Choosing between a static website or dynamic website is a decision every webmaster has to make. There are pros and cons to both types of websites, and choosing the right type depends on your needs.
In this article, we’ll go over the benefits and drawbacks of each type of websites so you can know how to choose between a static or dynamic website.
STATIC WEBSITES
What are static websites?
A static website is one that doesn’t change when you visit it. It’s just a collection of HTML pages with no database connections or other server-side code. A static website can be created in any number of ways, but most commonly they’re built using a content management system (CMS). CMSs allow you to create and edit HTML files without needing to know anything about programming languages like PHP or ASP.
What are the pros of a static website?
1. Easier to Build
If you want to build a simple website for yourself or a small business, then a static site may be the best choice. You don’t need to learn any coding languages or databases, so building a static website is much easier than creating a dynamic website.
You can just use an online tool such as WordPress to quickly build a basic website. These tools will give you all the necessary elements to get started, including a domain name and hosting service. They also have templates that you can customize to match your brand.
2. Easy to Maintain
Unlike dynamic sites, static ones are much simpler to maintain. If you decide to change anything on your site, you simply update the files. No coding necessary.
This makes maintenance much easier. And since you don’t need to constantly monitor your site, you won’t have to spend too much time maintaining it.
3. Easier to Host
Since there’s no database connection required, static websites are usually hosted on shared servers. This means you only pay for what you use. So if you don’t plan on having many visitors, you might not need to pay extra for a dedicated server.
4. Faster Loading Times
A static site loads faster than a dynamic one. Since you don’t need to send requests to a database server every time a user visits your site, your site loads faster.
With a static site, you can serve the entire site right away. Dynamic sites usually need to query a database server first.
5. Less Expensive
Since there’s less code involved in a static website, it’s generally less expensive to host.
When you build a dynamic website, you pay monthly hosting fees. These fees can add up quickly.
On the other side, static websites usually don’t cost anything. You don’t have to pay for web space or bandwidth.
Instead, you simply pay for domain registration. Domain registration costs vary depending on the company you choose. However, most companies charge between $10 and $40 per year.
You can even just go for free templates from a company like WordPress if you really want to save up more.
What are the cons of a static website?
Static websites are websites that don’t change much over time. They are often used for informational purposes, such as blogs, news sites, and corporate websites.
They are usually easier to maintain than dynamic ones, since they don’t require any programming knowledge. However, they lack interactivity and user engagement.
Here are some disadvantages of static websites:
1. Lack Interactivity
Static websites aren’t interactive. This means that users cannot click on links to visit other pages, search engines won’t index them, and they won’t appear in search results.
This makes it difficult for visitors to find information on your site. If you want to rank higher in Google, you’ll need to add content that adds value to your site.
2. Not Search Engine Optimized
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential part of ranking highly in search engines. SEO involves adding keywords to your webpages, optimizing images, using HTML tags, and ensuring that your webpages are mobile friendly.
These factors affect whether your website appears in search results.
3. Less Flexibility
Static sites lack flexibility. For instance, you can’t easily add features such as contact forms or shopping carts.
Additionally, you can’t customize the layout of a static site.
4. Unresponsive to Mobile Devices
Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular these years. As such, most users access the internet via mobile phones and tablets. Unfortunately, static websites aren’t responsive to these devices. They display poorly on small screens.
5. Limited Website Design Options
Many people prefer to design their own websites rather than hire professional developers. Unfortunately, there are fewer website design tools available for static websites.
Most designers choose to create dynamic websites, leaving static websites out in the cold.
DYNAMIC WEBSITES
What are dynamic websites?
Dynamic websites are websites that automatically update themselves based on user actions.
This includes things like changing the background color when a person hovers over a link, showing different information depending on whether a person clicks on a button, or displaying different content when a person enters a specific URL.
They’re often used for blogs, news sites, ecommerce stores, and social media platforms.
What are the pros of a dynamic website?
Dynamic websites are becoming increasingly popular among small businesses. They offer a number of advantages over static sites.
In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of using a dynamic site for your business.
1. Better SEO Rankings
Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential part of any online marketing strategy. If you don’t optimize your website properly, you won’t rank highly in search results.
However, optimizing your website manually is a tedious task. Dynamic websites allow you to easily update content without having to go back and forth between multiple pages. This makes it easier to maintain your website and improve its ranking.
2. Improved User Experience
A dynamic website allows you to customize your website according to your preferences.
For example, you can easily adjust the font size of your website to fit the screen resolution of your visitors’ devices.
You can also choose whether to display images or videos on your homepage.
These changes will give your users a better user experience.
3. Increased Security
Static websites are vulnerable to hacking attacks. Hackers can easily access your database and steal information.
On the other hand, dynamic websites are protected against such attacks. Since your website updates automatically, hackers cannot access your data.
They can only see outdated versions of your website.
4. Improved Branding
When you have a dynamic website, you can brand yourself better than ever before. With a dynamic website, you have complete control over your branding.
You can change fonts, colors, logos, and images whenever you want. This gives you the opportunity to create a unique identity for your company.
In addition to improving your branding, dynamic websites give you the ability to customize your website according to your needs.
5. Increase Conversions
When users visit your website, they usually come to see one thing – your products or services.
Static websites force users to scroll through multiple pages to find what they came for.
This wastes valuable time and reduces conversions.
With a dynamic website, however, users can easily navigate to the information they seek without wasting time.
What are the cons of a dynamic website?
1. Requires Technical Expertise
This means that you may need to hire an expert web developer to set up your site, especially if you are not well-versed about coding .
This may seem expensive, but it’s worth paying for quality. If you don’t hire a professional web developer, you run the risk of developing a slow loading site, one that doesn’t perform properly, or one that has security issues.
2. May Take Longer To Build
Building a dynamic website isn’t quick and simple. It typically takes longer than building a static site.
When you build a static site, you simply upload files to a server. Then, you publish those files to the internet.
With a dynamic site, however, you’ll need to write code. This involves writing scripts that interact with databases and servers. These scripts are usually written in PHP, ASP, Java, or another language.
3. Can Be Difficult To Manage
Managing a dynamic website is much more difficult than managing a static site. For example, you won’t be able to edit content directly using HTML code. Instead, you’ll need to rely on a CMS (content management system).
CMSs allow you to easily add, update, and delete pages without needing any programming knowledge. However, they aren’t cheap. Some cost thousands of dollars.
4. May Be Harder To Update
When updating a static site, you only have one copy of the file to change. On the other hand, when updating a dynamic site, you must go back to the server to replace the old version with the new one.
This means that you have to spend more time updating your site than you would with a static site.
In addition, if you accidentally delete a page or something similar happens, you won’t be able to recover it until you go back to the server.
5. Can Be Expensive
Depending on the features you want to include, a dynamic website could cost thousands of dollars per month.
If you choose a simple template, you can save money. But if you want to build a complex website, you’ll need to spend more.
What should you choose between a static or dynamic website?
The answer depends on your needs. If you’re looking for a simple website, then a static site will work just fine.
However, if you want a fully-featured website, then a dynamic site is probably better suited for you.
Therefore, you should know what is your goal before choosing between a static or dynamic website. Consider their pros and cons and you can get to work!
