There are a few things to understand when developing a website. 1. [[#Domain Name|Domain Name]] → Your website’s address (e.g., example.com) 2. [[#Hosting|Hosting]] → Where your site’s files and backend logic live 3. [[#Storage|Storage]] → Where media files, backups, and large assets are stored 4. [[#DNS and CDN|DNS and CDN]] → How your domain is routed and optimized Some services provide bundled packages that are often cost-effective if you only need one website. However, if you manage multiple sites like I do, it can be more economical to purchase services separately. # Domain Name I opted for Namecheap to handle my domain names because they offer more competitive pricing, approximately $10 annually. I transferred all my domains from GoDaddy, which was more expensive. However, to complete the transfer to Namecheap, I needed to renew each domain for at least one year. # Hosting ## Hostinger I chose Hostinger to host several of my sites, such as southwesternrecording.com and mecinfo.org, primarily because they utilize WordPress. This platform simplifies the management of static sites and facilitates easy collaboration at a lower cost than many other website builders. By managing the hosting myself, I avoided the added expense of website builders, which could become costly for each new site. Planning for multiple sites, I selected shared hosting, drawn by Hostinger's competitive pricing. Initially, I paid $3.99 a month for the business hosting package, which includes 200 GB of NVMe SSD storage. In time, this rate will increase to about $7.99 per month. # Vercel Since some of my sites require dynamic backend interactions, I chose Vercel for Midimaze.com and nakultiruviluamala.com to experiment with a Next.js stack. Vercel is well-suited for this setup, while using Hostinger would necessitate a VPS service, which wouldn't be as optimized as Vercel. # Storage Currently, my website files are hosted on my server, but I plan to diversify storage options in the future. I might use Supabase for certain database needs, which would require data transfers between my website and Supabase. For additional storage, I'm considering Amazon S3. While Hostinger works well for some sites, others might benefit from Vercel for better performance. For my sites on Vercel, I minimize storage there due to cost concerns. Instead, I utilize S3, my Hostinger space, or UploadThing, which acts as an S3 wrapper. # DNS and CDN By default, domain registrars provide nameservers and manage DNS settings through their platforms. However, delegating DNS management to hosting providers like Hostinger, which may offer integrated CDN services, or to dedicated CDNs such as Cloudflare, can enhance website performance by reducing latency and distributing content closer to users. For Next.js applications, Vercel offers a seamless experience by managing hosting, DNS, and CDN services, optimizing performance and simplifying deployment.