Static vs Dynamic Website – Difference You Need To Know

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to building a business website. Many business owners feel overwhelmed when it comes to picking between a static and a dynamic website. Both of them have their own set of pros, cons, and functionalities. 

To put it simply, static websites are fixed and they are capable of showing the same content to all the users. These websites are usually built using HTML. On the other hand, a dynamic website is more advanced as it’s capable of showing different content to users browsing websites on different devices, or also from demographics. This makes dynamic websites more interactive and fun to browse. It brings down to the point that static websites take less time to build compared to dynamic websites. 

Before we get into the side-by-side comparison, it’s important to understand how the overall internet serves your websites to the visitors. In simple terms, the internet involves a server where all the website files are stored and a browser through which users access them. To establish a connection between a server and the browser, there have to be some connections. There are two types of connection and you must have seen both of them. The first is HTTP which is Hypertext Transfer Protocol and the second is HTTPS which is Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure.  

On this note, let’s jump into both these types of websites and how they are different from one another. Let’s begin with the static type of website. 

What is a static website?

The majority of websites you see are static websites that have a fixed set of content that gets a refresh to everyone you hit the URL. Static websites generally have a fixed number of pages with a pre-fixed payout that doesn’t change. When the website runs on a browser, the content remains static and it’s not interactive with the users or their actions. The most basic static website can be built with HTML and CSS. 

If your business needs a smaller website on which you have to mention a few services to your customers, then a static website is ideal for you. The advantage of this type of website is that it doesn’t consume much time and you can launch in a couple of days. In the case of a dynamic website, the page payout coding needs to be changed to make every page look different. 

Even in a static website, you can integrate many interactive elements along with the typical navigation bar, menu, pages, and more. You can embed videos, iFrame, and make it look more appealing to the visitors. These static websites also look beautiful despite the fact that the HTML code doesn’t change regardless of users’ actions. 

Dynamic website: What is it?

Static websites are more information-focused rather than interactive elements-focused. On the other hand, dynamic fluid-design websites have more interactive elements that add up to the overall user experience. Your users can easily interact with the elements present on the page and it will improve the overall page retention time that’s good for SEO. Building these dynamic websites requires a high level of HTML code implementation. 

On one side, the static website only uses the client-side HTML and CSS code. On the other side, dynamic websites need to rely on both the client-side and server-side to respond to users’ requests. Developers need to use server-side scripting languages like ASP, JavaScript, PHP, and more to design the interactive elements of the website that will respond to users’ requests. When a user accesses any element of the dynamic website, the site has the capability to change its code and respond to the input given. It can be requesting some files, play some videos, or fetching some data from the server. 

Also, Read – Website Development Process – A Step By Step Guide

Deep dive into the meaning

Static, as the name suggests, is something that’s fixed and it doesn’t change anyway regardless of users’ input. In addition to this, no elements of the page are changed when a user interacts or accesses them. These are the basic pages that have only the information majorly in the form of text.

On the other hand, dynamic refers to a website’s type whose elements are constantly changing based on the requests given by the users. Dynamic websites can include a certain level of personalization, interactivity,y, and functionality. And one thing you need to know is that there are endless technologies available to build a dynamic website. 

Let’s talk about technicality

While deciding which type of website to pick, it’s important that you know how they’re built. Static websites are built using HTML and CSS and they don’t need any special tool to support or execute the development. On the other hand, dynamic websites require both client-side and server-side support to run seamlessly. In these websites, the HTML is used to handle the interactive front-end elements, and the server-side languages are used to manage the response elements. 

If you plan to build a dynamic website, there are several elements and functionality that you can integrate and make it more seamless and user-friendly. One thing you need to keep in mind is that dynamic websites are heavier on the server side and may take more time to load. You need to have a faster server to load that website quickly. On the other hand, the static website loads much faster even if the server is not cloud-based. 

Coding differences

Even if you are new to coding and learning the basics of HTML and CSS, you can easily understand how a static website is made. However, it still needs higher expertise, skills, and domain expertise to get the best results. There are several tutorials that will give you an overview of how these websites are built.

On the other hand, when it comes to dynamic websites, there are a lot of things you need to take care of and consider. You might need to use advanced JS like React to make it more responsive, unique-looking, and faster. When it comes to coding, dynamic websites have no end to personalization and functionalities. 

Which one to pick

So the main question here is which website to pick and which is the right one for your business. The answer is simple — if you are into a business where it’s sufficient to display static information and still get business leads, then static websites are good for you. On the other hand, if you’re into a business like ECommerce, or you are into a startup ecosystem where you need to hook visitors through your storytelling, then the dynamic websites make more sense. 

When it comes to the costing of building these websites, static websites are less costly compared to dynamic websites. It is because the developers need to personalize every element to get the desired interaction. Do basic research of your market and then decide what kind of website do you need to gain the majority of business leads. Having a website is the most crucial thing to stay relevant in this hyper-competitive domain. So, if you don’t have a website yet, it’s the right time to get one and start creating your online reputation and gain more brand value.