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A web hosting service is a type of [[Internet hosting service]] that allows individuals or organizations to make their own websites accessible via the [[Web|World Wide Web]].

Web hosting companies provide their clients with space on a [[web server]], together with Internet connectivity and a variable selection of other services. The web servers, which are owned (or leased) by the web hosting company, are typically installed in racks in a [[data center]].

==Website creation and management services==
A web hosting service offers specific services for website creation and management. These services are much more limited than those offered by a full-featured [[Internet hosting service]], where the user can do whatever they want with the web server that they rent.

Website creation and management services generally offer the ability to:
*Create a website directory in which to install the [[website software]]
*Direct a [[domaine name]] to the website directory
*Upload the website software to the website directory by [[FTP]]
*Create a [[website database]] to be used by the website software (in the case of a [[dynamic website]])
*Run executable files uploaded to the website directory

Additional services offered may include:
*E-mail hosting service
*[[DNS hosting service]]
*Statistical analysis of website activity (such as records of page visits)

==Software deployed for website management services==
In order to provide the services listed above, the web hosting service must deploy the necessary software on their [[server]]s. This generally includes a:
*server [[operating system]], such as [[Linux]], [[Windows server]] or [[Unix]]
*[[web server]] software, such as [[Apache]]
*[[website database]] program, such as [[MySQL]]
*website programming language, such [[PHP]]


==External links==
*Wikipedia article on web hosting services: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_hosting

==See also==
*[[Web server]]
*[[How to make a website]]

[[Category:Web hosting]]
[[Category:Draft]]