A control panel is a web-based graphic interface that allows you to manage different features of your hosting service. A few examples of the things that you'll be able to do using such a tool are email and file management, DNS records editing, URL forwarding, and so on. Since there're many control panel brands, the services that you'll be able to manage are also different and can also depend on the features that the hosting company provides. For instance, you may have a particular option in one control panel and not in another, or it may take additional steps to do some task. Such a tool offers you the ability to use a point-and-click interface rather than typing commands with complex syntax in a command line. Even though some users prefer the aforementioned option, the vast majority of users appreciate the easier level of administration which a control panel can offer.