Web Hosting is a business which consists of housing, serving, and maintaining files for one or more websites. More important than the computer space that is provided, web hosting provides a faster Internet connection.

Most hosting services offered for individuals can be very costly. Using a hosting service lets many companies share the cost of a fast Internet connection in order to access files that are on their websites.

Sites like Geocities offer free web hosting, although its features are very basic.

Virtual hosting is in most cases the same as web hosting. However the first one implies some added value like more accountability and users get their own domain and email address. Virtual hosting is generally another term for web hosting. In some cases this service user of a server might create the impression that he is the only user.

When a user pays for Dedicated hosting, he or she are entitled to the exclusive use of the server. Share Hosting on the other hand, is for the use of hundreds of users. Dedicated Hosting is mostly for companies whose webpages have many visitors. Housing is another option for big companies, when using it they rent a physical place where their servers will be.

Web hosting often implies a variety of services. The one you can always is expect is files hosting which gives you the ability to access web pages and other files through FTP or a web interface. The information that will appear in the websites in a very basic format. Web hosting is often inexpensive, free or paid by allowing sponsors to your site.

Normally web hosting is adequate only for personal web pages. A website needs a complex package which provides more advanced support for database and application development platforms (eg PHP, Java, and ASP. NET). These allow customers to write or install scripts for applications like forums and forms.

The hosting provider can also provide a web interface (e.g. control panel) to manage the Web server and installing scripts as well as other services like e-mail.

Web hosting can be divided into several general types: Free Hosting; Hosting where users can upload images in different formats; Shared Hosting where several hundred websites for different clients; and finally there is Dedicated Hosting where sever is used by only one person and though exclusive and faster, it is generally more expensive.