Difference between Static and Dynamic Web Pages
Daljeet Singh Word
When
we surf the Internet, a two-way communication takes place between our web browser (client) and a web server (server). To regulate this communication, there are some protocols among which the most common one is the HTTP protocol, where the browser sends an HTTP request to the server and then the server returns an HTTP response to the browser.
On the basis of the type of response sent to the browser, we can classify the webpages into two categories: Static webpage and Dynamic webpage.
Read through this article to find out more static and dynamic webpages and how they are different from each other.
What is a Static Webpage?
Static
webpages are relatively straightforward. They are written in HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and other languages. When a server receives a request from a static webpage, it transmits the response to the client without performing any more processing.
In some ways, a static webpage is just a simple information provider. Designers frequently combine text and images controlled by HTML elements to create something that resembles a newspaper page. It has typography and layout, but it does not change with each load.
Dynamic webpages, in contrast, use deep-coded controls and forms, allowing the pages to react differently depending on the user or the situation. A dynamic webpage, for example, can consult a database to learn more about a user's identity and history or to display personalized elements such as the user's name or saved preferences. A static Web page, on the other hand, does not allow for this level of personalization.
A static webpage is created with HTML code and has the same look and feel for all users, independent of their identification or other considerations. Dynamic webpages, which may have configurable information based on a user's identification or other criteria, are more difficult to code and assemble.
What is a Dynamic Webpage?
Dynamic
websites are those that generate webpages in real-time. Web scripting code, such as PHP or ASP, is used on these pages. The Web server parses the code, and the generated HTML is transmitted to the client's browser when a client requests a dynamic page.
As dynamic websites are easier to maintain than static websites, the majority of large websites are dynamic. Static pages have their own set of content, hence they must be manually opened, changed, and published whenever they are updated.
Dynamic pages, on the other hand, use a database to store the data. As a result, the webmaster may need to edit a database record to change the content of a dynamic page. This is particularly useful for sites with hundreds or thousands of pages. It also allows numerous users to update a website's content without having to change the page layout.
Database-driven websites are dynamic websites that access information from a database.
Difference between Static and Dynamic Webpages
The
following table highlights the important differences between Static and Dynamic webpages.
Conclusion
To
conclude, the data on a static website is fixed and it displays the same content to every user, because the web server in this case does not alter the data before sending it as a response to the user. Static website are easy to build and simple to maintain. Most of the read-only websites like brochure websites, portfolio websites, etc., are static in nature.
A dynamic website, on the other hand, is one where the content is pulled on-the-go, which is why it may show different content to different users. Dynamic websites are highly flexible and scalable. They can offer a better engaging experience by modifying the content as per the requirements of different users.