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The 4 Key Technical Components of a Website

Building a functional publicly accessible website requires 4 core technical components: a domain name, DNS server, Website Hosting, and the website code itself.

A public website starts with the domain name. The domain name is how most individuals refer to their website and communicate it to others. The www.mydomainname.com format let’s people access the website content from any browser connected to the internet. Choosing a domain name can involve multiple considerations from length of the name, to consistent branding to availability. Domain names are not actually purchased, but rather leased from a domain registrar.

The domain name then connects to a DNS server using a nameserver name. The nameserver name connects the domain name to the DNS server which routes web related traffic to the appropriate location. Website traffic will be routed to the web hosting server and email traffic will be routed to the relevant email servers. The DNS servers can be used for other purposes like validating connections to other services.

Once the DNS server is connected to the domain, the DNS server will then direct website traffic to the website hosting server via an IP address. An individual hosting server may host multiple websites. Protocols on the server will route traffic to the correct website. The website hosting server gives us a location to load or build the website that the public can access.

The final piece of the puzzle is the website itself. The website is the pictures, text and graphics that people actually see and engage when typing the domain name into their browser. The website consists of code that the browsers on individual devices interpret and display for the end user. That website code is often created using some type of editor like WordPress.

Each of these four components is required for a functioning public website. While it may sound confusing, many website design companies will handle all of these components on your behalf. Here at Convergent Design, we work with clients at any level they are comfortable from purchasing the domain all the way through website creation to simply providing the hosting and website creation alone.