Static Website vs. Dynamic Website: Key Differences Uncovered

Knowing what type of website best suits your needs is critical. After all, your website is the digital face of your brand, and choosing the right type determines whether you achieve your goals.

At the most basic level, websites are of two primary types: Static websites vs Dynamic websites. Choosing between these website types will depend on your specific needs and goals for your online presence.

In this article, we'll go over everything you need to know about static and dynamic websites. We'll also unpack key elements to take into account when determining what website is ideal for you.

What is Static vs Dynamic Content?

You're knee-deep in web development, and now you're facing the big decision: static or dynamic content? This choice can make or break your site's performance, scalability, and user engagement. Let's cut to the chase and break it down.

• Static Content: It's like a printed book. Once published, it stays the same for every reader. Static content is fixed and doesn't change unless you manually update it. Think of a portfolio website or a simple blog.
• Dynamic Content: Imagine a choose-your-own-adventure novel. The story changes based on your choices. Dynamic content is personalized and interactive, adapting to user behavior and data. Websites like Amazon or Netflix are prime examples.

What is a Static Website?

A static website is a website whose content doesn't change unless manually updated. It’s otherwise known as a flat or stationary web page. Think of it like a printed book – once published, the pages stay the same until a new edition is released.

Static sites are often the go-to choice for displaying content that doesn't require frequent content updates. They're quick to set up, easy to host, and generally cost-effective.

Some examples of static websites include the following:

• Portfolios
• Personal blogs
• Newsletter content
• Event announcements
• Informational materials (e.g., an ‘About Us’ page)

On the technical side of things, static sites contain web pages with fixed content written in HTML code, CSS, and JavaScript. The files are sent from a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to the browser and then stored on a web server.

What is a Dynamic Website?

A dynamic website is a website that updates its content every time a user visits it. Each update depends on a number of criteria, including viewer demographics, time of day, location, user interaction, data sources, etc.

Unlike static websites, the content on a dynamic site constantly changes and evolves automatically. It’s like a chameleon that transforms based on fresh information.

Examples of dynamic websites include:

• Social media platforms
• Online marketplaces
• E-commerce sites
• Writing blogs
• News sites
• Calendars

Dynamic websites thrive on flexibility and interactivity. They’re ideal for complex applications where real-time updates and user engagement are paramount.

Pros and Cons of a Static Website

Static websites come with a number of benefits as well as shortcomings you should be aware of before creating one.

The table below breaks down the pros and cons of static websites to help inform your decision. 

Pros and Cons of a Dynamic Website

In the last section, we talked about the pros and cons of a static site. Now, let’s apply the same to dynamic websites.

Static Website vs Dynamic Website

Let's look at some of the key differences between static vs dynamic websites:

A Dynamic Website Negatively Impacts Performance

A dynamic website handles more requests than a static website. Dynamic sites are always linked to a database or data repository from which they constantly pull data. As a result, it takes time to analyze and execute the dynamic functionality compared to static websites, which rarely require a database.

In general, static content loads faster than dynamic ones because static websites are cached in the browser, and dynamic websites are not. On top of that, since it is pre-rendered, a static web page loads quickly. When a visitor visits it, the page doesn't need to go through a database and analyze all of the content.

The data is directly rendered from the CDN. Because of its quick load time, a static web page also makes it easier to rank higher in search engines.

Static Websites Take Less Time, but Dynamic Websites are More Efficient

One significant difference between a static and dynamic website is that a static one takes less time to design and upload than a dynamic one.

Building a dynamic site takes more time because it requires one or more tech tools. In contrast, a static website is simple to build and doesn't require any special tool. In fact, you can build a static website in a day.

It's worth noting that while dynamic websites may require more time to set up at first, they are far more efficient in the long run.

Maintaining Dynamic Websites Costs Less

If you're wondering which is cheaper in the long run in this static vs dynamic website debate, the answer is dynamic websites. This is because the database or content management system (CMS) will make the required modifications for your dynamic website, unlike static ones.

Dynamic Websites are More Interactive and Functional

With more personalization options, dynamic sites prioritize functionality and user experience. For this reason, people often visit dynamic websites more than static ones since dynamic content is updated more frequently. A prime example here is social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.

