Static web page
A static web page (sometimes called a flat page/stationary page) is a web page that is delivered to the user exactly as stored, in contrast to dynamic web pages which are generated by a web application.
Consequently, a static web page displays the same information for all users, from all contexts, subject to modern capabilities of a web server to negotiate content-type or language of the document where such versions are available and the server is configured to do so.
Static web pages are often HTML documents stored as files in the file system and made available by the web server over HTTP (nevertheless URLs ending with ".html" are not always static). However, loose interpretations of the term could include web pages stored in a database, and could even include pages formatted using a template and served through an application server, as long as the page served is unchanging and presented essentially as stored.
Static web pages are suitable for the contents that never or rarely need to be updated. However, maintaining large numbers of static pages as files can be impractical without automated tools. Any personalization or interactivity has to run client-side, which is restricting.
Advantages of a static website:
- Quick to develop
- Cheap to develop
- Cheap to host
Disadvantages of a static website:
- Requires web development expertise to update site
- Content can get stagnant
References
External links
- StaticGen, top open-source static site generators
- Static Site Generators, a definitive listing