WordPress makes it easy to create a gorgeous, professional website, but having multiple websites can get expensive. And even if you have only one website, a sudden increase in traffic can cause a huge strain on your server’s resources – which will also be expensive. But WordPress isn’t just expensive. It’s frequently hacked, too. That’s why FLATsite (the static WordPress generator) is becoming increasingly popular. Static sites are a great way to enjoy all the fun of WordPress, with none of the bad stuff!
In this handy guide, we’ll give you solid facts about static sites that you really should know. First, we’ll cover 7 basic facts about static sites, like what they are and how they work. Then we’ll get into 5 WordPress facts that will make you spit out your morning coffee (or at least gasp politely).
Let’s get right into it!
7 FLATsite WordPress facts you should know:
1. What are static sites?
Static sites are the opposite of dynamic sites. If you’ve been on the internet for a while, you’ve likely encountered both kinds of websites, even if you didn’t know what they were called.
A dynamic site is a website that stores its content on a database and includes content that can change in real time or be generated by code on a server. CMS like WordPress, Joomla and Drupal create dynamic sites.
A static site, on the other hand, does not include dynamic content, and doesn’t have pages that can be rendered using server code. This means that the content of static sites is delivered to visitors exactly as it’s stored. You can think of it like a newspaper or a brochure. (That’s why static sites are often called “brochure sites”.)
2. How do static sites work?
When a visitor requests a webpage from a static site, the server sends the file directly to the browser.
If that process sounds almost too simple, that’s because it is. Compare that to what happens when a visitor requests a webpage from a dynamic site:
When a visitor requests a webpage from a dynamic site like a WordPress website, the WordPress code searches for the webpage in the database.
Once it gets hold of the content, the WordPress engine adds all the extras, like plugins, templates and tools that are running on the page. It then processes the webpage and then, finally, it sends the file to your visitor’s browser.
Static sites skip those extra steps, which is why static sites are so much faster than dynamic sites.
When a visitor requests a webpage from a static site, the server sends the file directly to the browser. Like this:
3. Why are static sites so much faster than dynamic sites?
Static sites are much faster than dynamic sites, because when a visitor requests a webpage from a dynamic site, the retrieval process isn’t as simple as it is with a static site. Here’s what the process looks like:
- Visitor requests a web page.
- The browser searches the page code for HTTPS request, and scans the database before loading the page content.
- WordPress engine adds plugins, templates, and tools that are running on the webpage.
(Click here to learn how to make your website faster!)
4. What does FLATsite do?
FLATsite takes your dynamic WordPress website and turns it into a static site.
FLATsite makes it easy to manage multiple websites from a single dashboard, so it’s great for developers, agencies and freelancers. But it’s also perfect for anyone who wants to create a WordPress website but doesn’t want to be hacked and doesn’t want to spend money through the nose on hosting and security measures. Because static sites are so fast and secure, they’re also great for anyone who wants to attract more traffic, because being fast and safe are huge factors in a website’s SEO!
5. What’s so great about FLATsite?
- You get to keep the WordPress themes, plugins, and tools you love
- Your themes, plugins, and tools are completely hidden from hackers and bots on the backend.
- You can manage multiple websites on one single dashboard
- You get all the fun of a dynamic website with all the speed of a static website
6. Who is FLATsite for?
- Web Developers
- Agencies
- Freelancers
- PBN Experts
- SEO Experts
- Anyone who wants a faster, cheaper, more secure WordPress website
- Anyone who wants to boost SEO by having a faster, more secure website
Still on the fence about whether static sites are better than dynamic sites?
This next point ought to help.
7. How do static sites compare to dynamic sites?
| STATIC SITES | DYNAMIC SITES |
| Faster (no database) | Slower (pages have to be retrieved from the database and processed before they’re delivered to visitors) |
| Borderline unhackable (no database to hack, and pages are static, so malware injections don’t work) | Frequently hacked (the database is a popular attackpoint, and server code can be manipulated) |
| Cheaper to host (You can add lots of extra websites and traffic without adding much strain to the server) | Expensive to host when you add more websites, especially when websites start getting more traffic |
And now for the five surprising WordPress stats you really need to know:
5 Surprising WordPress stats to spice up your day:
- WordPress gets tens of billions of page views every month (Source: Alexa). This popularity is the reason WordPress is a prime target for hackers.
- 84% of WordPress attacks are carried out through XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) – (Source: Acunetix). XSS attacks can’t be carried out unless a website is connected to a database, so static sites are completely immune.
- More than 40% of WordPress hacks happen because the website owner chose the wrong hosting platform. (Source: WPwhitesecurity)
If you choose FLATsite, you can work on your WordPress site in the backend, then push it to whichever server (and whichever hosting platform) you choose! - Only around 60% of WordPress websites are up to date. (Source: w3techs)
An out-of-date website offers lots of attack points for hackers. FLATsite secures your website by automating your updates and by hiding the most vulnerable parts of your website from hackers! - Every sixty seconds, there are ninety thousand attacks on WordPress sites. (Source: wordfence)
No wonder so many WordPress users are converting their WordPress sites to static sites!
The Takeaway
WordPress is an amazing CMS that makes it easy for complete beginners to create a stunning website. But the nature of the platform means it will get slower, less secure, and more expensive over time.
Save extra time and money by converting your WordPress website to a sleek, lightweight, and secure static website on FLATsite. For more information on WordPress sites see our knowledge base or ask our expert sales agents.
