What is a dynamic website? Static vs dynamic websites

Today every business needs a website of its own. If you're planning one for your company, terms like dynamic and static websites can be confusing. Read on as MONA Media explains what a dynamic website is and how it differs from a static one below.

Definitions of dynamic and static websites

If you're new to web development, you've probably heard of dynamic and static websites. They are among the first basics you need to understand.

What is a dynamic website?

A dynamic website is a technical term for a website powered by web software. It is built with extra components for retrieving data and processing information.

The information shown on a dynamic website comes from a database. When someone visits the site, that data is sent to the browser as text, images, sound, numbers or tables, in many different formats.

Examples of dynamic websites include online stores, e-commerce websites, large news portals and more. Dynamic websites allow a lot of interaction between a business and its users, and you can manage and run the site's content through admin software.

Developers usually build dynamic websites with modern programming languages such as PHP, Java, CGI, ASP.NET, ASP, Perl and powerful databases such as Access, Oracle, MySQL, MS SQL, DB2. This lets the website owner (the business owner) manage, edit and update content on the site easily without hiring a professional developer.

Applications and information can be kept up to date, and customers can exchange information with the site owner and with each other. Dynamic websites have been a big step forward in website design: web applications with advanced features that keep evolving.

What is a static website?

A static website is a website whose content rarely needs to change. Visitors can't chat or interact with it in any other way. Its content is fixed when the site is coded, so adding or removing content means the person managing it has to rebuild the page.

A static website is a plain HTML document. After the HTML page is downloaded from the server, the browser (IE, Opera, Firefox and so on) renders the code and shows the page, and visitors can barely interact with it. A static site publishes information much like a newspaper.

Static websites are rare today. They are mostly used by web design companies, which have the know-how to edit the content easily when needed.

How do static and dynamic websites differ?

Beyond the definitions of dynamic and static websites above, MONA will go through the key differences in detail so you can tell static and dynamic websites apart more accurately:

Programming language

• Static website: Uses only HTML and publishes information like a newspaper. Any change to the site has to be made directly in the HTML file.
• Dynamic website: Uses a range of languages such as ASP.NET and PHP, with databases such as SQL Server and MySQL. Developers write the source code based on what the site needs.

What static and dynamic websites do

• A static website presents information for visitors to read, with nothing they can act on. Its content is fixed, so it can't keep up when visitors need more information.
• A dynamic website includes information processing and data retrieval, so the owner can easily edit, manage and update content. Customers can talk to the site owner and to each other.

The clear difference is that a dynamic website always has fresh information, updated through the admin software supplied by the web design company. This information is stored and served based on what users request.

Interaction with customers

• Static website: Visitors can barely interact with a static website, and can't communicate or chat. Its content is fixed from the start, so to change, add or remove anything, the person managing it has to rebuild the page, like printing a new newspaper. In today's e-commerce world, putting effort into a website that doesn't interact with visitors is a real drawback for the owner. Users expect something new, with regularly updated information, services, products, events and promotions, and that is what draws them in. This is why static websites keep losing ground.

• Dynamic website: Dynamic websites are built with modern features for fast interaction between the site owner and visitors. Through their applications, customers can easily exchange information with the website and with other customers, so both sides quickly get what they want.

Maintenance and upgrade costs for static and dynamic websites

• Static website: A static website needs no database or complex software, so it usually doesn't cost much. At most, there is a small fee for database hosting or a compatible operating system. That's why people choose static sites when content rarely changes and they want to save money. Static sites also save on development costs and have a big advantage: they are friendlier to search engines than dynamic sites. Static pages usually end in .html or .htm, so they are easy to find and load quickly. The downside is that managing content, upgrading and maintaining the site is harder.
• Dynamic website: A dynamic website costs more to design, and you need to invest a fair amount to make it professional. But it is easy to upgrade and maintain, and it can grow into a large, practical website that lasts.

-> See also: Professional website optimization services to improve every part of your site

Uses of dynamic and static websites

• Static website: A static website only makes sense when its content rarely changes, usually for small websites.
• Dynamic website: Usually used for large websites: e-commerce stores, news websites, blogs, product showcase sites for companies and more.

Static or dynamic: which is more common?

Which is used more, dynamic or static websites? It depends on your budget and what each website is for. A static site makes it hard to refresh content, while a dynamic site lets you change content to keep up with the times.

Because they can do so much more than static sites, dynamic websites are now the main choice for businesses in fields such as business websites, airline ticketing, travel, e-commerce, online forums and remote management. A dynamic website lets you update information quickly and professionally, keeps the site fresh and well looked after, and is more effective and easier to manage than a static one.

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The over 10 years in website design, and provides SEO services, marketing and more, MONA has worked with more than 12,000 clients and partners in Vietnam and abroad. With a highly skilled development team, a thorough industry research and testing process, and modern technology, MONA has successfully built more than 9,689 SEO-ready website projects across every industry.

When you choose our website design service, you can count on a professional, good-looking website with modern features built around your business's needs. MONA doesn't just make your website look good, we help it convert better. CONTACT US with MONA via Hotline 1900 636 648 for a detailed consultation on the service.

We hope this article MONA has given you the basics of what a dynamic website is and how dynamic and static websites differ, so you can make the right choice for your business strategy. And if you need a service to take care of your website's content, security, structure and SEO, MONA's full-service website management is a strong fit. Contact MONA for a detailed consultation.