Dynamic vs static content

There are two kinds of content: dynamic content and static content.

Usually, the first websites that you make as you learn to develop will be static; this means that anyone going onto the website will see exactly the same content. Static websites are relatively easy to make, and are often made using just HTML and CSS.

Once you have created some basic static websites, you might want to try adding some dynamic content. This is content that changes for different people. For example, Instagram is a dynamic website; you can load Instagram at the same time as a friend, and you will see different posts and even different adverts based on your follows, browsing history, and likes.

Compare this to a static image website such as The National Archives image database which has the same experience for all users; for example, if you search for ‘cat’, you see the same images as everyone who searches for ‘cat’.

There are many different ways of creating dynamic content:

Real-time updates

Real-time content includes features like live chat, social media feeds, and stock market tickers that update automatically as new information becomes available. Achieving real-time updates typically involves technologies like WebSocket or long polling, which allow constant communication between the server and the client so that new information can be shown to the user.

Interactive forms

Interactive forms allow users to input data and receive immediate feedback, such as error messages or suggestions. They can also be used to provide services such as online calculators or translators, or even games! JavaScript is often used to validate user inputs and provide dynamic responses without the need to reload the entire page.

User-generated content

Websites that allow users to post comments, reviews, or content are very popular online, and many users like to be able to leave reviews or to post comments. Databases such as PostgreSQL store this data, and server-side scripting languages are used to retrieve and display it on web pages for other users to see.

Personalised recommendations

Websites often provide personalised recommendations for users based on their browsing history, preferences, or behaviour. Algorithms and server-side scripting languages process this data to generate tailored content recommendations. This is used by sites such as Google and Amazon to try and give you search results which are more relevant to you.

Having learned what static and dynamic websites are, the next step will introduce you to content management systems and WordPress.