Domains
Domain vs Hosting: What You Need to Launch
Separate registration, DNS, hosting and email so you can change one service without losing another.
A domain is the address people use; hosting stores or runs the website they reach. DNS connects the address to services, and email may be hosted separately. Keeping those roles clear makes future migrations and troubleshooting simpler.
Practical steps
- Record your domain registrar, DNS provider, website host and email provider. They may be the same company, but they are distinct responsibilities.
- If you only need professional email, arrange a domain and mail service without assuming a website must already exist.
- When publishing a website, use the web host's confirmed DNS instructions. Preserve mail records if your email should remain with its existing provider.
- Before moving services, list which records and accounts will change. Export the DNS zone and keep access to the old services until the new setup is verified.
Check the result
Check the website and mail delivery independently. A working web page does not prove that mail records are correct, and receiving email does not prove the website points to the right host.
Before you proceed
A domain-and-hosting bundle may have separate renewal dates, prices and cancellation rules. Review each item in the order rather than treating it as a single permanent entitlement.