3 Oct, 2022 | Responsive Web Design Services

Static and Dynamic Websites - Let’s Know the Difference

Imagine that you are thinking of availing of responsive web designing services, and the development company drops a question for you - “So, do you need a static website or a dynamic website?” It would be a bit complicated if you don’t have any idea of the website you want to develop for your organization. If you are struggling to answer this question, then this blog post is really helpful for you. When you are thinking of developing a website, the very first and one of the most important decisions is whether to create a static or dynamic website. Unfortunately, many business owners often get confused while deciding the type of website. However, the latter one is the most preferred option on the internet these days. Static sites appear exactly the same in any web browser when it is stored. Static websites consist of web pages having hard-coded content with HTML. A person entering your website will see the same content as other website users. Understanding web programming is not a necessity to create a static website. Because of the simplicity of static websites, it is useful for entrepreneurs who want to develop websites with 1-5 static pages. While maintaining a website with multiple static pages is possible, it is very time-consuming and expensive. If you want a website with hundreds of web pages, you should go for dynamic websites. Dynamic sites offer more flexibility while building a website. It primarily focuses on functionality and engagement. Any visitor browsing the website can use this functionality in numerous different ways. In order to build a dynamic, responsive website design, you need to excel in programming skills and will also need to create a database design. Since there are three parts of a website that can either be static or dynamic, it is essential to know about the static and dynamic parts of a website. Reading further would give you a brief about the static and dynamic parts of a website.

Static and Dynamic Parts of the Website

- As said above, there are three parts of the website - code, delivery, and the client browser. The website code placed on your website can be static and dynamic as well. Static code is any content on your web page that is fixed coded. On the other hand, a dynamic page refers to a content management system or any other external database. - The second type of content is page delivery. Delivery of the page can be static or dynamic. If you are developing a website with a static delivery, your website will contain pre-rendered web pages that can be cached before the delivery by a content delivery network. If you are creating a dynamic web page, the delivery will be done in real-time when the web server makes a request. - The final content type is the client browser. It is possible for the browser to tell whether your website is static or dynamic when the user sees it. Static websites will look and function the same in every browser, whereas the dynamic website uses client-side JS to make sure that the page is dynamic in real-time.

Static vs. Dynamic Website - Know the Differences

In this blog, we will discuss the detailed face-off between static and dynamic websites. If you are confused between both, read more to decide which one is the right type for you.

1. Easy to Design

It is very simple and easy to create static web pages and can be developed by the freshers in development. Whereas, to develop a dynamic web page, a developer needs server-side solid scripting and database knowledge.

2. Content

In static web pages, the content is hard-coded and remains the same regardless of the web browser. It does not change until a programmer does it manually. In contrast, the content on the dynamic web page keeps on updating according to different factors. In dynamic websites, the web page’s content will be different for different visitors.

3. Programming Language Used

If you want to create a static website, it is not required to use a complex software programming language. Knowing HTML, CSS, and Notepad would be enough to make a static website. Visitors will see the same design and content until somebody manually changes it. At the same time, the dynamic website produces the content and presents it based on the actions made by the user on the website. Coding a dynamic website requires the knowledge of various programming languages like AJAX, ASP.NET, CGI, Python, etc.

4. Database Usage

Static websites do not require the usage of any database, whereas the other type involves the use of a database.

5. Building Costs

Static web pages require less work; hence the low cost is needed to develop simple static websites. Developing such websites only costs you in the initial stage of the development. On the other hand, creating a dynamic website costs you higher than a static one. It includes the cost of functionality, coding platform, and of course, a database.

6. Design complexity

As said earlier, it is absolutely easy to develop static websites as you don’t require any advanced programming language to design static web pages. However, if you are creating a dynamic website, it is essential to be well-versed with advanced programming languages. This is because the design and development of a dynamic website is a complex process.

7. Page Load Time

If you do not include any heavy images and videos in your static website, it would have a very less loading time. But, if you are developing a dynamic website, the loading time will be comparatively higher every time the process written in the program is executed before it is displayed on the web page.

8. File extension

In a static website, the file extension of the URL will be in the form of .htm or .html. Whereas, the extension for dynamic websites will be .asp, .php, or .jsp.

9. Information change

Changing the information is rarely done in static websites. Whereas, in dynamic websites, the information changes frequently.

10. Examples

Examples of static web pages include images, audio files, HTML pages, video files, static online forms, and downloads such as software, spreadsheet, and documents. Examples of a dynamic web page include database, user account information, translated web pages, texts, video or voice messaging apps, real-time data like weather forecast, stock prices, health data, etc. Now you know the main differences between both types of websites. Next, let’s discuss the advantages and disadvantages of static as well as dynamic websites.

Advantages of a Static Website

1. Easy to Set Up

There are numerous static site generators that are open-source and can help you quickly and easily set up your website, including ViewPress, Gatsby, Hexo, and many more.

