Quick answer
A domain is the name people use to reach you. Hosting serves the website or application. DNS connects that name to the appropriate services. Email is another service with its own configuration; buying a domain does not automatically create an inbox.
Keep the decisions separate
Choose a domain name that suits your project, a hosting service compatible with your site, and a DNS provider you can manage. Those roles can be supplied by one company or several. You can often connect a domain to a different hosting provider without transferring its registration.
For example, a designer can register a domain, publish a portfolio with a hosting provider, and use an email provider for business mail. Updating the website connection should preserve the mail configuration. Record who controls each service before you make a change.
Which hosting fits your project?
A static site, a WordPress installation and a custom application have different requirements. Ask how the project is built, which runtime it needs, where persistent data lives and who will maintain it. A plan name or a low introductory price does not answer those questions.
- Identify the framework or CMS and its runtime requirements.
- List database, file storage and background job needs.
- Confirm traffic and usage limits with the hosting provider.
- Agree who handles deployment, updates, backups and recovery.
- Confirm the domain connection and HTTPS setup process.
What DNS does
DNS records tell clients where to find the services for a name. Website records and mail records have different purposes. The authoritative DNS provider is determined by the domain's nameservers; it is the place where the active DNS zone is managed.
Use exact instructions from the destination provider. A guessed IP address, generic nameserver pair or copied record from an unrelated project can send traffic to the wrong place. Our DNS checklist explains how to prepare and verify a change.
What is available from Astra?
Astra Devs Cloud offers live domain availability search and registration for names with supported requirements. Conventional website and WordPress hosting is in preparation and cannot currently be ordered. Astra Web Dev builds websites and browser applications; Astra Devs builds native software, extensions and standalone integrations. A demo screen does not mean hosting has launched.
If you already have hosting, you can evaluate a domain purchase independently. If you need help choosing a service, describe your framework and operational needs through the contact or account support path. Do not send passwords or access tokens.
Sources and further reading
General reference sources explain the underlying concepts. Astra product availability is described separately and may change.