In a static website, all content (e.g., text and image information) is stored unchangeably in individual files on the web server. The content of such a file is created using HTML. When you make changes to static websites, the file in question usually needs to be changed manually on the local machine and then uploaded back to the web server. The use of static websites is therefore likely to be worthwhile for smaller web presences where changes are needed relatively infrequently.

Potential advantages of static websites include the following:

• The cost of web hosting is cheaper because no special features such as databases or scripting languages are needed. Note, however, that the professional features no longer cost a fortune with the larger web hosts.

• Page load and load time may be faster because the page can be returned immediately from the web server in response to the request.

• Developing static websites can be easier and less expensive. However, this depends on the scope of the project and your skills.

Possible disadvantages of static websites include the following:

• A good knowledge of HTML is required to update the website. If you plan to create a web presence for someone using static web pages, you should be aware that you’ll have to make the changes yourself most of the time.

• The initial creation of many individual files for the static website can become very time-consuming.

• Changing the design of the website can be quite expensive. In the worst-case scenario, you need to change every single file. Ideally, however, the web design of a static website is based on CSS, so only this CSS file would need to be changed.

For dynamic websites, a CMS usually generates the web pages. This usually involves keeping the content, such as text and images, separate from the technical elements, such as the layout or scripts. When a visitor visits the website, the content and technical elements on the web server are read from a database and dynamically assembled into a web page before being returned to the visitor.

In any case, such a CMS must be installed and reside in a web server environment where, depending on the CMS, different scripting languages (e.g., PHP or Python) and mostly databases (e.g., MySQL or PostgreSQL) must be present before you can install/use the CMS.

Potential advantages of dynamic websites include the following:

• Updating and adding new content can be done much faster via a web-based UI. As a rule, you no longer have to bother about data storage (where and how).

• Design modifications and design changes can be made in one central location. Often there are many ready-made templates available. Design changes affect all existing web pages at the same time.

• Such systems can be maintained without HTML and other programming skills and can even be managed by several people. New functionalities can be added at any time thanks to many existing modules/plug-ins (e.g., search feature, sitemap, online store, and forum).

Possible disadvantages of a dynamic website include the following: