Domain, hosting, and code: what it means to own your website.

The domain

The domain is the address, such as yourname.com. It is rented yearly from a registrar. Whoever is listed as the registrant controls where it points. If a designer registers it in their own account, they control it, even if you paid. Student groups have an extra risk, covered in the student organization website checklist: a domain tied to one officer leaves with them.

Hosting

Hosting is where the site's files run. The account holder decides when it is updated, moved, or taken down. Website builders bundle hosting with their editor, which is convenient but makes leaving harder: see custom website vs Wix or Squarespace.

The code

The code is the site itself. If you have it, any developer can update it or move it to another host. If it only exists inside a builder platform or someone else's account, moving usually means rebuilding. The website handoff checklist lists what to collect at the end of a project.

The data

Form submissions, analytics, and any customer information belong in accounts you control, both for practical reasons and because you are responsible for how they are handled.

Questions to ask any web designer

• Whose name will the domain be registered in?
• Whose account will host the site?
• Will I receive the finished code?
• Where will form submissions and analytics go?
• What happens if I want to move to another developer?

Northframe's answer

All four stay with you. The domain is registered in your name, hosting and analytics live under your login, and the finished code is yours to keep, host, and change. Domain registration and paid third-party services, like premium hosting or email plans, are billed separately where required. The small business websites page explains how a project runs from start to handover.