What is a static website?
A static site is a collection of pre-built HTML pages that are delivered to users exactly as they're stored. Unlike dynamic websites that generate content on-demand, static sites serve the same pre-rendered content to every visitor, making them incredibly fast and reliable.
Why should you choose static over dynamic? Because static websites make a statement. They give your users a near instant content experience on both desktop and mobile, they are easy to build for developers, they are inherently secure, and they rank brilliantly in Google. If performance, security, and stability matter to you, then you’re in the right place.
Thanks to the continuing rise of static-first approaches to development, the use cases for static sites are expanding by the day — and world-leading businesses are choosing static to launch modern, high-performing websites.
Case in point: when DX needed to move their website and documentation from a ‘no-code’ solution that had turned into a maintenance nightmare, they found 11ty and CloudCannon. After the move, they’ve saved the equivalent of a full-time developer's salary and have drastically improved their site speed and SEO performance— and with CloudCannon’s built-in forms, their leads have increased by 400%.
(Who else is making these sites? Take a look at the work of some CloudCannon Experts to see some of the incredible things people are doing with static site tech.)
But enough about us. Let's explore why your next project should be static.
Speed
Static sites deliver a much faster user experience. If you run a transaction-driven site, or rely on quick interactions via forms, then giving your users the fastest possible experience can be a key differentiator against your competition.
Effective SEO
Static sites are, by and large, easier to rank in Google. Google has recognized the importance of speed and favors sites that deliver a fast user experience.
Security
Static sites are inherently more secure, because they're not running code on page load.
Developer friendly
Static sites are easy to develop and maintain. Unlike WordPress sites that require endless patches, plugins, and updates, static sites are inherently simple. They just…work.
What’s the difference between static and dynamic websites?
The difference between a static site and a dynamic site is a little technical, but worth understanding. With a dynamic site, the server gets the content from a database and builds the page in real time for each single visitor. With a static site, the site is pre-built, so when a visitor loads a page, the server simply returns a file. This is why static websites appear near-instantly, while a typical dynamic site can take seconds to appear.
What’s a static site generator?
Static site generators (SSGs) are software tools that address the pain points of dynamic websites, while bringing some of the advantages of a dynamic website to the static site world.
With an SSG and a content management system (CMS) like CloudCannon, you can programmatically build static web pages, retrieve content from a database or API, use layouts and includes just like on a dynamic site. The difference is that an SSG goes through a build process that pre-renders all of the pages on the site, meaning that the site serves the same page and displays the same information to every person viewing it. Any time a developer or content editor changes the site’s content or any source files, CloudCannon rebuilds the site, generating an entirely new static website for users.
Popular and performant SSGs
Astro: Popular for marketing sites, blogs, and documentation. Astro is fast-growing, easy to learn, and there are plenty of resources out there to support it.
Hugo: Known for its build speed. Large sites can have long upfront build times, but Hugo is blazing fast on even the largest sites.
Eleventy: Ideal for collaborative development across multiple languages. Fast builds, a gentle learning curve, and easy to theme and extend. If you're looking to learn a new SSG, there are plenty of beginner tutorials and community resources to help.
Building a static site with CloudCannon
CloudCannon bridges the gap between developers and content editors for static site management. Developers maintain full control over the site architecture while editors get an intuitive interface for content updates — no technical expertise required. By bringing development, hosting, and content management into one platform, CloudCannon streamlines the entire static site workflow for both technical and non-technical team members.
If you’d like to find out more about CloudCannon and how a static site could work for you, we’d love to have a chat!
Curious about making the move to static?
Get in touch with our solutions specialists, and we’ll talk through all the options, from migrations to new site builds.