Static Websites are Easily Replicable

You can replicate the basic code of a static web page, allowing you to make changes to the page while keeping everything stable. This is a better alternative to updating your static page code every time you need to send a change to your visitors.

Static Websites are More Flexible

Yes, flexibility. Even though it has a static appearance, it is quite versatile. Without being a difficult effort for a designer, each static web page from a website might have a separate layout and design.

Static Sites Take Less Time to Build

One significant distinction between a static and dynamic website is that a static page takes less time to design and upload and easy operation of its software.

Static Sites Load Quickly

Because it is pre-rendered, a static web page loads quickly. A static page doesn't need to go through a database and analyze all of the content when a visitor visits it.

The data is directly rendered from the CDN. Because of its quick load time, a static web page is also easier to rank higher in search engines.

How Does Static Content Work?

Static content works like a vending machine. You make a request, and it delivers the product instantly, no waiting around. But how does it achieve this efficiency?

• Delivery from Server to Browser: Static files are stored on the server and delivered directly to the user's browser. There's no need for server-side processing, which speeds up the whole process.

• Role of CDNs in Enhancing Speed: Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) distribute static files across multiple servers worldwide. This reduces latency by serving content from the nearest server to the user, ensuring lightning-fast delivery.

Static content's simplicity and speed make it a solid choice for many web applications. It's all about getting the job done quickly and efficiently.

How Does Dynamic Content Work?

Dynamic content is a bit more complex. It's like a chef preparing a dish to order, personalized for each diner. Here's how it works:

• Server-side Processing and Database Interaction: When a user requests a page, the server processes the request, retrieves data from a database, and dynamically generates the page. This allows for personalized and up-to-date content.

• Personalization through User Data: Dynamic content uses user data to tailor experiences. Whether it's showing personalized recommendations or updating a news feed in real-time, it adapts to provide relevant content.

Strapi's headless CMS excels here, offering flexible API structures that support dynamic content delivery. It's all about providing a seamless and personalized user experience.

What is Strapi?

Strapi is an open-source Node. JS-based, headless CMS that handles time-consuming tasks for users, giving them the freedom to apply their preferred equipment and frameworks.

How to install Strapi

To install Strapi successfully, there are a few basic things to put in place.

• Strapi does not support Node 15 and above. For a successful installation, you need Node14(LTS) or Node12(LTS) but most preferably Node14 (LTS).

After downloading Node14 (LTS) from the Node official site during your installation, ensure you’re connected to the internet during the installation so it can download all the other attachments needed.

Steps to Follow After the Installation

1. Open your command prompt and type the below command to confirm if it has been installed successfully and what version has been installed.

For Node.js, you type: 

1node -v 

For the NPM version, type:

1npm -v 

2. After the version confirmation, you need to enter the below command to create the first Strapi project:

1npx create-strapi-app@latest my-strapiproject1

Running the above command will prompt you to choose your installation type.

3. Navigate to the first option, “Quickstart,” with your navigation keys “up and down," then press the Enter key to proceed and follow the instructions to continue.

4. The final step is to run your created project by typing the below command in your command prompt after successfully creating your first Strapi project and installing the required packages.

On your terminal, navigate to the folder where Strapi is installed and run the command below to start the Strapi application.

1npm run develop 

The above command will open the registration page for the application. Once you've registered successfully, you'll be redirected to your dashboard page to manage your application.

Why You Should Use Strapi in Your Dynamic Website

When it comes to building a dynamic website, choosing the right backend tool can make all the difference. Here's why you should consider using Strapi for your dynamic website:

• Better development time: With Strapi's intuitive admin panel and API-driven architecture, you can quickly set up and manage your content. This saves you time and effort during the development process.
• Higher productivity: Strapi's modular approach and plugin ecosystem allow you to integrate various features and functionalities seamlessly. The outcome is higher productivity and faster iterations.
• Effective data management: Strapi provides robust data management capabilities to help organize your website's content and structure, regardless of complexity.
• Localization of user content: With built-in localization support, Strapi allows you to deliver personalized content tailored to your users' preferences.
• Improved user authentication: Strapi's system provides better security and access control. This protects your website's sensitive data and ensures a secure environment for your users.

