When you go to build your own website, you’ll come across a slew of platforms: Square, Blogspot and dozens of others. But, a lot of people end up with two main choices: HTML or WordPress.
In this article we will go over the pros and cons of both so that you can build your website on a platform that works best for you.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that started as a blogging platform. It has since grown into one of the most widely used web platforms available. WordPress has an easy-to-use interface that even a novice can use with ease.
WordPress, developed in PHP, makes managing your website intuitive.
HTML is used in WordPress to render the final page, but WordPress includes a user interface to update, add and change your website. The CMS utilizes a database, MySQL is most common, to store all of your website’s information.
The information in the database is queried, parsed and then sent to the web browser as HTML.
Easier to manage, WordPress does require more server resources due to heavy database usage.
What is HTML?
HTML is short for Hypertext Markup Language. HTML is the basis of every website – it’s what allows a website to render. Your web browser is designed to parse HTML and render a page based on the HTML of the page.
In fact, it’s difficult to compare WordPress and HTML because HTML is not a content management system. Instead, it’s the language that all CMS platforms, including WordPress, utilize to render pages.
But, HTML is the basis of every website available.
Sure, WordPress utilizes PHP on the server side and has algorithms to perform complex tasks, but the website, what you’re presented with on the page, is designed in HTML.
HTML can be edited using an editor or something as simple as notepad. The files are then uploaded to your FTP server and if accessible to the public, the file will be rendered in a user’s web browser.
Which is Better: WordPress or HTML?
So, which is better? It depends on your needs and what kind of website you want to build. If you need a website that you will barely make any changes to, we highly suggest an HTML website. HTML websites load much faster, have fewer security vulnerabilities and barely need updates.
WordPress sites are often bogged down with multiple plugins and unnecessary code. WordPress is a higher security risk, too. If left with obsolete files or a previous version of WordPress, you’ll be at risk of being hacked.
Since WordPress is so widely used, hackers target the platform far more than your flat HTML website.
WordPress is updated often, and for free, which is great. But, if you update your WordPress and your theme remains outdated, it’s possible that your website will “break” in the process. Error codes or improper rendering can result from a platform update when the theme hasn’t been properly updated.
Established, paid themes often offer rapid updates, negating the risk of updating your platform.
WordPress is amazing if you’re going to be blogging a lot and adding to your site often. There are numerous plugins that can be added to the site that can do just about anything. Adding a new blog post or page takes about 10 seconds.
WordPress is far more user-friendly – anyone can learn to use it in a day. If you’re not experienced in coding/HTML we highly suggest a WordPress site.
Getting Started in Minutes
So, do I have to build websites from scratch? Luckily for you, there are tons of HTML and WordPress Themes available for purchase. We suggest browsing through ThemeForest to find themes. They have thousands of themes with tons of reviews. You can sort by:
- Keyword
- Rating
- Sales
Do you want to build a website for a dental office? There’s a theme for that. Need a theme for a construction company? There’s a theme for that. How about a digital marketing agency? Oh, there are tons of themes for that, too.
There are niche-specific themes as well as multi-purpose themes that you can edit to make your own.
How About Selling Online?
If you decide you need e-commerce capabilities, we suggest that you stick with WordPress. You’ll need advanced coding experience, security expertise and additional resources to make an e-commerce platform in HTML.
WordPress has a plugin called Woocommerce that is quite powerful and customizable. Woocommerce is free, and it allows you to start selling products or services in minutes. There are tons of store themes out there to choose from, so there is barely any coding/heavy work needed.
We believe HTML sites are superior for speed and security. However, if you are looking for a site to continually put out new content, blog and sell online, WordPress is your best bet.
