The web space, also known as storage space or disk space generally refers to the amount of space on a web server that is allocated to website owners by the web hosting companies. It is made up of the total quantity of all text files, images, scripts, databases, emails and other files related to your website.
Having an idea of the web space demands for your web presence will help you choose the right web hosting plan configuration. Thus, you will feel secure about the online availability of your uploaded content and hence – for your web image. This will make your uploaded content always available online and your virtual profile – invulnerable to shortage in resources.
The web space can serve two basic purposes. In the first place, it allows you to upload file information on the World Wide Web where it will be available at a global scale. Second, this resource enables you to store various files that are not visible to website visitors but play an important role for the proper functioning of your website.
Some of the popular ‘invisible' files taking up web space on the server where your website is located are PHP files, database files and CGI program files. PHP files are stored on the server with a .php extension and are used for various important on-site activities such as order form processing for online stores, poll results management, etc. Databases, in turn, store data such as product codes, customer details, etc., which is retrieved by PHP scripts and CGI programs. CGI programs serve for processing data inputs from online forms, which require that the collected information be stored on the website's server.
Other web space occupying files worth mentioning include externally linked CSS files and JavaScript files. External CSS files, responsible for defining the style elements of a web page, are stored on the web hosting server and linked to each web page requiring them. JavaScript files, also linked to web pages needing them, lie in the basis of dynamic drop-down menus, visitor counters, etc., i.e. they work for increasing the interactivity of a website.
Log files are there which contain important information about your website visitors’ behavior, apart from this email account and email messages also occupy web space.
The web space is generally measured in gigabytes. To estimate your web space demands, you need to first total the quantity of your website files on your computer and then add approximately estimated space for databases, emails, log files, etc. In view of your website's future smooth expansion, you should add at least half of the whole estimated space to the calculation you have made so far. Now it will be much easier for you to find the right web hosting account configuration.