Websites fall into two categories based on their structure and functionality—static or dynamic.
In this material, we will introduce you to the differences between static vs dynamic websites in detail. We'll also demonstrate how you can easily switch from a dynamic to a static WordPress website.
Let's take a closer look.
What Is a Static Website?
Static websites typically don't have a content management system (CMS), which means that the website is built and developed by changing its code.
Examples of static websites are personal blogs, small business websites with basic information, or landing pages that don't need to be updated daily. Such websites are mainly created using the HTML language, which defines the website structure and its pages—menu, text fields, images, etc. CSS language is used for a better visual presentation and styling of the content. At a later stage, the website can also become interactive with the help of JavaScript.
Advantages of Static Websites
Static websites are not only relatively easy to create and use but also have some key advantages that are much easier to use than dynamic websites.
- Fast speed: The simplified structure and functionality of static web pages result in significantly faster loading times compared to dynamic pages.
- Good SEO optimization: When a static website is properly built and structured, each of its pages is easy for search engines to index.
- High security and protection against malicious attacks: Due to the absence of PHP and a database, static sites are much less vulnerable to hacking attacks.
- No database and smaller file archive: This facilitates easier content migration, simpler data backup, and storing a local backup of the website.
- Creativity: In practice, there are no limits to designing a website according to your ideas and tastes.
Disadvantages of Static Websites
With the development of web technologies, static websites no longer meet the needs of companies that want to engage their customers and users by creating a pleasant online experience.
- Limited functionalities: Static pages can't perform certain functions and lack tools visitors are used to.
- Complicated content updating: This can only be done manually with the help of a web developer who knows the website structure well.
What Is a Dynamic Website?
Dynamic websites are most popular among businesses and consumers because they offer more functionalities, a much more modern look, and more interaction possibilities. With dynamic sites, the content resides in databases that provide the information dynamically as the user's browser loads each web page.
The main difference between static websites and dynamic ones is that the latter have a content management system (CMS), which provides options for easy site management and content creation. However, the absence of a CMS does not always mean that the website is static (an example of this could be Laravel).
Examples of dynamic websites include ecommerce sites, news portals, e-learning platforms, video and movie streaming portals, or social media networks. They serve dynamic content that is either frequently updated, real-time, or tailored to the user's profile.
At this point, we would like to clarify something about content management systems. Among the various popular CMSs, WordPress is the most used one. An interesting fact is that almost half of all websites on the internet and 2/3 of dynamic websites use this system. We at Hosting Jump also offer a specialized WordPress hosting service that focuses on websites built with WordPress.
Want to explore the functionalities of other CMS systems? Check out our article about the best CMS for a website.
Advantages of Dynamic Websites
Dynamic websites have some irreplaceable advantages over static websites:
- Ease of management and flexibility: All content creation, editing, optimization, and management can be done through a CMS, even by someone who has no experience in web development.
- A host of additional functionalities: Websites today have a range of sophisticated functionalities that make the user experience increasingly valuable, enjoyable, and helpful.
- Scalability: Dynamic websites are flexible structures that can scale with your needs. They can easily expand to accommodate new pages, features, and content as your business or project grows.
Disadvantages of Dynamic Websites
There's one significant disadvantage of dynamic sites:
- Slow loading of the website: This happens because there's a delay between the user's request for content retrieval from the database and its dynamic visualization in the user's browser.
Wondering how to speed up your site? Here’s how to do it with the LiteSpeed Cache plugin.
