Chapter 4: Finding the Host with the Most

In This Chapter

  • Scoping out the difference between an ISP and a host
  • Understanding the different types of hosting
  • Breaking down the pros and cons of various hosts
  • Reading the legal fine print
  • Deciding whether you're ready to be your own host

One of the many decisions you make when you're starting a Web site is where to host it. You might be wondering what a host does and why you even need one. A host site provides a place (a server) for your Web site and all the files that make up your site to reside. That host provides an address so that others can access it by using the Internet.

In this chapter, you discover the differences between a host and an Internet service provider, the different types of hosts and what they have to offer, legal agreements, and the decisions you make about becoming your own host.

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