Web Hosting, Web Development, and Website Management: Why They’re Not the Same Thing
Most people think a website is just “design and code”. But in reality, a working website relies on three separate layers:
Web Hosting (where it lives)
Web Development (how it’s built) ← the aforementioned “design and code” belong here
Website Management (how it’s maintained)
When folks mention a website, they're typically thinking about the Web Development layer (”design and code!”), without much room left in the ol' noggin for hosting considerations and ongoing maintenance needs.
What's the deal with that?
Well, these aren’t sexy topics but getting them right plays a pivotal role in having a website, so let’s explore what each of these layers do and how they’re different from one another.
1. What Is Web Hosting?
Web hosting is the infrastructure.
If your website is the house, web hosting is the land it sits on. You can build a beautiful house, but without land, it has nowhere to live. In the same way, your website files need hosting (a server) to be accessible on the internet.
A web host is a powerful computer that:
Stores your website files
Makes them accessible on the internet
Delivers your website to visitors when they type your domain name
Without hosting:
Your site cannot be accessed online
Your domain has nowhere to go
Your website simply doesn’t exist
Hosting includes:
DNS configuration
Server storage
Bandwidth
Uptime reliability
Server Security
PHP support for Wordpress sites
SSL certificates*
Backups (sometimes!)
Hosting is all about website availability and performance and is the foundation of a well performing site.
*hosts not offering SSL certificates out of the box make life so much harder. Avoid.
MLD works with Marit Digital as our web & email hosting partner.
They’re a woman-owned B corp and great to work with. Check them out!
Sidebar on Web Hosting and When It Matters:
In all the situations where it really matters, your host really matters too.
A host that offers features like a password protected development environment will give the designers and developers a place to build and test new features.
A host that offers a password protected staging environment will give your company a medium for internal review and approval of content and design.
A host that can take the staging environment and put it on production will make launching new features and content a straightforward experience, doing all the work for you behind the scenes -- moving the files, handling database updates, updating config files, and more, all done at the click of a button within the host dashboard.
And finally, in those extra stressful situations where content / code / design gets bugged up, maybe by user error in the CMS, maybe by a rogue plugin that didn’t get patched in time --- a host that automatically takes daily backups and offers the ability to restore from a backup, again at the click of a button - this is going to be a lifesaver.
2. What Is Web Development?
Web development is the construction process.
Our website is our house - so let’s go ahead and build it on our land (host). Here we build the house (website) on our land (host).
This is where developers:
Write code to build layouts, templates, forms, and custom features
Configure Wordpress & other CMS platforms
Handle API connections, configure plugins
Optimize website performance and loading speed
Development determines a lot, like what your site can do, how users interact with it, and (in part) how fast it loads.
But what about:
Guaranteed website uptime & availability?
Managing Server infrastructure?
Handling DNS?
Remember, that stuff we covered in layer 1, Web Hosting!
3. What Is Website Management?
Website management = ongoing maintenance needed to keep a site running as expected. This is where we keep our house (website) clean and maintain our yard (host).
Remember: The work put in to design, develop, and get a site launched does not future proof the need of maintaining the site going forward!
Website management happens after launch and includes:
Updating plugins and themes
Applying security patches
Monitoring uptime
Managing backups
Fixing bugs
Monitoring performance
Improving SEO + AIO
Adding new content + editing existing content
Given enough time, even a well-developed website on the best host will break down without maintenance.
MLD and Marit Digital can help with Website Management services and support. Learn more here and here.
Reality Check: Hosting and Management are Ongoing Responsibilities
Development is often a one-time project. Hosting and management are ongoing responsibilities.
You may be thinking,“We paid to build the website. Why are there ongoing costs?” That’s because:
• Hosting is recurring
• Maintenance is recurring
• Security is ongoing
• Infrastructure evolves
Why are these important to maintain?
• To keep forms and lead submissions working
• To ensure a website loads fast and performs well
• To protect the site from being used for malicious purposes by hackers
• To keep your website online
A Simple Comparison Table
| Area | Web Hosting | Web Development | Website Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Stores & delivers site | Builds the site | Maintains the site |
| Timing | Ongoing | Project-based | Ongoing |
| Focus | Infrastructure | Code & functionality | Updates & optimization |
| Example Issue | Server down | Feature broken | Plugin outdated |
Email and Web Hosting
Your web host and email host don't have to be the same company, just as long as your DNS records are configured correctly.
Most web hosts offer bundled packages that include email hosting paired with website hosting.
But many businesses are going to need the reliability of a separate, dedicated email host like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.
MLD and Marit Digital can help with Website Management services and support. Learn more here and here.