Hosting, domains and HTTPS explained #

Contents #

1. The comparison: a house
2. Hosting: where the site lives
3. The domain name: the address
4. HTTPS: the padlock
5. How the three connect
6. Keep these in your own hands

The comparison: a house #

A website is like a house. Hosting is the plot of land and the building. The domain name is the street address that lets people find it. HTTPS is the lock on the front door that keeps conversations inside private. Exponential is the furniture and the household that make the house useful. Exponential needs all three, but provides none of them itself.

Hosting: where the site lives #

A website runs on a computer that is always on and connected to the internet: a server. A hosting company rents you one, or a share of one, and keeps it running.

For Exponential, the server needs PHP (the language Exponential is written in), a place to store the content (a database) and a web server program (Requirements at a glance). You do not have to understand these, but they explain two things a host may say:

• "SQLite is enough for you." SQLite keeps the whole database in one file, with no database server to set up (SQLite database support). For a small site that keeps things simple and cheap.
• "We run it on Velocity." Exponential Velocity is Exponential's own fast web server program; Apache or nginx are common alternatives (Velocity for businesses). Either is fine for you.

How to choose a host is in Hosting choices.

The domain name: the address #

Your domain name (example.org) is bought, or rather rented by the year, from a domain registrar. Exponential does not sell domains. A setting at the registrar, called DNS, points the name at your host's server. When you move to a new host, that setting is changed and the address stays the same.

The same DNS settings also decide where e-mail for @example.org goes. Your e-mail is usually run by your host or a separate mail provider, not by Exponential (Domain name and e-mail).

HTTPS: the padlock #

HTTPS means the connection between a visitor and your site is encrypted: nobody in between can read passwords, form entries or orders. Browsers show a padlock, and warn visitors away from sites without it. HTTPS needs a certificate, which the host sets up on the server; many hosts renew it automatically. Signing in to the administration and taking payments should never happen without HTTPS.

How the three connect #

Visitor types example.org
        │
        ▼
  DNS (at the registrar) says: that is server 203.0.113.10
        │
        ▼
  The host's server answers, with HTTPS (padlock)
        │
        ▼
  Exponential builds the page from your content

If any link in this chain breaks, the site is unreachable even though Exponential is fine. That is why "the site is down" is often a question for the host or the registrar first (Who to call).

Keep these in your own hands #

Whoever builds your site, make sure that:

• the domain name is registered in your organization's name, with your e-mail address as the contact;
• you have the login to the registrar (or at least know who has it);
• you know where the backups are and can get a copy;
• the agreement with your host says you get your files and database when you leave.

What you own explains why, and What to ask before you sign turns it into questions.

Related pages #

• Words explained
• Three ways to get a site
• Choosing a host
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.