Choosing a Web Host - HTML5: The Quick and Simple Way to Learn HTML5 - page 26

Choosing a Web Host
Before you can put your creations out there on the Internet, you will need a place to put
them. This is what a web host can provide: an online server for your files to live on, at all
times of night and day, where people can visit them.
You might have seen advertisements for web hosting, while looking for information about
creating HTML5. There are certainly plenty to choose from. If money is a serious issue, it
might be best to choose one of the cheaper options. However, you often do get what you pay
for, and a lousy web host can bring a whole bunch of problems for your website.
If you are creating a site as a hobby, and you are not too concerned about the reliability of
your web host, this step might not be too important. However, if you are making a website
with HTML5 for business, or something important — it is best to shop around and find a
reliable web host company.
Consider the following things when you are selecting a web host for your website:
● Space. How many megabytes, or gigabytes, do you get with your plan? Many
hosts offer unlimited space, so don't get yourself trapped into a limited plan.
● Contracts? Generally, if you agree to a longer contract, you will need to pay less
for each month. This can work out well for people who are able to pay a large sum
up-front. However, it might be a better idea to try out a web host for a month, before
you commit to a longer term.
● FTP. This is what many people use to upload their HTML files, and other files, to
their web host's servers. It is a kind of file browser, you could say. If you are going
to create your websites with HTML5, you will need a way to upload your own files.
Some web hosts only allow people to use certain site building tools to create pages,
and don't allow any user files to be uploaded. Make sure that you choose a host with
FTP, or some other way to upload all the files that you will want to use.