Difference between static and dynamic website

 

Aspect	Static Website	Dynamic Website
Definition	A static website is made up of fixed content written in HTML/CSS/JS, where each page is coded manually and remains the same for every visitor.	A dynamic website generates content on-the-fly using server-side scripting languages like PHP, Python, or Node.js, often pulling data from a database.
Content Type	Predefined and unchanging unless manually updated by the developer.	Dynamically generated based on user interactions, preferences, or real-time data.
Development Complexity	Simple and easy to create using basic HTML, CSS, and minimal JavaScript.	More complex, requires knowledge of back-end development, databases, and server-side scripting.
Technology Used	Built using HTML, CSS, and sometimes JavaScript.	Uses technologies like PHP, ASP.NET, Node.js, Python, MySQL, or MongoDB, alongside HTML/CSS.
Database Usage	No database connection is required; content is hard-coded into files.	Requires a database to fetch, update, and store data dynamically (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL).
User Interaction	Limited or no interaction; content is the same for all users.	Highly interactive, responding to user inputs such as login, forms, shopping carts, comments.
Loading Speed	Loads very quickly since content is static and doesn’t require server-side processing.	Slightly slower due to real-time data fetching and server-side processing.
Scalability	Difficult to scale content-wise for large websites (e.g., hundreds of pages).	Highly scalable and manageable with dynamic templates and CMS systems.
Maintenance	Tedious to update multiple pages manually; changes must be done page-by-page.	Easy to maintain using content management systems or templating engines.
Cost	Cheaper to develop and host; minimal server resources needed.	More expensive due to server requirements, database, and complexity in development.
Security	More secure since it doesn't interact with databases or use server-side code.	Requires security measures to protect against SQL injection, XSS, etc.
Best For	Small websites, portfolios, brochures, or landing pages with limited updates.	Blogs, e-commerce stores, forums, social media sites, dashboards, web applications.
Customization	Low – each change requires manual HTML editing.	High – user-specific content can be displayed based on login, location, preferences, etc.
Examples	Personal resume website, product brochure, wedding invitation page.	Facebook, Amazon, WordPress blogs, Gmail, YouTube.
Hosting Requirements	Can be hosted on any basic web server or even GitHub Pages.	Needs a server capable of running server-side languages and databases.
Code Reusability	Low; each page often has repeated code.	High; templates and components can be reused dynamically.