Domain and hosting: what is the difference?
A simple explanation of what each part does and why you need both to publish a website with its own name.
Domains and hosting are often bought together, but they are not the same thing. The domain is the address people type to reach your website. Hosting is the space where the files, images, databases and email for that project live.
A simple way to see it: the domain points, the hosting responds. When someone visits your domain, DNS tells the browser which server to contact, and the hosting delivers the page.
Why both are needed
Without a domain, visitors would not have a memorable address for your site. Without hosting, that address would not have a website to show. Both pieces work together, but each one has a different job.
You can register a domain before building the website, and you can also move hosting later while keeping the same domain. That separation is useful because your online identity does not depend on one server forever.
What to manage carefully
Keep domain ownership, DNS records and hosting access clear. Losing access to any of those can interrupt your website or email.
If you want a simple setup, keep both services with a provider that gives you support for DNS, SSL and email configuration.