HTML vs WordPress
So, you’re thinking of creating a website, perhaps out of passion, to showcase your portfolio of work or there could be many reasons one would want a website. Believe me, you will have so many options to choose from that you will be confused. Based on the functionality and type of website you want, these options may increase and you have to make a hard decision.
But let’s focus on the crux first, say you want to build a functional and minimalistic website and you have two options to choose from using HTML and associated styling sheets or using WordPress.
But before answering these questions, we need to understand what both terms mean.
What is WordPress?
I wouldn’t take much of your time discussing WordPress. But there are general misconceptions that need to be cleared before answering the fundamental question. This section aims to do that.
WordPress at its core is a CMS(Content Management System). In layman terms, it allows users to create, change their website as per their needs using a user-friendly admin area and you don’t need a coding background to operate it.
It is one of the largest CMS in the market, and data shows that around 30% of websites use WordPress.
Now there are two versions of WordPress, the .org version which is open source and you will find several plugins which aim to make your life easier and smoother. Here, you have to have your domain name to continue. But this version comes with a lot of customization options.
The second version is the .com version which is a self-hosted version of WordPress, it also comes with a free plan where they provide you with a domain name too. But with the free plan, you don’t have many customization options available. You can’t monetize your website without shifting to one of their paid plans. Nonetheless, both have their pros and cons.
Overall WordPress makes it easy for you to create a website and host it within 5-10 minutes. Also, the SEO part is a bonus that comes with it, which can be managed in the admin area itself. As it is a community-driven open source project, it receives regular updates with the newer versions better and faster than the previous ones.
One con that I have experienced is the compatibility issue. You have to keep an eye on what plugins you are using, and if all the plugins are compatible with each other. If the newer update of the plugin doesn’t support some other plugin, resolve that and so on. Sometimes, it drives you nuts, even for coders.
What is HTML?
HyperText Markup Language, or HTML as we call it. It’s the basic barebones of any website, whatever programming language you choose at last it is converted to some kind of HTML script for browsers to understand it. By using only HTML it’s a little difficult to create even a basic site. You would use CSS along with HTML to style the text and visual elements of your website and to keep your code clutter-free.
You may also use bootstrap, which provides for an easier CSS syntax. Then, to impart some dynamics to the website, you will have to use JS(Javascript) but that depends on for what purpose you are making the website. But, yes speaking from experience, even basic websites need a bit of JS knowledge.
Also, it has a learning curve. You have to learn all these or hire someone who knows them. Up till now, you may have made up your mind to use WordPress, at least I guess most of you. But, wait let’s take a look at the other side of the coin before forming an opinion.
You have full control over the website. It’s your website, you know the underlying HTML and what goes in there. You can customize it to your wish. There may be some things that you want but they may not be available on WordPress. But here, you are the master.
HTML websites use fewer resources and can be deployed on cheaper servers. Because WordPress servers need to have support for PHP and MYSQL. They need specialized servers. But if your website uses mostly HTML, and you have coded it yourself, you can deploy it on cheaper servers, which may have a large impact on your pocket in the long term.
HTML vs WordPress: What to Choose?
Each of the above methods has its pros and cons as described above. But what is best for you depends upon a few questions you need to ask. Are you willing to tackle the learning curve that comes with the latter method? Is your website dynamic and needs constant updates or it’s a static website with not much going on?
If you’re willing to take the plunge or you know it already then you should move on to the second question. If you’re not ready to take the plunge, you can happily go with WordPress and you will have minimal to no issues with extensive support.
A question usually comes, what if I hire someone? To be completely honest, you would spend more if you hire someone than you would save up in server costs. Because for every little change after the project is complete you will be charged.
Now coming to the second question, if the website you are designing is mostly static. You should pick HTML.
This way you will have to take fewer backups to not risk losing data. You would have to take a backup when you do some changes, which will be rare in the case of static websites. An example of a static website would be a website displaying your portfolio projects. If you’re a coder, that website itself is also your portfolio project. Also, there is the added benefit of lower hosting costs and being your own master.
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Content Written by Kushal Agrawal
Edited & Managed by Raju Gorla