Originally websites were static HTML sheets that were coded separately and were time intensive. For multi-page sites, each of these should be separate HTML files, lacking repeating elements.
As consumers came to expect better looks, developers craved a more intuitive workflow. With the advent of dynamic websites came the ability to commit repetitive code pieces to various completions. Things that are consistent across the site can now be “components”, saving developers time and effort.
However, dynamic sites added more overhead on the server side, and querying the goods on the fly increased load times.
The logic of these dilemmas led to the rise of static sites. More teams turned to static builds for simpler sites because of their visual advantages. Today, the tooling and society around static sites have grown significantly, yielding the popularity of Jamstack. Static sites enable teams to get tasks up and running faster and find creative ways to add dynamic content to static sites at scale. In this post, we’ll explore what static sites are in the true sense and how to use modern tooling to reap the benefits of static sites with simplified workflows.
What is a Static Website?
A static site is a website built from static mallo, or pages of plain HTML, JavaScript, or CSS code. This material remains consistent regardless of the user or where it is used and provides little interactivity. Because the objects that are rendered are not dependent on any particular user, objects can be pre-rendered for faster appearance and lighter overhead in simple use cases.
Simple topological sites are a good choice for sites where the mass does not change often or when the sites are simple. More complex use cases can be supplemented with Static Site Generators (SSGs), giving teams more power and flexibility with their project.
Components of a Modern Static Website
Innovative static sites gained more popularity with the rise of Jamstack. Jamstack is an architecture that combines JavaScript, APIs, and Markdown to build performant sites that rely on static files to provide value to their users. JamStack promotes modular architecture to provide teams with the necessary modularity without the rigid structure of monolith systems. There are usually trailing components, in modern static sites.
- The Content and CMS
The Malo layer is the way teams store and govern the Malo for their static site. Some teams use a compilation of Markdown files, however, this can become heavy over time the more files are created. A headless CMS can be a great way to organize and manage content, while still benefiting from a static site. Headless CMS provides the ability to create an organized repository of structured inventory without consulting front-end systems. Headless CMS also creates a more distributed workflow in which the inventory editors are able to manipulate all the inventory without involving the developers.
- Static Site Generator
Static site generators are tools that create static HTML web pages based on templates and data from within the tool. When teams use a static site generator, they benefit from the static nature of the website, while they still have access to tools like repeatable components and powerful APIs that can create more modern workflows and experiences. SSG can help teams balance the benefits of static sites using modern workflows, combined with a headless CMS. SSG has a diverse ecosystem that can suit a wide range of use cases and team needs.
Advantages of Static Websites
We’ll break down some of the key advantages of static sites, and fully understand why teams choose static sites over dynamic sites.
- Security
Static sites are more secure than dynamic sites because static sites are precompiled files that interact with the backend only when content changes, rather than on every request, and do not send information to the server. The high amount of information sent to the server and the high amount of round trips is a simple criticism for tooling like WordPress.
Using a headless CMS can also provide an additional layer between databases with sentiment information and SSG and allow users to federate data from an existing external database
- Performance
Static sites use pre-built static files to eliminate the time needed to fetch content for users on a case-by-case basis. Pre-built files mean it’s easy to build a high-performance static site. In light of the numbers perception update with Google, static websites are the best option for teams willing to maintain strong SEO to compete in terms of performance.
Requires Fewer Machine Resources
Because static sites are built once and rebuilt only when content changes, and serve HTML and CSS, they require teams to continually store roundtrips across multiple files and databases to retrieve changes. is not needed. Prefabricated materials are served to the users which save machine resources and enables quick performance.
Disadvantages of Static Websites
There are some minor disadvantages to working with static sites that make them not ideal for every team and use case.
- Requires Development Knowledge/Expertise
Teams need to find developers who have experience with toolings such as static site generators or plan time to accommodate the approach to project timelines for teams to text with static sites. Due to the popularity of these frameworks and systems, there is a large community of developers experimenting with these technologies, but it is still an important consideration when starting new projects.
- Requires Additional Effort to Add Dynamic Content
Dynamic malls require teams to add additional services or change malls in your chosen headless CMS. While JamStack and static sites require an extra step to add dynamic content, it enables teams to implement best-of-breed services that are built for unique use cases. Popular types of dynamic content include user-generated content (UGC), such as comment paragraphs or form submission sites.
How to Build a Static Website
Taking a closer look at how to build a static site gives teams considering this approach a better understanding of what can be required from this approach.
- Choose a Frontend Framework
The first consideration is which frontend framework to use. Many static sites follow the Jamstack method, which means the texture will be JavaScript based. Some popular frontend frameworks when building with static sites include React, Vue.JS, or AngularJS.
- Â Choose a Headless CMS
A headless CMS is a key element in managing Malo effectively, especially in the case of Malo-heavy sites. Important considerations in selecting the best CMS for your team include how easy it is to integrate components with a particular CMS and whether or not they offer localization-like functionality out of the box.
- Â Choose a Hosting Platform
Static sites are a good choice for many use cases in the nascent web orientation. By integrating additional services, groups are able to strike a balance between the visual advantages of static sites and the interactive experiences enabled by dynamic content.