Sites with no application at all.
WHAT THEY ARE
Tools that build plain HTML files from templates and content. The result is static files: no database, no PHP, nothing to exploit.
THE ADVANTAGES
Extremely fast, since there is nothing to execute Essentially nothing to hack No updates to apply Minimal resource use Cheap to host
THE TRADE-OFFS
No dynamic features without adding external services Content editing requires the build process, or a separate editing interface Forms, comments and search need third-party services Not suitable for anything requiring user accounts or real-time data
WHO THEY SUIT
Documentation, brochure sites, portfolios, blogs where the author is technical.
HOSTING THEM
Upload the built files to public_html. Nothing else is required.
Run AutoSSL and enable Force HTTPS as usual.
FORMS
A static site cannot process a form. Use a form service, or a small PHP handler alongside the static files.
WHEN TO CONSIDER ONE
When the site rarely changes, the editor is technical, and speed and security matter more than convenience.
