All sites on the Internet fall into two large categories: static and dynamic. From the visitor’s point of view sometimes it is not important whether the webpage is located on a site that is static or dynamic; it is sometimes even difficult to determine this. But I want to examine this difference from the point of view of the developer - the website creator.
Static site.
Static is what I am going to call a page that is stored entirely on the server and displayed in a steady state to the visitor (it should be kept in mind that a static page can contain some varying elements, for example banners; however, it nonetheless remains static).
For greater clarity I will offer an example. Imagine that you save a page to your computer. Let’s assume it is now stored in the file “Page.html”. If you open it with your browser, then you will see the entire contents of the page. This is approximately the same form (as retained on a local computer) the static pages are stored in on the server that just sends them to their visitor.
Static is what I will call the website where the majority or all pages are static.
Dynamic site.
Dynamic is what I will call a webpage that is made of several parts by the server either by receiving through introducing or changing the data on the page.
Let’s examine the action of generating a dynamic page in more detail. If a static page hardly undergoes any changes and falls on the visitor’s screen in its “protoplastic” form, then the dynamic page, as it is viewed by a person, does not exist on the server. It is assembled by several different methods from data that are stored on the server, and only after this is shown to the visitor.
But how it can be assembled? Let’s take a look:
1) By uniting several (two or more ) individual parts onto one page can be the first version - this is the simplest method of generation.
2) The second version is by filling out a template page with information that is stored separately or that is obtained as a result of the operation of an algorithm (for example, as a result of calculations).
3) The third and, perhaps, most wide-spread version is the combination of the first two in all possible variations, i.e., the page is assembled from several pieces into which additionally are introduced different changes.
Dynamic is what I will call the website where the majority or all pages are created dynamically.
“The American Airlines company once had 40,000 static Web pages. With the installation of the Broadvision system they were all converted into 40 templates. But when people visit the American Airlines site, 80% of them use only 2 of these templates” (Michael Kennedy, Vice President of Marketing, Broadvision)
Let’s go on to the pluses and minuses of both approaches as they relate to each other.
Advantages and drawbacks of dynamic sites.
The question arises, so why is this even necessary, making the page dynamic, dividing it into parts, storing information separately elsewhere and so forth? Isn’t it simpler to create a site the way it will be seen by the visitor and not put on airs?
The Internet began with static sites, dynamic pages and sites appeared later, and they are beginning to crowd out their ancestors, which means that they have their advantages. Let’s look at what advantages dynamic sites have by comparison with static, and, well, so that this survey would be fair, let’s give some time to their drawbacks.
First I have to say that, in giving my definitions, I began with a description of separate pages. This was done so that you would see more clearly what this discussion is about. Now, with the comparison, I will look at whole sites: static and dynamic. Accordingly, the advantages will concern only finished sites, since sometimes they simply do not apply to pages.
So, with the appearance of programming languages, which a server could carry out, the possibility arose to introduce changes in data sent to a visitor. However, what was this good for?
1) The separation of information and design.
2) Simplifying modifications and updating pages.
3) The possibility of changing content in response to the actions of a visitor.
Let’s look at each point more closely.
Separation of information and design of the website.
The use of dynamic pages makes it possible to store a given design template, where, depending on which page the visitor goes to, the required contents are placed. This variant is very convenient and the entire site needs only one or more templates created and all the changes in the design that are needed on the site are produced with only them.
By way of example, imagine a corporate site where several hundred pages (this not too much given the present capacities). And let’s suppose the organization decided to change its logo. There is no simple way to do this if the site is static: it is necessary to introduce changes on each page. And what if the site consists of thousands of pages, and it is necessary to make changes constantly? How much time and human resources will be required for this?
If however the site is dynamic, it is a lot simpler. Changes are introduced into one or more template files, and all the pages of the website automatically update.
From the point of view of organization of work and division of labor, the variant for creating the website on the basis of templates is practically ideal. The person responsible for the site design will not be able to get involved in the process of page content, and all design problems will be his or her responsibility alone. And vice-versa, the person who has to fill in the information on the website will not be able to ruin the site design. Each person takes care of his or her own business without interfering with the other. This speeds the work up and decreases expenses.