The Difference Between Domain Registration and Hosting
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is a short web address usually ending in .com, .org, or .net. A URL is the full web address pointing to a particular page or file. For example, in the URL http://kb.starchapter.com/tipswebhostinganddomains , only the StarChapter.com part is the domain name. While a domain name usually has www. in front of it, that part is not part of the domain name itself.
How Does Domain Registration Work?
Domains, rather than being purchased, are registered through a company called a registrar. GoDaddy and Network Solutions are examples of registrars. While these companies buy and sell domain names, they sometimes also offer web hosting services, discussed below. Domain names are typically registered and renewed annually; however, it is also possible to register a domain name for a longer period.
The person or entity who registers a domain name is the registrant. This person is the owner of the domain name and can renew it or transfer it to a different registrar.
It's usually possible to find the registrant for any domain name through a public lookup called a WhoIs. Sometimes, though, a registrant may not want their information publicly available. Registrants can hide their identity through a private registration service, typically provided by their registrar.
What is Web Hosting?
Setting up a web presence is a bit like setting up a business. Registering a domain name is similar to registering a trademark for the business name. Web hosting is equivalent to having inventory in a warehouse.
A web host provides storage and access for files through a physical or vitual machine called a server. Those files may be web pages, images, or documents.
How do These Work Together?
Domain names have configuration settings on them. These dictate where incoming traffic should go, whether that traffic is a visitor or an email message. When a domain name points to a web server, that's when everything comes together. The launch process with StarChapter involves pointing the domain name's records to StarChapter's servers.
Is StarChapter a Web Host?
The StarChapter software and any content or data loaded into it reside on StarChapter's servers. But StarChapter isn't technically a web host. Instead, StarChapter is software as a service. Software as a service includes software and other add-ons, like web hosting or ongoing technical support, as part of an all-in-one package.
StarChapter's service does not include domain registration, but it is available for an additional fee for those organizations who prefer managing everything in one place.
Because StarChapter is software as a service, it is not necessary to pay for a separate web host outside of StarChapter.
Learn more about the difference between a web host and a software as a service.
Domain Management with StarChapter
Deciding how to handle your domain updates? Here are the options:
