Key Difference: A server is a system where one gets information of whatever he needs which is provided by a server’s network. On the other hand, a Web Hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals, firms and organizations to provide their own website accessible via the World Wide Web.

There are three basic parts which makes any current website -

• The domain name.
• The web-hosting or server.
• The site files themselves.

 ‘Servers’ became common during the 1990s. It is basically a machine offering services to other machines. It is kind of a datacenter from where all the information is taken. Server is quite a broad term, used in the world of IT (Information Technology). There is a transcoder through which a browser can connect to the web sever - Browser-transcoder-Web server.

In a simple form, web servers are computers that deliver (serves up) web pages. Every web server has an IP address and possibly a domain name. For example, if you enter the URL w3schools.com/hosting/host-types.asp in your browser, this sends a request to the Web server whose domain name is w3schools.com. The server then fetches the page named index.html and sends it to your browser.

There are many different types of servers.

For example:

• File server: a computer and storage device dedicated to storing files. Any user on the network can store files on the server.
• Print server: a computer that manages one or more printers and a network server is a computer that manages network traffic.
• Database server: a computer system that processes database queries.

 A ‘web host’ is the name given to the company hosting a site on a server. It is the company that sells or rents the machine and keep them running. It is basically a software providing services to a computer that provides services on smaller or larger scale. Without a domain, having a site or hosting is impractical. A domain is like a phonebook when one needs to make an entry. It is must so that people can communicate with other. IP address, using number, etc is all needed to communicate.

There are different types of web server and web host:

They all play a different role in some or the other way, but in this, the focus is on web server and web host. They are the most important factors which is a must in an organization for their network systems. The main difference between both of them is that, Web server is a computer program that upon the request from a web browser, it delivers Web pages to a user’s computer. It can be either a software or a hardware. Web host is the business of providing various services, hardware and software for Web sites, as storage and the maintenance of the site files on a server.

Image Courtesy: textonly.bbk.ac.uk, dnexpert.com