2. High Security

Dynamic websites have some vulnerabilities that static websites don’t have, mainly because there is no third-party software involved that allows a way for your website to be compromised. Static websites are independent and do not rely on any database or content management system.

3. Improved Performance

Because the content on the static website is changed rarely and it does not require the power of a content management system, such websites have faster load time, thereby decreasing bounce rates and increasing user experience. Static websites can handle higher website traffic than dynamic websites. It uses only HTML, CSS, and no scripting hence making it much more efficient.

4. Fewer Site Errors

Since the static website is not updated in real-time and doesn’t modify its content; therefore users get less error pages as of the dynamic website. On the other hand, dynamic websites have errors like content shifts or trouble loading, making potential customers leave the site. Error pages also increase the bounce rate that ultimately affects the search engine rankings.

Disadvantages of a Static Website

1. Immobile Content

With the content not getting modified in static websites, there is no reason for the user to return to the website. The users get bored. Also, there is no way to gain authority on Google with a static page. If you want to win hearts on search engines, you will need informative and high-quality content that benefits the readers. If you aim to drive website traffic and build search engine authority, you will require a dynamic website.

2. Less Content

As said above, less or unchanged content drives your customer back to your competitors’ websites. A static website is not designed for more content, such as hundreds of blog posts or web pages. Rather, it is more like a business card or a brochure of your products or services.

3. Updations

If you need to update your static website, you will need the help of a professional website developer unless you are a programming pro. You yourself cannot make alterations to the content. Now let’s just come on to the boons and banes of Dynamic websites. Here we go!

Advantages of a Dynamic Website

1. Mobile Responsiveness

Dynamic websites are mobile-friendly, and you can operate them on any mobile device and have a great browsing experience. The images and the content automatically adjust according to the device's size without cutting off anything, forcing you to turn your device sideways to view the content.

2. User Experience

With cookies and demographics, a user can access any page, i.e., the content will adjust according to the particular user. Furthermore, to give the customers a good user experience, dynamic websites also provide a pop-up notification when you leave a product in the shopping cart. It also shows the related products to the ones you recently purchased or viewed.

3. Professional Design

Dynamic websites offer more professional appeal than static websites. They are smooth and more functional as compared to static ones.

4. Updating Content

One great advantage of Dynamic websites is that it is easy to edit, delete, add, or modify the content, let’s say adding blog posts.

5. More content

Dynamic websites help you create hundreds of pages so that you can gain search engine authority, generate more leads, and get more traffic. Moreover, you can quickly make changes throughout the website, such as changing fonts, colors, or backgrounds.

Disadvantages of a Dynamic Website

1. Higher Cost

Creating a dynamic website or a web application requires a professional developer who can set up a responsive website for you. You will pay a great amount to the developer for designing a website that can generate higher leads.

2. Load Time

Dynamic websites are heavier as they have hundreds of pages, various plugins, and a lot of content. Slower loading time makes the customers drive away from your website. This increases your website’s bounce rate lowering your search engine authority.

3. Security

Each plugin you integrate into your website creates a new opportunity for potential risk to harm your website. The database also creates a vulnerability every time an application runs, complex codes are deployed, and a database is used.

Static or a Dynamic Website - What Should You Go with?

So, the main reason behind discussing the differences between static and dynamic websites was to help you out with your decision to choose the most suitable one. Of course, the answer depends on the type of business you are in. If you are a business where it is enough to display static information and still generate business leads, then static websites are the best for you. Looking on the other side, if you are a business like eCommerce or a startup looking to hook customers by your storytelling, dynamic websites are perfect for you. When it comes to building these websites, static websites cost you less than dynamic ones. It is because, in dynamic websites, the developers need to customize every element to achieve the desired interaction. Before starting the development, do basic market research and then choose which one suits you to gain more business leads. Of course, you can consider the above given tips! Having a responsive website is really important for your business to grow in the highly competitive market. Therefore, if you don’t have a website yet, it is the right time to avail of responsive website design services to start creating the foundation of your online presence and achieve more brand value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a static website?

A static website is a website that is built using only HTML and CSS. The content remains the same, and the pages do not change unless edited manually.

What are the benefits of a static website?

Static websites are simple to build, require less maintenance, are faster to load, and are more secure since they don't have a database.

What is a dynamic website?

A dynamic website is a website that uses server-side scripting languages like PHP, ASP, or JSP to generate pages on the fly. The content can vary depending on user inputs, database queries, and other factors.

What are the benefits of a dynamic website?

Dynamic websites can offer more functionality, interactivity, and personalization to users. They can also easily handle large amounts of data and provide real-time updates.

Written by Nikki

As a Business Analyst at WEDOWEBAPPS LLC, Nikki has helped to bring many positive transformations to the company. She guided the company to get ready for fluctuation in the market and future long-term growth. She specialized in providing excellent leadership, training, and mentorship to employees.