Difference Between Web Hosting and Web Server

Jan 08, 2023

People get confused with the terms web hosting and the web server. Are both similar or have different meanings? If you are also puzzled by these terms, then stay tuned with us as we are going to explain both of them briefly in this article. 

What is a web server?

A web server is a large computer that stores the information of the websites and makes it available on request. Each web server has a unique IP address and a domain. When anyone enters any query to the search engine or enters any URL then immediately it is sent to the server where the server finds the answer and respective data and displays it to the visitors. 
This task is done by the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). The domain converts the URL to a unique IP address and lands on the server where the information is stored. The process is quite fast making it easy for internet users to connect globally. In addition, file transfer and sending emails are also blessings of the web server.

What are the types of web servers?

Various types of servers are developed for managing different tasks including:

Web servers: These servers are designed to store and deliver website information.

File servers: Such servers store and manage shared files and folders, and make them available upon request.

Database servers: These servers are designed to store databases and huge records.

Cloud servers: Servers that store our information in could computing environment.  

In short, the objective of all the servers is to store the information but the task assigned to them makes a difference. 

What is web hosting?

Web hosting is a service that connects websites to the World Wide Website Network so that everyone can find information from the respective site. A web host such as Server Sea Hosting provides rented server space to the website of the internet. This service is known as web hosting. 

What are the types of web hosting?

Shared hosting: The most common among beginners and affordable type of web hosting is shared hosting. In this hosting, multiple websites are hosted on the same server and the resources are shared such as bandwidth and disk space.

VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting: In this type of hosting, a physical server is divided into several virtual servers, each one having its independent operating system and resources. It is a bit more expensive due to its flexibility and control.

Dedicated hosting: This hosting provides a single server as an individual client or website. This is the most expensive type of hosting due to the excessive availability of resources and control. The high traffic website and business websites prefer using it. In addition, it is secure and preferred by e-commerce sites that accept online payments having sensitive information of clients. 
Cloud hosting: It can be defined as hosting that uses multiple servers to host a website or application. It is more expensive than shared hosting because it offers scalable resources. 

What is the difference between web hosting and web server?

A web server is a large computer that runs the website and connects it with the world of the internet. Whereas, web hosting is the server provided by a web host that runs the website online. 

In other words, a web server is a hardware or software that stores the files, data, and information that make up a website and make it available on request. Whereas web hosting service provides the space on the server and connects the website to the internet making it accessible to the viewers globally.

Conclusion

Web servers and web hosting are two different things and should not be confused. A web server is a hardware or software that stores information while web hosting is the service that connects a website to the world of the internet so that people can view it. Web hosting is the service that a blogger requires to get a space on a web server.  In conclusion, to run your website, you only need web hosting that you can purchase online. You have to do nothing with the web server. All that services will be provided by the web hosting service.