Inode (File Usage)
An inode is any single file, folder, or email stored on your server. Hosting plans have a specific limit (e.g., 300,000 inodes). If you hit this limit, you cannot create new files even if you have disk space left.
Prorated Billing
The billing method where you only pay for the portion of a service you actually use. When upgrading hosting, Namecheap credits your unused days from the old plan toward the new one.
DNS Propagation
The 24–48 hour window required for Internet servers worldwide to update their records after you change your nameservers or IP address.
Addon Domain
A fully functional second domain hosted on the same account as your primary domain, with its own unique content and email addresses.
Parked Domain (Aliases)
A second domain that "points" to your primary domain. If someone visits the parked domain, they see the same content as your main site.
Bandwidth (Data Transfer)
The amount of data transmitted between your server and visitors. Namecheap offers "Unmetered" bandwidth on Stellar plans, subject to fair use.
TLD (Top-Level Domain)
The extension at the end of a domain name (e.g., .com, .org, .site). There are Generic TLDs (gTLDs) and Country Code TLDs (ccTLDs).
EPP Code / Auth Code
A unique password required to transfer a domain name from one registrar to another. It acts as a security layer to prevent unauthorized transfers.
ICANN Fee
A mandatory annual fee ($0.18) charged by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers for every domain registration and renewal.
WHOIS Privacy
A service that hides your personal contact details (name, address, phone) from the public WHOIS database to prevent spam and identity theft.
Propagation
The process of distributing updated DNS records across the global network of servers. Until this is complete, some users may see the old version of your site.
Subdomain
A prefix added to your main domain (e.g., blog.yoursite.com). Subdomains are often used for organizing different sections of a website.
Nameservers
The "address book" of the internet. They tell visitors where your website files and emails are located (e.g., dns1.namecheaphosting.com).
SSD (Solid State Drive)
A high-speed storage device with no moving parts. SSDs are significantly faster than traditional HDDs, leading to quicker website load times.
TLS / SSL
Security protocols that encrypt data between the user's browser and the server. SSL is the older term, while TLS is the modern, more secure version.
cPanel
The control panel interface used to manage web hosting settings, including email accounts, databases, and file management.
A Record
A DNS record that maps a domain name to a specific IP address. This is the most common type of DNS record.
PHP Version
The programming language version your website uses. Upgrading to a newer PHP version (e.g., 8.1+) can significantly improve site speed and security.
Still confused? Read our Plan Comparison Guide to see how these technical limits apply to real hosting packages.