Reference
Hosting jargon, in plain English
Last updated 27 September 2026
The terms that come up constantly in hosting guides and signup pages - each one explained in a couple of sentences, no assumed knowledge.
Domain
The web address people type to reach your site (yoursite.ie). Registered separately from hosting, typically €10-15/year.
Hosting
The server that stores your website's files and serves them to visitors. You need both a domain and hosting - see How to Host a Website in Ireland for how they fit together.
DNS (Domain Name System)
The system that translates a domain name into the server address browsers actually connect to. Pointing your domain at your host means updating its DNS.
Nameservers
The specific servers your domain is told to use for DNS lookups, usually supplied by your host or registrar.
cPanel
A web-based control panel many hosts provide for managing files, email and databases without using the command line.
SSL/TLS certificate
Encrypts traffic between a visitor's browser and your site - shown as the padlock and https:// in the address bar. Most hosts now include this free.
Shared hosting
Your site sits on a server alongside many others, splitting the cost. The cheapest option, and fine for most small sites - see The cheapest hosting that won't cause you problems.
VPS (Virtual Private Server)
A virtual slice of a server reserved just for you - more control and resources than shared hosting, more responsibility too. See When shared hosting isn't enough.
Managed WordPress hosting
Hosting tuned specifically for WordPress, with updates, backups and security largely handled by the host.
Bandwidth
The amount of data your site can transfer to visitors in a given period. Most modern plans no longer meaningfully limit this for small sites.
Uptime
The percentage of time your site is actually online and reachable. Most hosts guarantee around 99.9%.
TLD (Top-Level Domain)
The suffix at the end of a domain - .ie, .com, .eu - each with its own registration rules.
CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A network of servers worldwide that cache your site's content closer to visitors, making it load faster from other countries.