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 on the web server.
Description
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.
- However, note that URLs having a file name with the .html file extension are not always static.
- The web server can be programmed to serve dynamic content, even though the user sees the .html file extension
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.
Uses and limitations
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 static website:
- Quick to develop
- Cheap to develop
- Cheap to host
Disadvantages of static website:
- Requires web development expertise to update site
- Site not as useful for the user
- Content can get stagnant
See also
- Dynamic content
- Dynamic HTML
- Dynamic web page
- Dynamic web site
- Web page
- Web sites: static versus dynamic
