A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server owned or leased for use by clients, as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. Web hosts can also provide data center space and connectivity to the Internet for other servers located in their data center, called colocation, also known as Housing in Latin America or France.
The scope of web hosting services varies greatly. The most basic is web page and
small-scale file hosting, where files can be uploaded via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or a Web
interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web "as is" or with
minimal processing. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) offer
this service free to subscribers. Individuals and organizations may also obtain
Web page hosting from alternative service providers. Personal web site hosting
is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or inexpensive. Business web site
hosting often has a higher expense depending upon the size and type of the
site.
Single page hosting is generally sufficient for personal
web pages. A complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that
provides database
support and application development platforms (e.g. PHP, Java,
Ruby
on Rails, ColdFusion, or ASP.NET). These
facilities allow customers to write or install scripts for applications like forums
and content management. Also, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is typically used
for e-commerce.
The host may also provide an interface or control panel for managing the Web server
and installing scripts, as well as other modules and service applications like
e-mail. Some hosts specialize in certain software or services (e.g.
e-commerce), which are commonly used by larger companies that outsource network
infrastructure.