Domain names and hosting are often sold together, but they are not the same service. Understanding the difference makes website setup and troubleshooting much easier.
A domain name is the website address people type into a browser. It is part of the site’s public identity and must be registered and renewed separately, even if the same company also sells the hosting account.
Hosting is the server environment where the website files, databases, or applications actually run. Without hosting, a domain name has nowhere to point. Without a domain name, users have no practical address to visit.
When a site goes down, email stops working, or a migration is planned, confusion often starts because domain registration and hosting management are being treated as the same thing. They are connected, but they are still separate layers. Nameservers, DNS records, SSL certificates, and mail routing all sit closer to this boundary.