In today’s world, having a website has become an indispensable part of business and personal activities. The moment you decide to create your own website, an important question arises: should you choose a static site or a dynamic site managed by a content management system (CMS)? In this article, we will just deal with static websites, explaining how they differ from CMS systems and what you should know about them.

What are static pages?

Static pages, also known as “HTML pages” or “web pages,” are the basic type of web pages that are created permanently and do not change automatically in response to user actions. They are based on static HTML, CSS and sometimes JavaScript . An important feature of static sites is their fixed content – content is not dynamically generated, and changes to the site require manual editing of the code by the webmaster or programmer.

Static pages vs. CMS: Main differences

1. Content Management:
   
   • Static pages: content management on static pages is usually more labor-intensive, as any change in content requires modification of the source code. This requires knowledge of HTML and CSS.
     
   • CMS: Content Management Systems ( CMS ), such as WordPress , allow users to manage content without coding knowledge. The content is stored in a database and can be easily modified by the user interface.
     
2. Complicated pages:
   
   • Static Pages: Static pages are usually more suitable for simple sites, such as business card, portfolio or landing pages.
     
   • CMS: CMS systems are more flexible and allow you to create both simple websites and complex websites, blogs or online stores.
     
3. Cost and time:
   
   • Static Pages: Creating static pages can be cheaper and faster than using a CMS, especially if you only need a small visiting page.
     
   • CMS: CMS implementation can be more costly and time-consuming, but provides greater scalability and ease of content management in the long run.
     
4. Safety:
   
   • Static Sites: Static Web sites are less vulnerable to Web attacks because they do not have interactive elements or databases that can be exploited by hackers.
     
   • CMS: CMS systems require regular updates and attention to security to minimize the risk of attacks.

What is worth knowing about static pages?

• Speed and Performance: Static sites are much faster than CMS-based sites because they do not require database maintenance or content generation dynamically. This is important, especially in the context of search engine optimization (SEO).
  
• Faultless: Static websites are less likely to fail because they do not use additional plug-ins or scripts that can affect the stability of the site.
  
• Hosting costs: Hosting static websites is usually cheaper because they do not require a lot of computing power or database.
  
• Content management limitations: Static sites can be more difficult to manage if they require frequent content updates or interactive elements.

In summary, static web pages are suitable for simple sites with fixed content that do not require frequent changes. However, for more elaborate projects, CMS systems offer more flexibility and make content management easier. The choice between static sitesand CMS depends on the specific needs of the project, budget and level of technical expertise. It is important to think carefully about your goals and requirements before deciding on one of these options.