Short answer: a domain is your website's address, hosting is where your website lives, DNS connects the two, and SSL keeps the connection secure. This glossary explains more than 65 web hosting, domain, email, security and billing terms business owners meet most often, in plain English, with links to our detailed guides.
Bookmark this page. Whenever a hosting company, developer or setup screen uses a term you do not recognise, you will find a simple explanation here.
Domains
- Domain name: your address on the internet, such as yourbusiness.com.ng.
- Extension (TLD): the ending of a domain, such as .com, .ng or .com.ng.
- ccTLD: a country-code extension, such as .ng for Nigeria.
- gTLD: a generic extension not tied to a country, such as .com, .net or .online.
- Second-level domain: an extension under a country code, such as .com.ng or .org.ng.
- Registrar: a company that registers domains on your behalf, such as SiloLobby.
- Registry: the organisation that runs an extension, such as NiRA for .ng.
- NiRA: the Nigeria Internet Registration Association, which manages the .ng namespace.
- Registrant: the legal owner of a domain.
- WHOIS: the public database of domain ownership. See WHOIS privacy.
- EPP code (auth code): the password needed to transfer a domain to another registrar.
- Registrar lock: a setting that blocks transfers until you turn it off.
- Renewal: paying to keep your domain for another period.
- Grace period: a short time after expiry when you can still renew at the normal price.
- Redemption period: a later stage when recovering an expired domain costs extra.
- Premium domain: a desirable name sold at a higher price by the registry.
Learn more: what happens when your domain expires.
DNS
- DNS (Domain Name System): the system that turns domain names into server addresses and directs email.
- Nameservers: the servers that answer DNS questions for your domain.
- DNS zone: the full set of DNS records for a domain.
- A record: points a name to an IPv4 address.
- AAAA record: points a name to an IPv6 address.
- CNAME: points one name to another name, such as www to your main domain.
- MX record: says which server receives your email.
- TXT record: holds text such as SPF, DKIM, DMARC and verification codes.
- TTL (time to live): how long networks remember a DNS record.
- Propagation: the time it takes for DNS changes to show everywhere.
- Subdomain: a name in front of your domain, such as shop.yourbusiness.com.ng.
Full guide: DNS records explained.
Hosting
- Web hosting: server space where your website's files and databases are stored and served.
- Server: a computer that runs websites, email or applications.
- Shared hosting: many websites sharing one managed server.
- WordPress hosting: hosting set up for WordPress websites.
- VPS (virtual private server): a virtual server with its own resources and root access.
- Reseller hosting: hosting you can resell to your own clients under your brand.
- cPanel: the control panel for managing a hosting account. See what is cPanel.
- WHM: the control panel resellers use to create and manage cPanel accounts.
- NVMe: the fastest kind of SSD storage.
- Bandwidth: how much data your site can send to visitors each month.
- Uptime: the share of time your website is online.
- Root access: full administrator control of a server.
- Snapshot: a saved copy of a whole server you can restore later.
- Migration: moving a website from one host to another.
- Addon domain: an extra website hosted in the same cPanel account.
Compare the types: shared vs WordPress vs VPS vs reseller hosting.
Security
- SSL/TLS: encryption that gives your site https:// and the padlock.
- DV and OV: levels of SSL certificate validation (domain only, or organisation verified). See free vs paid SSL.
- Mixed content: insecure http resources on an https page.
- Malware: harmful code hidden on a website.
- Firewall (WAF): a filter that blocks malicious traffic to a website.
- Two-factor authentication (2FA): a second step, such as a code, when you log in.
- Backup: a copy of your website or data you can restore.
- IMAP: a way for email apps to sync mail stored on the server across devices.
- POP: a way for email apps to download mail to a single device.
- SMTP: the standard protocol for sending email.
- ActiveSync: a protocol that pushes new email, calendars and contacts instantly to phones and Outlook.
- SPF, DKIM, DMARC: DNS records that prove your email is really from you. See the guide.
- Alias: an extra address that delivers into an existing mailbox.
- Bounce: an email that could not be delivered.
- Transactional email: individual emails triggered by actions, such as receipts and password resets. See transactional vs marketing email.
Payments and billing terms
- Invoice: a bill for an order, renewal or top-up in your client area.
- Renewal invoice: an invoice created before a service's due date to keep it running.
- Wallet: a prepaid naira balance used to pay invoices and renewals automatically.
- Payment gateway: a secure service, such as Paystack, that processes card, bank transfer and USSD payments.
- Money-back guarantee: a period during which you can request a refund if the service is not right for you.
- Suspension: a service paused because a renewal is unpaid; it returns when the invoice is paid.
Website and marketing terms
- CMS (content management system): software such as WordPress used to build and edit websites.
- Plugin: an add-on that extends what your CMS can do.
- Theme: the design template of a WordPress site.
- SEO (search engine optimisation): improving a site so it appears higher in search results.
- Sitemap: a file listing your pages to help search engines find them.
- Google Search Console: a free Google tool showing how your site performs in search.
How these terms fit together
When someone types your domain, DNS looks up your nameservers, which return your A record, pointing to your hosting server. The server sends your website over an SSL-encrypted connection. When someone emails you, DNS returns your MX records, and receiving servers check your SPF, DKIM and DMARC records to trust your replies. Your registrar keeps the domain registered at the registry as long as you renew it.
Where to learn more
- New to domains? Start with how to register a .com.ng domain.
- Choosing hosting? Read shared vs WordPress vs VPS vs reseller hosting.
- Setting up email? See how to create a business email address.
- Budgeting? Read how much a website costs in Nigeria.
Summary
You do not need to be technical to run a website, but knowing these terms helps you make good decisions, follow setup instructions and talk confidently with developers and support teams. Keep this glossary handy and dive into the linked guides when you need more detail.