How to Make a WordPress Website without Hosting
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world. It is currently the 21st most visited website on the internet, according to Google Analytics. And the fact that it is free and open-source means that there is a significantly high chance that you will be able to get the functionality you need without having to pay a cent.
However, not all WordPress installations are created equal – some require a significant amount of technical know-how to setup effectively. If you are looking to create a WordPress website without having previous experience, then this article will guide you on how to do just that.
Technical Expertise
Even though WordPress is relatively easy to use, a lot of expertise is required to ensure that your website is optimized and secure. Unfortunately, not all web hosts are created equal, and some will charge you exorbitant fees if you exceed your allotted data plan. So it is imperative that you find a web host that is cost-effective and has a good reputation.
It is also important to consider that not all plugins are created equal. Some plugins can cause performance issues and even crash your website if you use them incorrectly. So, it is important to do your research and make sure that you will be able to install the plugins you need without risking your website’s performance.
Web Hosting
There are two basic components to a WordPress website: the platform (the software that lets you build your site) and the web hosting service. The former does not require you to have any technical expertise to set up and will take care of the coding and the latter is what you will have to research and select.
Depending on your needs, you will need to consider the features that are important to you and what you are willing to spend on. For instance, if you are looking for a web host that is secure and has a good reputation, then you should opt for one that offers military-grade security with SHA-256 encryption. You will also need to research the features that are important to you such as Git repo integration, site backup, etc.
Domain Name
The second most important component to a WordPress website is the domain name. Your domain name will be what people will use to access your site. Once you have picked a suitable, short domain name for your website (such as tinyourname.com), you will need to purchase it from a reputable domain name registrar.
Make sure to read the terms and conditions of the domain name registrar so that you know what features you will need to purchase in order to ensure that your website can be accessed by everyone. Without a doubt, this will be one of the most important decisions you will make when building your site.
Database
Although not as important as the other components, the database is also a critical part of any WordPress website. Your database will be where all of your content goes – both published content as well as new content that you add as you develop your site. Most people have dedicated databases for their WordPress sites due to the fact that the platform is so widely used and so large in scope. However, a dedicated database is not a requirement and you can use a free or shared database if you do not have the space.
It is also important to point out that the database structure that is most commonly used by WordPress is known as MySQL. If you have space limitations or if you decide that you do not need to keep all of your content in one place, then you can consider moving to PostgreSQL or even Oracle.
PHP Version
The third most important component is the PHP version that is used to build your website. You will need to use a version that is not older than 7 because older versions are not compatible with the newer versions of WordPress. If you are using WordPress version 4.9 or above, then you should consider using PHP 7.0.4 or 7.1. You should also make sure to check for security patches as they are released and make sure that you are always using the latest versions of all other software that is used in conjunction with WordPress (such as the MySql or PHP extensions).
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
Even though we have talked about security a lot so far, it is important to point out that none of this is really secure until it is encrypted. The encryption that is used in conjunction with SSL is known as Transport Layer Security (TLS). The more reputable the web host, the more likely it is that they will offer support for this encryption standard as it is becoming increasingly more important for websites to be encrypted.
You should go through the steps of setting up login for your website using SSL so that your credentials are not stored in plain text. The process is very similar to creating a secure password and it will take you less than five minutes to get setup properly. Once you have done that, you can begin to worry about hosting performance again.
Performance
Last but not least, we have performance. You have a couple of options here but it is important to point out that none of them are good. The first and most obvious choice is to choose a web host that is known for its fast speed. Most reputable web hosts will speed up your site’s loading time to a great extent. However, this is usually not an actual measure of performance but more of a marketing trick. You should also look at your site’s loading time regularly so that you can begin to optimize it where necessary. The other option is to use a content delivery network (CDN) for your site. A CDN is simply a service that is located somewhere else on the internet and that stores copies of your website’s files so that they can be delivered faster to your readers due to the fact that they are not downloaded from your server. There are several advantages to using a content delivery network including load time reductions, security, and speed.
So, to recap, to make a WordPress website without hosting you will need: