How to get a website online: domains, hosting and publishing explained

Domains, hosting and DNS in plain language: what each is, what you actually need, and the fastest way to get a site live.

The short answer

A website needs hosting (a computer that serves it) and an address (a domain). Many AI website builders include hosting and a free address, so you can publish in one click and connect your own domain later.

01The three parts

Hosting: where the site's files live and are served from.
Domain: the name people type, such as yourbusiness.com.
DNS: the settings that point the domain at the hosting.

02The fastest path

1Publish to a free addressMost builders give every site a working address immediately.
2Buy a domainFrom any registrar, usually for a small yearly fee.
3Connect itFollow your builder's steps to point the domain at your site.

Where Orlume fits

Deployment is one click: press Publish in the workspace, pick a name, and the site is live at name.orlume.site with no hosting to set up. Custom domains are part of the Pro plan.

Free to start · No card required · Live in one click

Written by the Orlume team · Updated October 2026

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Questions

Questions, answered.

The things people ask before they start building.

Start building See pricing

Do I need to buy hosting for an AI website?

Usually not; most AI website builders include hosting.

What is the difference between a domain and hosting?

The domain is the address; hosting is where the site lives. DNS connects the two.

Still stuck? Email us

Build something that doesn't look AI-made.

Describe the site you want. Watch it get designed, not just generated. Then publish it to its own orlume.site address.

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