The majority of web sites are hosted on shared servers. Shared hosting arrangements provide enough bandwidth and disc space for the vast majority of site owner’s needs and are far easier to administer than dedicated hosting.

Setting up a site on a shared server, where the most technical aspects are concerned, is usually done by the web hosting company. In most cases, they will point your hostname to the server’s IP address and route requests for your site to the appropriate directory. If the user is expected to do this, it usually involves no more than checking a few boxes on a page at the webhost’s site.

Uploading your files is usually done via FTP or by using an application hosted on the webhost’s site. As far as your FTP server is concerned, you’ll generally be the only site on the host. You may see directories with different hostnames assigned to them but, in most cases, you won’t be able to access these sites.

Many hosts set up the directories for their users. There will sometimes be a basic file structure that includes directories for scripts and other server-side applications. In many cases, scripts and other complex aspects of the site can be built using applications provided at the host’s administration panel. This makes the entire process of getting the site up and running much easier.

If you get stuck, remember that shared hosting generally features more tech support so endeavor to take advantage of it!