Domains, DNS, SSL, environments, and picking a host without overpaying.

Deployment is the process of taking code from a developer's computer and putting it live on a server so real users can access it. It covers moving the files, configuring the environment, and switching the site over, ideally with no downtime. "Shipping" a change means deploying it.

DNS (domain name system) is the internet's address book. It translates a human name like example.com into the numeric IP address of the server that hosts the site, so your browser knows where to connect. Every time you visit a site, a DNS lookup quietly happens first.

HTTPS is the secure version of the connection between a browser and a site, and SSL (now technically TLS) is the certificate that enables it. It encrypts data in transit, so passwords and payments can't be read in between. It's shown by the padlock, and as of 2026 it's mandatory in practice, not optional.

A domain name is your site's readable address (example.com), which you rent from a registrar, usually for around $10 to $15 a year. It points, via DNS, to wherever your site is hosted. You don't own it forever, you lease it, so it must be renewed to keep it.

The main types are shared (many sites on one server, cheapest), VPS (a guaranteed slice of a server, more power), dedicated (a whole server to yourself, most control and cost), and cloud or serverless (flexible capacity that scales with demand). Which you need depends on traffic, budget, and control.

Serverless means your code runs on demand without you managing any server. The platform automatically provides capacity when a request comes in and scales down when it's idle, and you pay only for what's actually used. Platforms like Vercel, Netlify, and cloud functions work this way.

A staging environment is a private copy of your live site used to test changes safely before they go public. You deploy new work to staging first, check it there, and only then release it to production (the live site). It's the rehearsal space that keeps experiments away from real users.

A rollback is reverting to the previous working version when a new deployment causes a problem. Instead of scrambling to fix a live issue, you switch back to the last good version in seconds, restoring service while you investigate calmly. The ability to roll back fast is a core safety net.

Match the host to your site's type and traffic, then weigh reliability (uptime), speed, support quality, security features, and price, in roughly that order. A simple site fits cheap shared hosting or a free platform tier. A busy store or app needs cloud or a VPS. Don't choose on price alone.

Edge computing runs code and serves content from servers physically close to each user, at the "edge" of the network, instead of from one central location. That short distance cuts loading time. It's an extension of the CDN idea, but running logic near users, not just serving static files.

Typically: a developer commits code to version control, that triggers an automated pipeline which runs tests and builds the site, and if everything passes, the pipeline deploys it to the host, often first to staging and then to production. Modern setups make this near-instant and repeatable.

Uptime is the percentage of time your site is available and working. It's often quoted as a number of nines: 99.9% uptime allows roughly 8 to 9 hours of downtime a year, while 99.99% allows under an hour. Reputable hosts target 99.9% or better, and many back it with a service guarantee.

Yes, in almost all cases. You can move a site to a new host by transferring the files and database and pointing your domain's DNS at the new server. It takes some care to avoid downtime, but it's a standard task. The main thing that makes it hard is being locked into a proprietary platform.