailing List –Grouping email ids based on purpose and add into mail listing for send email once.
  • POP 3 – Post Office Protocol 3, standard email protocol used to receive/recover emails from the remote server to a local client computer.
  • SMTP – It’s the email protocol for sending emails from the server.
  • Webmail – Browser-based web app for sending and receiving emails without using any email software.
  • Spam – Space in the email that receives bulk emails related to products and service promotions.

Essential Terms in Website Setup

The website is a soul part of web hosting. So need to understand some important terms that need to take into count on web development and post-development activities. Bellow narrated the web term based on hosting and other marketing aspects.

  • .htaccess – It is a setup to permit for accessing some files within the website.
  • FTP – File Transfer Protocol, it’s the standard for uploading and downloading files on the internet.
  • SSH – Secure Shell, It is another type of file transfer. But not trusted.
  • Blog – it’s a website or part of the website where articles and write-up, the author posts on different types.
  • CDN – Content Delivery Network
  • Co-location – Allowing rented space in web host data-center to operate on a high-quality network and power infrastructure and utilizing the data center’s physical security.
  • Web Traffic – It’s the number of visits of internet users to the website
  • Sitemap Generation – Its service for showing all the search engines the complete website pages to effective crawling.
  • Sitemap – Architecture of website, It’s the page on the website where showing the whole pages of the website that are accessible
  • Sitelock  – It’s the service to ensuring complete website security from malware and any types of threats. Its scans pages daily
  • SEO  – Search Engine Optimization, modifying web page contents in search engine friendly way to attract users.
  • Webmaster Tool – Free reporting tool used to analyze website performance and issues in search engines.
  • Analytics  – Its free tool, used to analyze the website visitors’ behavior, source, and other improvement parameters.
  • Bounce Rate – Percentage of website exits by users without any interaction

Key Terms Using in Hosting Features

Every hosting type offers different features and unique specifications. It is essential to check the features before considering a hosting provider. That is needed to review all points along with customer reviews. The fastcomet reviews, cloudways, hostinger are few hosts offering top features for their clients.

  • CMS  – Content Management System, it offers easy management and organization of web content. It also helps to design efficiently.
  • Control Panel – It is the central part of a web hosting account, from where users can add the domain, upload new pages, and install various server-side functions.
  • Error Pages – It is the page that notifies pages’ unavailability; it may seem because of removed or other server-side issues.
  • Fantastico – Group of scripts used to help automated installation of web applications
  • Forum – It’s the online community that allows users to discuss their questions and answers technically and non technically via posts.
  • Guestbook  – A web page that enables users to add contact information and any comment about the site or request more information.
  • cURL – It helps users transfer data from server to server by giving a library and command-line tool.
  • Data Center – houses networked computer systems and other components needed to maintain them. A data center facility also usually has some backup protocol in place, such as redundant data communications connections. Data centers process, store, and organize vast amounts of data so many people and businesses rely on them to function in modern society.
  • Web Server – A physical computer system that stores website and process via HTTP request on the internet
  • Web Hosting – It’s a service that allows users to make their website live on the internet.
  • Virtual data center – Group of cloud infrastructure resources for enterprise business requirements. It includes memory, networks, bandwidth, connectivity, storage, backup, etc.
  • Vertical scaling – Used to increase the capacity of the existing virtual server by adding additional resources.
  • Traffic Distributer – It is used to faster-processing requests and manages all threads without any failure.
  • Spam filter – It’s the filter used to filter spam emails.
  • Softaculous – A commercial script library used for installing (auto install) various scripts and applications.
  • SME – Small-To-Medium-Enterprises, Its points to start-ups, small business, and new businesses
  • SMTP – Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, the Internet standard for sending and receiving emails.
  • SLA – Service Level Agreement, terms, and conditions agreed with the web hosting companies about hosting.
  • SFTP – Secure File Transfer Protocol, allows data transfer via a single connection using a secure shell protocol.
  • Row Log Files – The detailed document of server logs about a particular account. Used to debugging or processing third party programs.
  • RAID – Redundant Array of Independent Disk, its process of storing data in multiple hard disks for secure data from any failure.
  • POP – Post office Protocol, the process of recovering messages from an email server and authenticate them.
  • Phpmyadmin – It’s an open-source platform created in PHP language that handles MySQL’s administration and functions over the internet.
  • osCommerce – An open-source platform available in free, used for eCommerce and online store management platform.
  • MX Record – Mail Exchange Record, Email server where stores emails for a domain. It stores in the DNS system.
  • Malware – It is harmful software capable of destroying a website or system or a network.
  • Java Applets – Its programs in the java programming language, which can include within an HTML page.
  • Java Scripts – It’s a client-side technology, which runs in the user’s browsers, through which developers can add dynamic content to the website.
  • IP Address – Internet Protocol Address, a unique identifier, comprises numbers and dots for an individual computer connected to the internet.
  • ICANN  – Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The organization collects unique identification factors assigned for a particular computer in worldwide for enabling accessible communication.
  • HTML  – HyperText Markup Language, it’s the standard programming language used to create web pages.
  • High Availability – Ability of the system to ensure the agreed level of uptime, which is higher than the usual time.
  • Hack Alert Monitors – Monitoring service which helps to notify any website attack or unwanted program within the site
  • cPanel  –The interface within the web host allows users to manage web hosting account and website files.
  • Green Hosting   – It is echo- friendly hosting service, which reduces emissions and optimizing resources.
  • File Permission – it is an access permission set for users. It may read-only or may complete approval.
  • Disk Space  – Total Website storage space available within the webserver to store website data such as files, databases, pages, images, etc.
  • Cloudlet – A small-scale mobile enhanced data center located on the edge of the internet. It helps to avoid latency in mobile interactions in mobile applications.

Web Languages

It lists related languages necessary with the web host and for a client, including the functions and specs.

  • MSQL – Open Source database which can store information in encrypted form and retrieve whenever needs. It uses various applications installed within the website.
  • WordPress – Popular CMS allows free blogging and website. It has many user-friendly plugins and website builder tools.
  • Ruby on Rails – An Object Orient Programming language, it is a server-side programming language in ruby.
  • Postgre SQL – It is a type of database based on ORDBMS used to store data securely and return when other software is requested.
  • Piwigce  – Customizable photo gallery software on the internet.
  • PhpBB – PHP Bulletin Board, A customizable internet forum package in PHP scripting language.
  • Phorum – Open source messaging system used when creating website threads for hosting discussions online. Written in PHP.
  • Perl  – Its high-level programming language to develop CGI scripts.
  • Zimbra – Collaboration software suite of email, server, and the web client. Its open-source platform to share information with the private cloud.
  • Drupal – Open-source CMS system based on PHP. It is Customizable and can use on the website.

Available OS

It is a platform that supports the host. Need to aware of the compatibility of the OS with the host, which you are planning to host.

  • Ubundu  – Open source operating system used in personal computers and network servers.
  • OS – Operating system, its platform that supports website function, may Windows or Linux depending upon the features.
  • Plesk – Its powerful control panel in Windows and Linux hosting services.
  • Office 365 – Its subscription platform can use the Microsoft Office applications and other services over the internet.

 Conclusion

In this glossary, consolidating the most important web hosting terms, you need to know when you want to host a much confidence website. It includes essential and relevant web hosting technical terms for beginners.

To know other specifications about different hosts, visit Here – listed top web hosting service providers with genuine and updated customer reviews. Take a read and go for hosting.

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