An internet hosting control panel is a collection of software instruments which you can access through an Internet browser to manage your online content. Since you'll have a graphic point-and-click interface, you could use these tools to do various tasks a lot easier than if you have to type complex commands inside a command line. All control panels allow you to do some basic things such as managing your files, email addresses and databases or viewing stats and logs, however some of them are easier to use than others and contain more features which could save you time and efforts. In this light, the control panel that you will get with a new web hosting account can really make a difference, so you should check it and see whether it will provide what you need before you get the service.