When deciding to create a website , we face a choice that may not be as important as Hamlet's dilemma, but it is crucial for the site's future performance. Specifically, we're talking about whether the site should be static or dynamic. Some time ago, static websites were predicted to be a thing of the past, but as is often the case, fashion has taken its own path and in this case, decided to dust off this technology. However, it's obviously not a solution for everyone. When is it worth considering?
Let's start with the basics, explaining what a static website actually is. A static website is a very simple type of website that always loads exactly as it was stored on the server. It doesn't have a CMS, which would allow for easy changes without any programming skills. It's stored entirely in a file—including all the text—so to speak, the content is hardcoded.
The lack of a CMS (a user-friendly editor that allows for adding text, images, videos, and even entire subpages) means that any change to the website requires modifying the code file, making modifications significantly more difficult for users unfamiliar with programming languages. Accidentally deleting a command can completely change the page's appearance, and editing text without applying the appropriate lines of code for each bold or centered option is impossible.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a static website?
A static website has significant advantages that continue to make it a popular choice for businesses. The first and likely most significant advantage of this solution for many is its price. Creating such a website is relatively simple for a developer and takes little time, which translates into lower costs.
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One of the most valuable advantages of static websites, however, is their loading speed. These types of sites load instantly, which translates into user satisfaction and good ratings from web crawlers, for which loading time is one of the factors influencing the overall rating of a site. Choosing a dynamic website, however, doesn't always mean long loading times – this is where caching systems come in handy.
A major advantage of static websites over dynamic ones is the security they provide. They don't have a CMS or plugins that could potentially pose a threat, so they enjoy considerable trust among businesses committed to protecting their customers.
If you're looking for a simple, small website, a static website is a better option than one created using builders like WIX. While the latter are easier to edit, they offer very limited optimization options, making them a worse SEO option than static pages.
The downside to this solution is that, as mentioned, static sites don't have a CMS, so any changes require modifying the code. Furthermore, it's undeniable that a static site has fewer features than a dynamic one.
Static vs. dynamic page – differences
As we've already mentioned, a static page is a file that contains the entire website code and all of its content. A dynamic page, on the other hand, requires a connection to a database, which contains text, images, videos, and other elements that constitute the content visible to the user. Therefore, when a user visits a static page, they receive something like a finished image, a fixed composition pulled from a single location. In the case of a dynamic version, we serve them a page that, in a sense, must be recreated each time—that is, "assembled" from individual elements. Of course, this process is so fast that, with proper implementation, the user has no idea what type of page they're dealing with. However, it's true that a static page will load slightly faster than a dynamic one.
So, in pursuit of the fastest loading speeds, should we always choose a static site? Not necessarily. If the site is complex, has a blog or news section, a dynamic CMS site is often a better choice. Of course, you can run a blog or news feed on a static site, but the lack of a CMS can make it difficult for beginners.
Who is a static website for?
A static website works best as a sort of electronic business card, featuring basic information about your business, contact details, and so on. These types of sites rarely require updates and don't typically require advanced features, so in such cases, you can afford a static website, even if you're not comfortable making code changes. You might choose such a site when:
- we run a stationary store and just want to make our presence felt on the internet,
- we run a service business such as a beauty or hair salon, dental office, etc. and we provide services exclusively at our premises,
- As part of our business, we provide services exclusively at the client's premises, e.g. a plumber or a construction company.
- we create a website with a CV function.
However, the type of business you run shouldn't be a key factor in your choice. The most important criterion is whether you plan to frequently edit your website, and in the examples mentioned, regular updates are generally not necessary. This doesn't mean, of course, that you can't opt for a static website in other cases. If you know that a simple page with the most important information is enough, you don't need to invest in a more expensive dynamic website – a static one will be perfectly sufficient.
Frequently asked questions about static websites
This is a website whose content (text, images, layout) is permanently stored in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. When a user accesses it, the server sends the finished files to their browser exactly as they are on disk—no need to generate content on the fly.
The difference lies in the way the server works and the presence of a database:
- A dynamic website (e.g., WordPress-based) generates content only when a user clicks a link. The server must process scripts (e.g., PHP) and retrieve information from a database (e.g., MySQL).
- A static website doesn't have a database. Everything is "prepared" in advance, so the server doesn't perform any complex logical operations.
The most important advantages of this solution include:
- Lightning-fast speed: Because the server sends ready-made files, the website loads almost instantly, which is loved by both users and Google (SEO) algorithms.
- Maximum security: No database or dynamic server-side code means hackers have no entry points for common attacks (e.g. SQL Injection).
- Low maintenance costs: Static pages require minimal server resources. They can be hosted for free or at a fraction of the cost on platforms like Netlify, GitHub Pages, or Vercel.
- Resistance to overload: The website will not "crash" when thousands of users visit it at the same time.
The main drawback is the difficulty in updating content. A static website lacks a traditional admin panel (CMS). Changing a phone number or adding a new article typically requires editing the page's source code and re-uploading the files to the server, which requires basic programming knowledge. Furthermore, it's more difficult to implement interactive features like a comment system, forum, or advanced shopping cart.
This is a perfect solution for:
- Small businesses that need a simple business card website with their offer and contact information.
- Landing Page projects created for specific advertising campaigns (Google Ads/Meta Ads).
- Portfolio of photographers, graphic designers and programmers.
- Authors of rarely updated blogs.
Modern static websites are rarely written by hand "from scratch." They are created using so-called Static Page Generators (e.g., Gatsby, Hugo, Next.js, Astro) that run on the JAMstack architecture. These allow developers to build websites in a convenient, modular way, and upon publication, they automatically "render" the entire thing into super-fast, clean HTML files.
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- A static website is a website without a CMS, stored in a hard-coded content file, changing which requires modifying the code without programming skills.
- The advantages of a static website are: lower price, lightning-fast loading speed and greater security without a CMS, the disadvantages are lack of features and difficulty in editing.
- A static website works well as a business card for stationary stores, service businesses, and CVs.
