Application-specific hosting is hosting that is provided for just one specific purpose and are designed to host a complete website. Usually this type of hosting is provided by someone who already has a website and they will host something for you on their website, either for free or for a fee. Let’s briefly look at some of these types of hosting, knowing that this is by no means an exhaustive list.


Blog Hosting

A blog is your easy-to-use web site, where you can quickly post thoughts, interact with people, and more usually all for FREE. Its the latest rage on the Internet Everyone has a blog! Every blog is created with some form of weblog software (also called blog software or blogware) is a category of software which consists of a specialized form of content management systems specifically designed for creating and maintaining weblogs. Although people or business with existing websites can use one of the many weblog applications that are available for users to download and install on their own systems by uploading it to wherever their site is hosted, millions of people are writing blogs who do not own a website. Most weblog applications have features such as facilitating authoring and editing of blog posts or articles, various linking and web syndication features, and the ability to easily publish the blog to the world wide web. Many weblog applications allow the user to define static pages of content, which can often be placed into a hierarchy or tree. Pages differ from blog posts in that the content is largely static and not time related. Pages are often used to present information about the blog and its author. Extensive use of pages can result in a blog that looks more like a website.

There are hundreds of web sites available for the beginner or experienced blogger to use. It is a great way to stay connected with family, friends, clients, customers and the rest of the world. The blogger has control over the text that is uploaded to the blog, and depending on the software or the blog website that is used, there is usually some control over the design and layout of the blog. The blogger can add more content, edit the content or even delete it. It is used as a way of exchanging information. Encaging in a discussion, or, if you get blog address private, a place to record your most private inner thoughts. The blog that you are reading is hosted on a blog website, one of many that I have.

Guild Hosting

A guild hosting or clan hosting service is a specialized type of web hosting service designed to support online gaming communities, generally referred to as guilds or clans. They vary from game server hosting in that the focus of such companies is to provide applications and communication tools outside of the gaming environments themselves.

The services typically offered by such a service include 1) a public and/or private forums for members to communicate with each other, or other tools for communications such as instant messaging or chat servers; 2) tools for tracking the roster of characters that a player might have in an MMORPG; 3) an application for scheduling and organizing raids, tournaments and other gaming events; and 4) applications for tracking treasure, items, or points accrued toward redeeming treasure.

Image Hosting

An image hosting service allows individuals to upload images to an Internet website. The image host will then store the image onto its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view that image. Because many users do not have personal web space, either as a paid service, or through an ISP offering, Image Hosting services have become massively popular as the demand for hosting services increases. With the explosion of the popularity of blogs, forums, auctions, and other interactive pages, image-hosting services have become extremely popular among end users.

Typically image hosting websites provide an upload interface such as a form in which you specify the location of an image file on your local computer file system by using a browse button. After pressing a “Submit” button the file is uploaded to the image host’s server. Some image hosts allow you to specify multiple files at once, in this form, or the ability to upload one ZIP file containing multiple images. Additionally, some hosts allow FTP access, where single or multiple files can be uploaded in one session using FTP software or an FTP-capable browser.

After this process, your image is hosted on their server. Typically this means it is available on the web and to the public. Now you will be able to make inline links to the hosted image, or to embed it on other websites by linking to it with HTML code or linking to it with Bbcode. Often a clickable thumbnail is also linked to the full image.

The image host will normally put restrictions on the maximum image size allowed, or the maximum space or bandwidth allowed per user, especially if it is a free service. Due to bandwidth costs, free services usually offer relatively modest size limits per image when compared to paid services, but allow users to hotlinking their images. If you need to host large images or a large number of images, you might want to consider purchasing image hosting services or purchasing webhosting services, as then there are fewer, if any, restriction put on you.

Video Hosting

A video hosting service, also called a video sharing video service, allows individuals to uplink video clips to an Internet website. The video host will then store the video on its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view that video. Because many users do not have personal web space, either as a paid service, or through an ISP offering, video hosting services are becoming increasingly popular, especially with the explosion in popularity of blogs, forums, and other interactive pages. The website, mainly used as the video hosting service, is usually said the video sharing website.

The mass market for camera phones has increased the supply of user-generated video. Traditional methods of personal video distribution, such as making a DVD to show to friends at home, are unsuited to the low resolution and high volume of camera phone clips. In contrast, current broadband Internet connections are well suited to serving the quality of video shot on mobile phones. Most people do not own web servers, and this has created demand for user-generated video content hosting, which the likes of YouTube are catering to.

Email Hosting

An e-mail hosting service is an Internet hosting service that runs ye-mail servers. E-mail hosting services usually offer premium e-mail at a cost as opposed to advertising supported free e-mail or free webmail. E-mail hosting services thus differ from typical end-user e-mail providers such as webmail sites. They cater mostly to demanding e-mail users and Small and Mid Size businesses that do not want to administer their own e-mail server. E-mail hosting providers allow for premium e-mail services along with custom configurations, large number of accounts and use of own domain name. Most e-mail hosting providers offer advanced premium e-mail solutions hosted on dedicated custom e-mail platforms. The technology and offering of different e-mail hosting providers can therefore vary towards different needs. E-mail offered by most webhosting companies is usually more basic standardized POP3 based e-mail and webmail based on open source webmail applications like Horde or Squirrelmail. Mostly all webhosting providers offer standard basic e-mail while not all e-mail hosting providers offer webhosting.

File HostingA file hosting service, online file storage service, or online media center as they are also referred to, is an Internet hosting service specifically designed to host static content, typically large files that are not web pages. Typically they host allow you web and FTP access and your account can be optimized for serving many users as is implied by the term “hosting” or be optimized for single-user storage such as a back up “storage” of your important files and document.

Personal file storage services are aimed at private individuals, offering a sort of “network storage” for personal backup, file access, or file distribution. Users can upload their files and share them publicly or keep them password-protected.

Prior to the advent of personal file hosting and storage services, off-site backup services were not typically affordable for individual and SOHO computer users.