Why You Should Use Strapi in Your Static Website

1. Better Rendering: You can now produce pages at deployment time and serve them over a CDN. With Strapi and a site generator, only the most applicable zone of the mound runs when a user makes a request. This speeds up the entire operation by degrading the series of ways.
2. Advanced Security: You don’t have to worry about vulnerability or insecurities when using Strapi with your static websites. You also don’t have any need for a server side scripting language to be executed. This reduces the surface area of your attack and the threat of malware code injection.
3. Establishment Features: Strapi Enterprise Edition includes developed Role-Based Access Control( RBAC), Single Sign On ( SSO), and Establishment Support.
4. Scaling Traffic Over Cost: Because your files are loaded through the CDN when your app gets further queries, the CDN effortlessly compensates for improved traffic.

How to Manage Static Website Content in Strapi

We understand that static websites are sites without frequent content updates. But we need to make sure that static websites are maintained effectively to be productive.

The following are some of the Strapi tools that can be used to manage the content of your static website effectively.

• Creating Content Types in Strapi: To create content types in Strapi, you have to make use of the content-type website builder, which is only accessible to create and update content types when your Strapi application is in a development environment, else it will be in a read-only mode in other environments. For more information on creating a new content type in Strapi, please refer to this.

• Strapi SEO Plugin: This plugin is a robust Strapi-based comment moderation solution for users, which completely covers the user-moderator process.
• Internationalization Plugin: Strapi users can develop, manage, and distribute localized information in several languages, or "locales," using the internationalization (i18n) plugin. For more information about the installation and concept of the internalization plugin in Strapi, please refer to the Internationalization Plugin.
• Publisher Plugin: It is a Strapi plugin that allows you to quickly schedule the publishing and unpublishing of any type of content.

How to Manage Dynamic Content in Strapi

The Strapi marketplace is where you can get industry-leading software and customized plugins to best boost your productivity and add special functionalities to your Strapi app and website.

• Uploading Media in Strapi: The Media Library found in the admin panel is implemented using the Upload plugin. You can use it to upload any type of file to your server or an external one.
• Using the Comments plugin: With its moderation panel, bad word screening, abuse reporting, and other features, a plugin for Strapi Headless CMS offers end-to-end comments.
• Email templates: From the Strapi CMS admin panel, you may create your email templates and leverage the magic to send emails programmatically from your controllers or services. For more information on the Strapi email template and designer, please refer to this page.
• Authentication: Strapi authenticates users through a token-based authentication method by giving them a JWT token after a successful password login. For more information about Strapi authentication, check out this article on Strapi authentication with Next.js or Strapi authentication request documentation.

Dynamic And Static Building Tools Using Strapi

Dynamic website tools using Strapi:

• JavaScript
• React

Static website tools using Strapi:

• Next.js: It is another tactic solution built on top of React. Next.js's general purpose is to ease development with a smoother and less congested experience. It can be used to construct fast web apps, server-rendered apps, and static web pages, among several other features.
• Gatsby: It is built on React and makes use of GraphQL to gather information from various sources. That means it works well with a variety of content management systems, making it easy to set up websites and apps. Gatsby is also recognized for its speed, as it uses pre-fetched information for other sites and only loads the sections of a website that are required at the time. It may also be utilized for progressing single-page websites and has a large plugin ecosystem.
• Hugo: It is a Go-based static site generator. It features a lightning-fast build process that makes creating static web pages a breeze. It's arguably the quickest static site generator on the market right now. Hugo comes with a theme library with over a hundred themes to choose from when creating a website.

Examples of Static and Dynamic Websites

Static website generators: A static website generator is a program that creates a completely static HTML website from a set of templates and raw data. In essence, it automates the process of developing individual HTML pages, making them ready to be delivered to users beforehand.

Examples of static website generators:

• Jekyll's
• Hugo's
• Hexo's
• GitBook
• Octopress
• Gatsby
• Pelican
• Brunch

Conclusion

Strapi is an open-source Node. js-based, Headless CMS that saves developers time while allowing them to use their preferred tools and frameworks. It also allows content editors to optimize the delivery of content (text, photos, video, etc.) across any device.

Strapi is an all-in-one solutions for developing and deploying dynamic websites of any scale with static delivery—it's the best of both worlds.