| If youve ever browsed the World Wide Web and | | | | information to be updated and accessed on the web; |
| wondered how you could stake your claim on the | | | | and dynamic content which allows for users to |
| Internet, like the millions of others that have done so | | | | interact with the web pages youve made. |
| already, then web hosting can provide you with the | | | | Website Development |
| services to do just that. The Internet is a great way | | | | Poorly designed websites will most likely turn away |
| of sharing information and it is possible for you to | | | | users and harm the credibility of the information it |
| take a portion of the web and make it your own. | | | | contains. Thought should be put in on the way it |
| This article introduces the term web hosting and | | | | looks and the way you intend your users to interact |
| provides some useful tips for web development once | | | | with the content. It is also recommended for more |
| youve obtained some web space. | | | | complex websites, a structured development process |
| What is the World Wide Web? | | | | should be followed. Here is a guide to the logical |
| The World Wide Web is the network of computers | | | | steps of web development: |
| from all over the world that communicate with each | | | | Requirements Analysis: What is the purpose of the |
| other using the HTTP protocol, a language that allows | | | | website? What content should it contain? |
| the transmission of web documents. Be careful as | | | | Design: How should the pages be linked? What |
| this term is not synonymous with the Internet | | | | structure should they take? How should the pages |
| because it is defined as a network of networks, | | | | interact with the user? |
| where the computers communicate with protocols | | | | Implementation: This step is the actual coding of the |
| other than HTTP. The web is what you see on your | | | | websites in accordance to the previous websites. |
| Internet browser, the web pages complete with | | | | Testing: Does the website do what it should? |
| graphics, sound and other information. All this has got | | | | Maintenance: Is the information on the website |
| to come from somewhere, and this is where web | | | | up-to-date? |
| hosting comes in. | | | | Some useful hints for web development below are |
| Web Hosting | | | | taken from software quality aspects but they apply |
| The information that you see from your web | | | | to the development of websites as well. They are |
| browser is contained in web pages. These web | | | | described in terms of web development: |
| pages are kept on computers called web servers. | | | | Reliability: Is the website reliable? Do faults allow for |
| Web hosting is about the storage of the web pages | | | | the system to continue running? |
| so that people can access them. It is possible to host | | | | Robustness: How does the website respond to |
| your own websites yourself but the reasons stopping | | | | incorrect input? |
| most people doing this is that there are issues to | | | | Performance: How fast does the web page respond |
| consider with having the right hardware and software | | | | to users actions? Is it efficient in processing requests |
| to successfully host your web pages. Your web | | | | and inputs? |
| pages will take a certain amount of space, users will | | | | Usability: Is the website easy to navigate and |
| need to download each page to view them and your | | | | understand? |
| Internet connection needs to be fast to offer good | | | | Maintainability: Is the website easy to change? Can |
| performance to your viewers. Using specialised | | | | new functionality be added? |
| companies that offer web hosting capabilities on their | | | | Portability: What software requirements does the |
| web servers will take most of these worries away | | | | website require? Will this limit the amount of potential |
| from you but you will need to choose wisely and | | | | users? |
| weigh up the costs and your needs. In addition to | | | | Understandability: How well do you understand the |
| having access to a web server, you will also need to | | | | website youve developed? |
| register a domain name (for a cost) that uniquely | | | | When designing your website, keep these quality |
| identifies your website. | | | | aspects in mind as they will help you develop pages |
| What Web Hosting Can Do For You | | | | worth visiting. How to choose the way to host your |
| The most basic service that web hosting offers is | | | | website is half of the problem, the other half is to |
| that it exposes your web pages for others to see. | | | | create a website that people would want to visit and |
| The other services are: email capabilities that allow | | | | come back to. Knowledge of producing a good |
| for email to be received and sent from your server; | | | | design can help you get the most out of your |
| database capabilities that allow for large amounts of | | | | creations. |