Static vs Dynamic Websites: Pros and Cons Table
If you're deciding between a static and dynamic website, the following table compares their pros and cons side by side:
| Static Website | Dynamic Website | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| Faster loading speed | Limited functionalities | Ease of management | Slow loading speed |
| Good SEO optimization | Complicated content update | Scalability | |
| Higher security | Additional functionalities | ||
| Smaller file archive and no database | Better user engagement | ||
| Creativity in website design and development | |||
Key Differences Between Static and Dynamic Websites
The table below will help you understand the difference between static and dynamic web pages and choose the kind of website you need.
| Criterion | Static Websites | Dynamic Websites |
| Content | Fixed content that remains the same for all visitors. The information is pre-defined, and there's no personalization. | Content changes based on user interactions, location, database updates, etc. It's generated dynamically, and each visitor can get personalized content. |
| Security | Considered secure. | Requires robust security measures. |
| Interactivity | Less interactive as they primarily display information without much user engagement. Suitable for presenting simple content or portfolios. | Offer greater interactivity and functionality. They can include features like user logins, forms, search capabilities, and real-time updates. |
| Database Integration | Do not require a database as the content is fixed and doesn't rely on data retrieval or storage. | Utilize databases to store and retrieve information. They can fetch data from databases to generate content on the fly, making them more flexible and adaptable. |
| Tech Stack | HTML, CSS, JavaScript. | Use server-side languages, such as PHP, Ruby, server-side JavaScript, Node.js, Python. |
| Loading Speed | Tend to load faster since the content is pre-generated and served as-is | Slower loading times as the content is generated dynamically, involving server-side processing and database interactions. |
| Scalability | Limited scalability. They are designed with fixed content that remains the same. | Offer greater scalability. They can adapt and expand as your business or project grows. |
| Maintenance and Updates | Relatively easier to maintain as the content remains constant. Updates involve manually editing the HTML or CSS files. | Require more maintenance due to their complex structure and database integration. Updates can be made through a CMS or by modifying the underlying code. |
| Cost | More cost-effective to develop and host as they require simpler technologies and fewer server resources. | Involve higher costs. They require more advanced technologies and server-side processing power. |
Conversion of a Dynamic Website Into a Static Website
It is possible to convert your dynamic website into a static website to take advantage of all the benefits of the latter. To do this, you will need to use a special tool.
Static Website Generators
A static website generator facilitates the conversion of a dynamic website into HTML, enabling the page to function automatically without additional intervention. This process positively impacts the website's loading speed.Unlock the full potential of your site's performance with these website speed optimization tools.
Why Would You Consider Using Static Site Generators?
On one hand, the pages on the website are already pre-coded so they load extremely quickly. On the other hand, this allows you to tailor the existing templates to suit your company and website requirements, without requiring extensive technical expertise.
WordPress as a Generator for Static Websites
You can make your dynamic WordPress website static by using special tools. This can significantly speed up your website and improve its search engine rankings, as well as take you off the radar of hacker attacks. Furthermore, a static website remains unaffected by updates and changes that may render WP plugins and themes incompatible with a new WordPress version.
WordPress Static Site Generators
- Simply Static: Starting from the website's homepage, this tool examines each subsequent page and generates a static duplicate, encompassing all content. This results in a significantly quicker and more user-friendly website compared to its dynamic counterpart. Simply Static can also operate on your pages offline if necessary.
- WP2Static: a no-cost solution that combines existing templates, themes, and plugins, thereby considerably enhancing the website's speed. WP2Static is a good option if you make relatively infrequent changes to your website.
- Gatsby: another tool that allows you to work on your website online and offline. Gatsby is one of the most popular static generators, offering users the potential for up to 60% faster loading speed, up to 4 times faster content, and up to 10 times shorter page creation time.
- Strattic: This tool promises the benefits of a secure, fast, and flexible site. When you convert your WordPress website from a dynamic to a static website, you also have the option of saving your users' communication or comments on the static copy. Strattic has a free trial for 30 days.
- Nikola: This static website generator is free and aims to make it as easy as possible for users to create a static copy of the website.
Final Thoughts
When deciding between static or dynamic websites for your business, bear in mind that the key is to equip your site with all the necessary components for seamless operation.
At Hosting Jump, we provide a diverse array of hosting solutions featuring an optimized hosting environment for rapid loading speeds and top-notch technical support for your website's needs.
