Website infrastructure refers to the underlying technology and architecture that supports the functioning of a website. It includes the hardware, software, network and server components that work together to deliver the website's content and provide a smooth user experience. The term is crucial in website creation and in understanding how to create a website.
What makes up the infrastructure of a website?
The infrastructure of a website comprises several parts that work together to ensure its functionality, performance and security. Let's look at each component in slightly more detail:
01. Web servers
Web servers are often referred to as the foundation of website infrastructure. They're responsible for receiving and processing requests from users' browsers and delivering the website's content in return. Popular web servers include Apache, NGINX and Microsoft IIS.
02. Hosting
Websites require hosting, which is the service that provides the necessary infrastructure to store and serve the website's files. Hosting services and options include shared hosting (multiple websites hosted on the same server), virtual private servers (VPS), dedicated servers, cloud hosting and managed web hosting services.
Learn more: How to host a website
03. Content delivery networks (CDN)
A CDN is a network of servers distributed across various geographical locations. It helps optimize website performance by caching and delivering content from the server closest to the user, reducing latency and improving page load times.
04. Domain name systems (DNS)
The domain name system translates domain names (e.g., example.com) into IP addresses that computers understand. It maps domain names to the IP address of the web server hosting the website, allowing users to access the site by typing the domain name into their browsers. It's essential to making the internet work.
05. Database management system (DBMS)
Websites that rely on dynamic content—that is, content that's personalized to each user—typically use a database to store and retrieve user information. A DBMS manages the database, allowing efficient data storage, retrieval and manipulation. Common database systems include MySQL, PostgreSQL and MongoDB.
06. Content management system (CMS)
A CMS is a software application that facilitates website creation and website management. It provides tools for creating, organizing and publishing content without requiring extensive coding knowledge. Popular CMS platforms include Wix amongst others.
07. Security measures and protocols
Website infrastructure should include various security measures to protect against cyber threats and other online vulnerabilities. These may include SSL/TLS certificates for secure data transmission, a secure file transfer protocol (FTP), firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS); regular software updates and patches; and secure coding practices.
It can also includes how your site is protected after it's live—when you make a website with a website builder like Wix, 24/7 website security support and monitoring are included in your infrastructure.
08. Backup and disaster recovery
Regular backups of your website are essential to to protect against data losses and breaches from cyber attacks or other online vulnerabilities. Robust website infrastructure should include mechanisms for automated website backups and reliable disaster recovery plans to ensure that your website's data can be restored in the event of a failure or attack.
Tip: All Wix websites are automatically backed up.
09. Monitoring and analytics
Web infrastructure should incorporate monitoring tools to track website performance, uptime and other potential issues. Analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, can provide insights into website traffic, user behavior and conversion rates, helping you make data-driven decisions on every part of your site.
Tip: All published Wix sites come with built in Wix Analytics website tools.
10. Web development tools
Developers use various tools, programming languages and frameworks to build and maintain websites. These may include HTML, CSS, JavaScript, server-side scripting languages like PHP or Python and web development environments or integrated development environments (IDEs) for efficient coding.
Tip: Build a site with Wix and all of this comes built-in. In other words, you don't need a developer to make a site. You can build a website from scratch without knowing or using a single piece of code yourself. You can also check out the difference between two of Wix's core offerings: Wix vs. Wix Studio.
11. Integration with third-party services
Websites often integrate with external services and APIs to enhance functionality. This can include web applications, payment gateways, eCommerce platforms, email marketing services, social media APIs and more. The infrastructure should support seamless integration with these third-party services.
Tip: Build a website with Wix and most of these services are already built in.
Each of these components plays a crucial role in creating a robust and functional website infrastructure. They work together to ensure that the website is accessible, performs well, is secure and delivers a positive user experience.
Why is website infrastructure important when it comes to making a website?
Website infrastructure is an important consideration when making a website better its infrastructure, the better a site functions, and the more reliable it is. Here we explain some of the main impacts that your site's infrastructure can have on your website.
Performance and speed
A performance-first website infrastructure is essential for optimizing web performance and speed. Users expect fast-loading web pages, and a slow website can lead to increased bounce rates and a negative user experience. The infrastructure should be optimized to handle high traffic volumes and efficiently deliver content via a fast and responsive website.
Scalability
Businesses need a site infrastructure that can scale with their growth. As you start your business, it expands and attracts more visitors, your site's infrastructure should be capable of handling increased traffic and accommodating additional resources from it—whether they involve lead generation requests or online sales. Scalable website infrastructure ensures that your site remains accessible even during peak usage periods.
Reliability
Downtime (the opposite of website uptime) can have detrimental effects on your business's online presence and reputation. A robust website infrastructure includes measures to ensure high availability, reliability and uptime. This can involve removing redundant systems, load balancing, backup mechanisms and proactive monitoring to identify and address issues promptly.
Tip: Wix sites enjoy 99.99% uptime.
Website infrastructure FAQ
What is website infrastructure vs website architecture?
Website infrastructure and website architecture are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different aspects of a website. Website infrastructure refers to the technical components that make up a website, while website architecture refers to the overall design and structure of a website.
Website infrastructure includes hardware components such as servers, data storage devices, and networking equipment, as well as software components such as operating systems, web servers, and content management systems. These components work together to support the functioning of a website and deliver its content to users.
On the other hand, website architecture focuses on the design and layout of a website. This includes elements such as navigation menus, page layouts, and user interface design. It also involves considering factors such as user experience, accessibility, and search engine optimization.