What is web hosting, exactly?
The short answer
Web hosting is the space on a server where your website’s files live. That server runs day and night to keep your site reachable. You rent that space from a hosting provider for a few dollars a month. Extras like email, SSL and backups usually come with it.
In detail
A website is a collection of files. It holds pages, images and code. Often there is a database too. Those files need a computer that is always on and always connected. That is what a hosting provider sells. You get a professional server in a data center. Power and cooling are taken care of, and so are security and maintenance.
Shared hosting is enough for most websites. You share a server with other customers and pay little for it. That is typically $3 to $10 a month. As your site grows you can step up to your own virtual server (VPS). Managed hosting is the other step up. There the provider handles everything.
Good providers bundle the essentials. You get a free SSL certificate for a secure connection. Email addresses on your own domain and automatic backups come with it. When you compare plans, look at the renewal price first. The first-year promo rate tells you very little.