The niche of website design is a complex universe consisting of countless choices. However, the first choice you would probably make when initiating a web design project is whether to opt for a static or a dynamic website.
The terms “static” and “dynamic” basically govern how a webpage is delivered to your visitors and how (or whether) it evolves as they use it more and more. There are a few key points of difference that make one better than the other depending on the purpose they are designed for.
Through this blog, you will gain a deeper insight into what static and dynamic webpages are and how a website designed in each way differs from the other.
What are Static Websites?
A static website consists of webpages and elements that are pre-built using languages such as HTML and CSS. These elements and pages are stored on a web server, ready-made and ready to be delivered to a visitor.
[Source]
When a visitor punches in the URL of a website, the browser sends this server a request to return the webpage associated with it. The web server does exactly that, not modifying the webpage in any way and displaying it to the visitors exactly as it was created and stored on the server.
This is a static website – you can consider it analogous to the “What you see is what you get” concept.
The way the website is created and stored on the server is what will be displayed. If the users wish to change some elements on the page, they must change them through the files stored on the servers.
Pros and Cons
Static websites are still in use today because of the plethora of benefits they provide for certain use cases (like blogging):
- Static websites are extremely simple. They are easy to build and maintain, even from scratch. If you are a startup wishing to set up an online presence quickly, static websites are a good place to start.
- Static websites load faster because all the content and elements are pre-built, and there is no processing required to be done on the client side.
For some use cases, static websites may not be the best:
- They aren’t scalable. For larger organizations, maintaining huge volumes of static data and files may not be the most feasible option.
- As important as personalization is today for modern businesses, static websites do not support it.
What are Dynamic Websites?
A dynamic website keeps changing depending on who accesses it.
While a static website has its elements and content created and stored on servers in HTML, the server treats a dynamic website differently. Servers create dynamic webpages on the fly, based on the parameters provided by visitors when they request a webpage.
[Source]
For example:
A visitor accesses a URL using a mobile device. The web server would identify the location and type of device to pull relevant information from multiple databases. It will then quickly put together one HTML file that is personalized for the visitor. This is the file that is then displayed to the visitors, with all the relevant and personalized information.
Pros and Cons
Catering to customers according to their preferences is paramount for modern business – and dynamic websites make it possible. Some other advantages are:
- Dynamic web code allows developers to build other products as well, such as SaaS software, enriched user experiences, and even web apps, which isn’t possible with static content.
- It is significantly easier to scale dynamic websites and roll out upgrades, even if they contain sweeping changes for the entire project. This is because dynamic websites do not require modifications to the source code.
Even with the benefits that dynamic websites provide, they may not be feasible in some situations:
- They are extremely complex and require more time, effort, and expertise to develop. This may easily create budget overruns.
- Dynamic websites aren’t the fastest to load. This is because they consist of dynamic content that is rendered promptly according to user personalization – and that takes time.
Key Differences Between Static and Dynamic Websites
Static and dynamic websites have one basic difference – one is pre-built, and the other is custom-rendered. Each type of website has its own benefits, disadvantages, and differences.
Some key points where these websites differ are:
| Properties | Static Website | Dynamic Website |
| Content | The content remains the same until developers change it. | Content evolves or changes based on who accesses the website (for example, location-specific content). |
| Complexity | Static webpages are simple to build and can be achieved by anyone. | Dynamic webpages require expertise in languages such as Python to build. |
| Speed | Static webpages are quicker to load since all the server has to do is fetch the relevant files and send them through. | Dynamic webpages are relatively slower because servers need to build personalized web files for each request. |
| Language support | Developers use languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create static webpages. | Dynamic webpages require expertise in languages such as ASP, CGI, AJAX, PHP, Node.js, etc. |
| Ancillary services | Static webpages are not capable of housing application programs. | Applications for a variety of services can be successfully embedded into dynamic webpages. |
| Cost | Static webpages are cost-effective and require less effort to create and publish. | Dynamic webpages require niche expertise and time to build, maintain, and upgrade. |
Freeparking: Make The Best Through Online Presence
Website design today must resonate with the dynamic nature of customer expectations of a better experience. The less your visitors have to do to gain the information they need, the more successful is your website design.
Whether achieving this goal requires a static or a dynamic website is the selection that you must make by considering aspects like the purpose of the website and the information it would deliver.
To understand the nuances of web design better and make the best selection, you can visit Freeparking – a leading brand for creating enriched digital presences for SME businesses.
Freeparking provides online hosting services like domains, hosting, DIY website builders, and more to empower you with a website that performs well. To understand more about how Freeparking can make a difference, reach out today!
