See the best website requirements checklist to look over your new or next site providers. Skip those affiliated or paid list posts like “The Best 15 Hosts”. Read further to see my 40 years of IT expertise advice in this suggested services checklist of website requirements. Also, this post is listed in our “Designing & Creating Site” category.
Introduction To Website Requirements
There are 4 minimum website requirements always. They are listed here in their simplest form and they all work together to bind your purchased domain name to your future website location:
- Registrar (who holds your purchased “registration record” of your “domain name” you’ll be associating with your future domain named website)
- DNS provider (who directs Internet traffic to your domain named website location)
- Website Host Provider (who has and displays your actual domain named website)
- Service (ability to have contact with someone in reasonable time if your site is down, broken, or for questions)
When possible, it’s much easier to manage and it’s less technical if you find a website host provider that can give you all 4 website requirements. However, they would also need to be very good at all of those services. So, keep reading to see how this can happen successfully for you.
Step-by-Step Guide To Get The Best Website Requirements Services
So, the list of website requirements start with you buying your own unique domain name (e.g., MySiteName.com) from a Domain Registrar. However, you are better with a good business website total solution that provides all 4 site services. So, begin by looking for the last item on the list, a very good Website Host Provider.
Step 1. Find a Very Good Website Host Provider
I’ve researched literally hundreds of website hosting services over the years (2021-2024). I’ve tried several highly recommended ones. For example, I have been on 6 web hosts in one year. This is how I learned to develop the following list of service options you’ll want to ensure you get. So, start this checklist with each prospective website host provider you want to consider. Then, see if the following features are included, are paid add-ons, or aren’t available at all!
There are unlimited website host providers available. Also, many of them are just resellers and many won’t have all the very important options you will later discover you wish you had. Let’s proceed to narrow this down.
Website Host Provider Performance Recommendations
- Don’t use “shared” site hosting services. That’s what most cheap plans are. Get a minimal service plan to use VPS (Virtual Private Server). This is a virtual server that can lock in a number of virtual CPU cores and assigned virtual RAM.
- CPU: Minimum should be 2. If your site will be using a lot of database activity, e.g., recipe sites, you might eventually need 3-4. Sometimes the cheaper hosts won’t disclose.
- RAM: Minimum should be 4GB. Another metric that some hosts won’t list on their cheaper plans.
- Drives: Minimum SSD. “SSD NvMe” are much faster drives but costly.
- Is caching provided? Usually, “Redis” or “Memcache” is available for free. A super caching service is “Enterprise LiteSpeed Server” available (typically, with an extra standard annual fee).
Website Host Provider Storage Space And Traffic
- Website backups (how often allowed? weekly or daily? any maximums?)
- Storage space allowed. This often includes all your site backups too so, plan on storage increasing over time.
- Bandwidth capacity. This is where the cheaper hosts might not disclose this metric. Compare them as this will dictate how your site can handle multiple site visitors at the same time.
- Check Traffic limits. Some plans have it defined; others are unlimited.
Website Host Provider Extras You Might Not Think About
- Ensure the HTTPS protocol (i.e., getting your site SSL certificate) is easily included and you’re able to have it on auto-pilot with auto updates. Many host providers will have you manually perform your own setup as well as frequencies you have to update it with newer SSL certificates.
- Is Email for your domain provided? Don’t assume it’s included. Also, know mailbox size limits and other limits.
- Softaculous apps (for Full WordPress, etc.). So, make sure it’s not a limited, lite version of WordPress allowed. Also, that means you’ll be able to use online searched solutions that you might need to apply. And, you won’t have as many issues (if any) with using WordPress Plugins.
- Full “root access” allowed to files and folders? This is a need you will potentially want in time.
Future Growth Options
- Ensure you can scale up to a better plan, if needed. Sometimes, this might mean moving your site to another server though.
- Add on domains or subdomains (or both) are allowed. Many host providers (like Cloudflare has) only allow 1 domain per plan. Also, some other host providers don’t allow add on domains or they don’t allow them with their own unique domain URL.
- cPanel or other administrative consoles?
Step 2. Locate a Very Good DNS Provider
- Host Armada is also a DNS Service Provider with their own Name Servers.
- Also, Host Armada DNS gives you direct access to DNS Zone Records, which is exactly what you want. This is one of those future options you’ll wish you had that many DNS providers do not allow.
- Cloudflare DNS is another consideration for high performance; however, it’s not known if you have direct access to its zone records. Also, if it’s not your registrar and host provider too, your site development will require extra work.
Step 3. Register Your Domain Name With A Good Registrar
When you are narrowing down a website host provider and DNS provider, the last technical piece is to see if that provider is also a Domain Registrar. HostArmada is a Host Provider and a Domain Registrar, for example.
Step 4. Website Requirements of Technical Service Support
You’ll want to check outside sources for website services customer reviews. Trust Pilot is an excellent source and they verify individual identities posting reviews. For service, you’ll need to understand if you get phone or email contact options. Also, get an idea of how long for responses when submitting a support ticket. In some cases, your site might be down and you’ll want a near immediate response potentially.
Finally, just so you know, often technical support is sometimes outsourced to technical individuals who provide this service. For the good branded host providers I’ve always had good support. HostArmada provided shockingly fast and top quality support, often within 1-2 minutes via Chat, for example.
Step 5. Other Website Requirements Options
There are, of course, going to be many other options you’ll want to look into initially or eventually. Some of these are mentioned here.
CDN Options
Will you have access to your host providers CDN or to use your own CDN provider or other 3rd party CDN such as Cloudflare or LiteSpeed CDN?
Plugins
I have tried over two hundred plugins and services over a period of 3 years. It’s best to keep your installed plugins at a reduced rate; however, there are a good amount of the good ones that won’t impact your website’s performance. Regardless, there are some very popular ones that can harm your performance so, it’s best to make a site backup first. Then, try out the plugin and see if there are any site performance changes. So, if site performance is negatively impacted, prepare to uninstall the tested plug-in right away and restore your site to its former state.
Website Requirements Recommendations
HostArmada is one of several WordPress site hosting services that provide all 3 minimum website requirements. DNS performance is important and this host provider has given a very good DNS service I’ve found. As a matter of fact, it’s easily as comparable to the world renowned high performing Cloudflare DNS.
- Host Armada – VPS (select “Virtual Servers”) Voyager Plan (this is the minimum I recommend)
- Compared to typical hosts, this HostArmada plan provided these items that weren’t seen altogether in other highly recommended providers. As a matter of fact, some weren’t available in other popular branded host providers. And others offered some only through outside services. Host Armada provides tons of integrated & time-saving services.
WordPress Related Articles
- Install WordPress: How to Install WordPress
- Configure WordPress Settings: WordPress Setup: Complete Tutorial with Pics
Conclusion of Website Requirements
This has given you a good, solid list of website requirements to look through. Also, the growing list of each for links to their details and settings is ongoing. Now, give me your comments on what requirements you think should also be included here.
