What Is a Static Site?

Your site is like the online face of your company. Sometimes, it’s the first place customers possibly interact with your business. However, many modern site are built using the framework of a conventional database-driven site such as WordPress or HubSpot.This kind of website can be awkward, slow to load, hard for developers to take care of, and open to hackers.

A static site can solve many problems and might be better for your site needs.

To help you understand the pros and cons, in this blog, we’ll walk you through:

What is a static site?

What is a static site generator?

What is the difference between Static Generators and Dynamic Sites？

What benefits does using a Static Site Generator offer?

What Is a Static Site?

A static site employs server-side rendering to deliver pre-generated HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files to a web browser instead of traditional dynamic sites that generate the webpage when the request is made.

What Is a Static Site Generator？

Static site generators help you apply a design to your information and content, making it easier to turn your data into a site or application. Many different versions work with various programming languages and frameworks. When choosing a static site generator, think about the size of your site, what you want it to do, and how you want it to work.

Static site generators include:

• Next.js: A widely used framework for creating static React applications.
• Hugo: A site generator created using the Go language is well-regarded for its fast website-building capabilities.
• Eleventy: A lesser-known JavaScript-based option gaining traction in the developer community.
• Gatsby: A widely recognized as one of the most popular static site generators built on React.
• Jekyll: A popular static site generator based on Ruby widely used in web development.
• Nuxt.js: Similar to Next.js, except the framework is based on Vue rather than React.

We suggest using a static site CMS along with a static site generator to create your static site.

What Is the Difference Between Static Generators and Dynamic Sites?

Static site generators primarily use HTML and serve a fixed set of data that appears the same for all visitors. They employ server-side rendering to provide web browsers with pre-built HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.

In contrast, dynamic sites utilize HTML, CSS, and server-side scripting languages like PHP to generate webpages on the spot and deliver varied content to each visitor.

What Benefits Does Using a Static Site Generator Offer?

In recent years, static sites have gained popularity, largely driven by advancements in developer tools and a growing business focus on optimizing website performance beyond the constraints of database-driven sites.

• Static sites offer flexibility and cost-efficiency.
• Server-side rendering results in faster page speeds and improved SEO rankings.
• Static sites provide flexibility in framework usage, easing development and maintenance.
• They allow for scalable content presentation across multiple channels.
• The independent content database enhances security by reducing entry points for hackers.

Want to Build a Static Site?

We suggest using a static site CMS along with a static site generator to create your static site.

Static sites are great for content-heavy brands like publications, e-commerce stores, and media sites. By using a content management system tailored for static sites, teams can enjoy the benefits of both static and dynamic content management. Static sites comprise pre-generated file assets, resulting in faster loading times and high performance, security, and developer-friendliness.

For a customizable back end, you can use LyteCMS.