Definition of Static Website
Static websites, as the name says, are the websites or web pages that have unchanging contents, where the website is programmed with HTML code and can be accessed by the end users. This type of web pages and contents of the website are the commonly chosen type, over constantly changing web content, as it takes lesser maintenance efforts comparatively. In order to implement a Static Website, one needs to have very basic coding knowledge and effortless to work upon. It is normally used for websites with lower user traffic, as larger web applications need better high quality maintenance to be performed periodically.
How Static Website Works?
The Static web pages are also called flat pages or stationary pages. The reason for these web pages qualified as static is that the page consists of unchanging items with fixed content placed on the web pages. Once the web page layout is designed, there are dedicated space or page segments allocated for the fixed contents to be placed on the page. This web page construction is typically done using the HTML description code, and the contents can be of any type, such as text, image, gif, video, audio, etc.
As the contents of the static pages don’t change often, the user doesn’t have to update the web page often in the name of a quality check or maintenance activity. This helps in keeping the website secure with less efforts. In addition, the stationary elements of the web page provide more consistency and for the website users. Whenever the user tries to access the website, there is no communication enabled between the system and the database. This leads to loading the web contents quickly, and caching makes more sense in cases like this.
Uses of Static Website
The below are the common applications where Static Website makes more sense, as these websites require one–time set up,
1. Blogs
Blogs are the websites built based on a specific theme, and all the contents of the websites are treated as individual posts under precise topics for the website’s theme. The contents for these posts are placed on the allocated space in the web page, by a simple copy & paste method or by directly typing inside the HTML page description. There are various service providers like WordPress to achieve this without having to have detailed coding knowledge in HTML.
There are millions of blogs available in the internet, for subjects like travel, food, cooking, organizing, training, certification courses, businesses, sharing experiences, medical information, general information, politics, religion, news updates, sharing daily activities, step by step instructions for performing certain activities, technology, reviews on products, sports, arts, crafts, geographical information, historical events, history in general, crime, creating awareness on certain topics, etc.
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2. Marketing & Sales Websites
As marketing and sales websites require higher flexibility, and more reliable content management, Static websites are the way to go. It requires one time posts for defining the organization’s mission, vision, and history. The developers leave dedicated segments for the permanent items to be placed on the website, and also for the contents to be changed whenever required. The website handler can upload and take down any content on these websites, as and when required. The static websites provide a higher level of flexibility while comparing the properties with the dynamic type of websites.
3. Websites Under-Development
For the websites or web applications, still in their beginning level, and expected to be under construction for the upcoming days, static websites are a better option. It is because these types of websites allow the website owner to concentrate more on their development process while having a fully constructed and functional product already running on the website.
Another advantage is that it is straightforward in updating the websites with the latest codes, without disturbing the existing functionality of the website. One can say that the static websites are easy to synchronize with the various devops applications and hence makes it easy for version controlling processes. Any and all issues can be fixed effortlessly, and if it cannot be fixed immediately, then it can be moved to the previous version of a fully functional website.
4. Autonomous Domestic Websites
Domestic websites are not industry-grade, in terms of technology and in terms of usage, as it is doesn’t require for the website owner to have technological insights. It doesn’t take a team of software professionals to implement this type of website. In most cases, it is owned by one person or a small group of business owners for handling local business needs. It also doesn’t require a directly assigned database, making it a less complicated and fully functional working product of a web application. If at all the website grows in the future and the user traffic increases eventually, keeping the website as a static application can help in accommodating the increasing scalability, as it doesn’t require dynamic loading a new user accesses the website.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Some of the advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
Static Websites are beneficial in many ways, and the below are few of them,
- One of the biggest advantages of using static websites and not the dynamic websites is that the static websites require less or no maintenance at all, as the contents once placed are not required to be changed for a certain period of time.
- Faster web page loading speed, as the fixed items in the website, doesn’t have to contact the backend systems every time the page loads.
- Accommodates to any kind of user traffic, may it be lesser user flow or the higher user flow into the website.
- Coding knowledge required for building a static website is nil or very less.
Disadvantages
Static Websites also have their own drawbacks, and the below are few of them,
- It can have only limited functionality; as extensive functional features require higher technological usage.
- Hard to match with the modern day evolution of technology.
Conclusion
Static Websites are a good option for beginner level websites, which has room to grow in the future days, as one can make the website functional with the limitations that come with the static nature. Ideally, it is used for blog handling and small business owned websites and does not measure up to industrial standards.
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