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Hosting vs domain vs server: what is the difference and what you need
In short
A domain is the address of a website, a server is the computer that runs the program, and hosting is the service that keeps your project on a server and reachable from the internet. To get started a website only needs hosting, a domain of your own can come later, and a Telegram bot needs no domain at all. HTTPS encrypts the connection, and many hosts issue the certificate for it themselves. On Netrun you get an HTTPS link right away without buying a domain, and a custom domain is connected on the Pro plan.
- A domain is a site name such as example.com that you rent from a registrar for a term, usually a year, and then renew.
- A DNS record links a domain to a server: it is the pointer a browser follows to find where the site runs.
- A Telegram bot needs no domain: users find the bot by its name inside Telegram, not by a website address.
- Telegram requires an HTTPS address for a webhook, but you do not need your own domain for that, any link with a valid certificate will do.
- Shared hosting was historically built for PHP sites such as WordPress, while always-on programs like bots usually go on a VPS or an app host.
Hosting, domains and servers are always mentioned together, so they look like three parts of one purchase. In fact they are different things, and you do not always need all of them. The easiest way to explain it is a flat. The domain is the address on the envelope, the way people find you. The server is the flat itself, where your program lives. Hosting is the building management company: it lets you use the flat, keeps the lights and water on and fixes things when they break. DNS is the directory that maps an address to a specific flat.
The main takeaway follows: without a flat there is nowhere to live, but you can live without a pretty address, you just give guests the long one. So hosting comes first, and a domain comes later, and only if you really need one. Below is what to pick for a website and for a bot, and where people most often overpay.
| What it is | In plain words | Website needs it | Bot needs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain | The address people find you by | Optional: for recognition and trust | No |
| Server | The computer the program runs on | Yes, your own or as part of hosting | Yes, and it must be on around the clock |
| Hosting | A service: space on a server and someone looking after it | Yes | Yes, one where the program keeps running |
| DNS record | A pointer from the domain to the server | Only with your own domain | No |
| HTTPS certificate | The padlock in the address bar and encryption | Required: without it browsers warn visitors | Not for polling, a webhook needs an HTTPS address |
| VPS | A whole virtual server for rent that you set up yourself | Not required | Not required |
| Shared hosting | Space on a shared server, usually for PHP | Fine for PHP and WordPress | Usually not a fit |
Work out what you are publishing#
A website is opened in a browser, so it needs an address, and over time you will want a nice one. A bot lives inside a messenger: users find it by name, not by a website link, so it needs no domain. If you have both a website and a bot, only the website needs a domain. Everything else depends on this answer.
Choose the type of hosting#
Shared hosting is space on a shared server with a control panel, historically for PHP and WordPress sites. A VPS is a whole virtual server where you install the system yourself and look after updates, security and restarts. An app host takes your code and builds, runs and watches it for you. For a Python bot or a Node.js app, when you have no wish to administer a server, the third option is usually the most convenient.
Decide whether you need your own domain right now#
For a study project, a demo or a first version, the address your host gives you is enough. A domain of your own makes sense once the site becomes the face of a business or a personal brand, because it is easier to remember and people trust it more. A domain is rented from a registrar for a term, usually a year, and has to be renewed on time, otherwise someone else can take it after it expires.
Make sure the site has HTTPS#
HTTPS encrypts the connection between a visitor and the site, and browsers mark sites without it as not secure. You usually do not need to buy a certificate: free ones are issued by Let’s Encrypt, for example, and many hosts handle this for you. On Netrun you get an HTTPS link right away, and certificates for custom domains are issued automatically.
Connect a domain when you need one#
To make a domain open your site, you add a DNS record at your registrar that points to your host. The domain and the hosting can be bought in different places, and that record is what links them. On Netrun custom domains are connected on the Pro plan: you add the domain in the Domains tab, copy the record into your registrar panel and run the check, and the platform issues the HTTPS certificate itself.
For a bot, think about uptime, not a domain#
What matters for a bot is not its name but that the server it runs on never switches off. On a laptop the bot goes silent the moment you close the lid, which is why bots move to hosting. On the free Netrun plan a bot runs for a limited time and then stops, keeping its code and token, and round-the-clock work needs the Pro plan.
In short: you always need hosting, a server either comes with the hosting or is rented separately, and a domain is optional and only for websites. It is easiest to start with a host that gives you an HTTPS link right away and connect your own domain once the project grows. That is how Netrun works: upload your code, get a link, and add a domain on the Pro plan when you need one. Try Netrun.
Common questions
Can I have a website without my own domain?
Yes. The host gives your site its own address, and the site opens for everyone at it. A domain of your own helps with recognition and trust, but the site works without one. On Netrun you get an HTTPS link right after publishing.
Does a Telegram bot need a domain?
No. Users find a bot by its name inside Telegram, and only websites need a domain. Even if the bot uses a webhook, any HTTPS address your host gives you is enough.
What is the difference between hosting and a server?
A server is the computer itself that runs the program. Hosting is the service that gives you space on a server and keeps the project reachable from the internet. With a VPS you get a server and set everything up yourself, while on an app host the server is already configured for you.
What happens if I do not renew my domain?
The site stops opening at that address, and after a while the domain is released and anyone can buy it. The site itself on your hosting does not disappear. To keep the address, turn on reminders at your registrar and renew ahead of time.
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate separately?
Usually not. Free certificates are issued by Let’s Encrypt, for example, and many hosts set them up and renew them for you. Paid certificates are mostly for companies with special validation requirements.
Do I need to buy a domain and set up HTTPS?
No. Netrun gives your project a public address with HTTPS right away — the link with the padlock works out of the box. There is no domain to buy and no certificates to fuss with, it is all already included.
Can I connect my own domain?
Yes, on the Pro plan, and not just one: you can connect as many of your own domains to a website as you need. Open the “Domains” tab on the project page, enter the domain you bought from a registrar, and add the DNS record shown in the hint — every next domain is added the same way. Once the domains are ready, press “Check”: Netrun checks them all at once and issues a separate HTTPS certificate for each, so a hiccup with one domain does not hold up the others. The site opens at any of your addresses, and the Netrun link stays as a backup. If you connect a whole domain (for example myshop.com), you can add one more record so the site also opens with www. This is for websites — a bot or a background script does not need a domain.
Do I need my own server or VPS?
No. Netrun deploys your project on its own servers. There is no VPS to rent, no systemd or nginx to configure and no certificates to renew — all of that runs for you.