Shared hosting, also known as virtual hosting, allows you to host your website on a physical server that also hosts other websites. There are software applications on the server that facilitate the management and accessibility of your website.
Comparing the shared hosting environment to a highway shared with other vehicles: Hundreds or even thousands of users can share a single server, thereby dividing the associated costs. This “collective” platform makes shared hosting the cheapest and most popular option among all web hosting configurations. Due to the ease of setup, many bloggers, startups, and small businesses utilize shared hosting to host their websites.
The price of shared hosting depends on the quality of service provided by the web host. Expect to pay between $1 and $20 per month for space on a shared server.
Similar to computers, shared servers have hard drive space, a central processing unit (CPU), and random access memory (RAM). These resources are shared with the server’s other users. This enables the secure storage of all the saved files, data, and information that comprise your website.
When an internet user requests access to your website from their computer, the server sends the website’s stored data to their device. Since each website generates different amounts of traffic at different times, shared hosting makes the most of a server’s optimal utility.
As stated, using a shared server is comparable to sharing a road. Similar to how you pay taxes to maintain highways, you pay a small monthly fee to use shared hosting. Because many people contribute to the costs, individual user prices are kept low.
If you anticipate low-to-moderate traffic on your website, a shared hosting package is an excellent choice, as it is inexpensive and convenient. However, in the same way, that a large number of cars on a highway can cause congestion, your website may experience a slight slowdown if the computing resources you share with others are directed to a website with an unusually high volume of traffic.
In general, reputable web hosting companies like Hostnats can support the vast majority of web pages with minimal risk of performance issues. If your website’s traffic steadily increases, you can always upgrade to a higher-tier plan.
Not all providers of shared hosting offer the same experience. The factors listed below may vary from one hosting provider to the next.
These should help you determine how to select a trustworthy provider.
Uptime
Uptime is the length of time that a web hosting system has been continuously operational. The best providers of shared hosting have high uptimes, indicating high dependability.
Traffic
If you anticipate a high volume of traffic, shared hosting may not be a viable option. In general, web hosting companies have policies in place to prevent “bad neighbor effects,” which occur when heavily visited websites hijack all the server’s resources. Be sure to read the policies to find a web host that can support the traffic on your website.
Resources
Although shared hosting providers can accommodate a large number of users, processing and memory resources are still limited. Some web hosts restrict the types of content you can include on your website so that more users can share a server. Read and comprehend the acceptable use policy of your web host to ensure that your website complies.
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