Blog · WebJi® India

What is a website?

Quick answer

A website is a collection of web pages, images and files published under one domain name and stored on a hosting server, so anyone with a browser can open it. It has four parts: domain, hosting, files and usually a database. A webpage is one document inside the site.

For first-time business owners and students who want to understand what a website is made of before buying a domain or hosting.

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knowledge

Read time: 3 min
Sections: 6
Updated: 14 Nov 2026
Written by: WebJi® team

Last editorial update: 14 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.

What is a website, in plain words?

A website is a collection of web pages, images and other files published under one domain name and stored on a server, so that anyone with a browser can open it over the internet. The domain is the name people type, hosting is the server that stores and delivers the files, and each page is one document inside the site.

The first website, info.cern.ch, was published at CERN by Tim Berners-Lee in 1991 and was a single page of plain text and links. The idea has not changed: a browser asks a server for a page at an address, and the server sends it back. The full journey through DNS and HTTP is traced in how websites work.

What are the parts of a website?

Every live website has four parts — a domain name, hosting, the site files and, for most modern sites, a database — and each one is bought, built or renewed separately.

The four parts of a website and what each one does
Part	What it does	Example
Domain name	The address people type; registered for a term and renewed	yourshop.in
Hosting	Stores the files and answers each visit	A shared hosting account or a VPS
Files	HTML for structure, CSS for design, JavaScript for interaction, plus images	index.html, style.css, logo.png
Database	Stores records a page is built from on request	MySQL holding WordPress posts and orders

Most sites add an SSL certificate so the address opens over HTTPS, and many add email on the same domain. How hosting fits in is explained in what web hosting is.

What are the main types of websites?

Websites are grouped by the job they do: a brochure site explains a business, a blog publishes articles, an online store takes orders, a portfolio shows work, and a web application lets people log in and complete tasks. One domain can mix jobs, but one should lead the home page.

Business or brochure site

Services, location, contact form and a WhatsApp or call button. Five to fifteen pages is typical.

Blog or publication

Articles published over time, organised by category, often run on WordPress.

Online store

A product catalogue, cart and payment gateway such as UPI and cards; see how to create an e-commerce website.

Portfolio

Work samples for designers, photographers, architects and freelancers.

Web application

A tool behind a login: bookings, dashboards, student portals or billing.

Website vs webpage vs web app: what is the difference?

A webpage is one document at one URL, a website is the whole set of pages under a domain, and a web app is a site built for completing tasks rather than reading.

Webpage, website and web app compared
Term	Meaning	Example
Webpage	One document at one address	yourshop.in/contact/
Website	All the pages under one domain	yourshop.in
Web app	Interactive tool where users log in and act	An online booking or GST billing system

The line between site and app is drawn in website vs web app, and the difference between a URL and a domain in URL vs domain.

What is the difference between a static and a dynamic website?

A static website sends the same saved files to every visitor until someone edits them, while a dynamic website builds each page on request, usually with PHP and a database. Most small business sites are dynamic because the owner updates them from a dashboard such as WordPress.

Static: fast, cheap to host, few security risks; every change means editing and uploading files.
Dynamic: easy to edit, supports logins, search and carts; needs updates and backups.

When each one wins is covered in static vs dynamic website.

What do you need to own a website in India?

To own a website in India you register a domain in your own name, buy hosting, publish the pages and renew both the domain and hosting each term. The domain and hosting are separate bills, and 18% GST is added to WebJi® invoices.

Register a domain under your own or your company's name; WebJi®'s indicative band for a .in is ₹500–800 a year before GST.
Choose hosting: WebJi® shared hosting starts at ₹299 a month before GST, or a website builder from ₹2,900 a year.
Build the pages yourself or with a designer, then add SSL and a contact method.
Renew the domain and hosting before they expire.

WebJi® published prices and indicative bands; checkout confirms the current figure. The step-by-step build is in how to build a website.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a website for free?

Free builders give you a subdomain such as yourname.builder.com with their branding. For a business, a domain of your own costs a few hundred rupees a year and makes the site and email look like yours. See how to create a website for free for the trade-offs.

Is a social media page the same as a website?

No. A Facebook or Instagram page lives on the platform's domain under its rules, and you cannot move it. A website sits on your own domain, can be found through Google, and stays yours if a platform changes its policy.

Who owns a website built by a designer?

Whoever is named as the domain registrant and holds the hosting account controls it. Ask for the domain in your name, your own hosting login, and a copy of the files or theme licence when the work is handed over.

How long does it take to build a website?

A simple site on a builder or WordPress theme can go live in a day once content is ready. A custom business site usually takes a few weeks, and a store longer, mostly because text, photos and product data take time.