When you first start looking around for a web host, you’ll soon realize that of the many choices you’ll have to make, you may have to decide what kind...
When you first start looking around for a web host,
you’ll soon realize that of the many choices you’ll have to make, you may have to decide what kind of databases you want to use for your website. When many of us think of databases, we often think of large spreadsheets, filled with contacts names, numbers, and sometimes even addresses. And why do you need these databases for your website? Because web hosting databases differ slightly from other types, and neither you or your visitors will be able to do much on your site without databases.
A website relies heavily on databases to function. Not only do you need databases to build and create your site, but you also need databases that will allow visitors to interact with your site, and actually use it while they’re visiting. If you want to allow comments, keep track of them and when they written, hold forums, include photo galleries, content management systems, or search functions, you’re going to have some kind of databases installed. Really, if you want to have a website at all, you’re most likely going to need a database.
Theoretically, you would be able to replace databases with text files, but when actually put into practice, you’ll find that this has severe limitations. For example, if you were using text files to store your data, people would be able to comment on your blog – but only one person would. No website owner wants to have those kinds of limitations on their site, or their users, and so databases are required.
So, what kind of databases are you going to need?
Scripts are also an essential part of databases, and so an essential part of your website. If you want to run a blog you’ll need a script such as WordPress or b2evolution; whereas scripts that run forums on your site, include phpBB and bbPress. Shopping carts are also run by scripts, some of the most popular being ZenCart and OSCommerce. Joomla and Drupal are great scripts when used as a content management system; while Coppermine is one that’s widely used for photo galleries. Whether you or your web host uses these or other types of scripts will depend on the type of hosting plan you choose, and the databases the web host allows on their site.
There are many popular databases used for these scripts, as well as for other website features. MySQL is one that’s free and fairly powerful. PostgreSQL is also free, and you or your web developer might find that the features on it are a little more advanced. Microsoft SQL, also known as MS SQUL is an extremely powerful database; however, it’s created for Windows server only and it is also not free.
If you’re not going to be doing a lot of the maintenance and behind the scenes work of your website, you probably won’t need to know too much about the inner working s of them. But if you’re going to be choosing a web host, you need to know a little bit about these databases, and the types the web host allows, to make sure that you choose the right host for your site.
