Back in the day, when the internet was still the new big thing and the world couldn’t possibly have imagined what we’re able to do on the web today, building websites was hard. So hard, in fact, that it could only be done by proper web developers with expertise in coding and other software-related skills.
However, these days, things have changed. Experts have created a way in which pretty much anyone can create a website. Whether you kind of know what you’re doing and consider yourself “tech savvy” (as the boomers would say) or you have absolutely no cooking clue, the good news is that it’s absolutely plausible for you to create a brand-new website.
And, the way you can do that is by means of a website-building platform. These platforms provide users with software that allows them to pick and choose templates, layouts and more in order to put together a full-on website in the easiest possible way.
These days, there are plenty of options to choose from, all with their own focuses – some on SEO tools, others on e-commerce features, for example – but the one that’s always at the top of the list of recommendations is WordPress. And for good reason.
WordPress is actually more than just a website builder, it’s a full-on content management software (CMS), so its function goes beyond that of platforms like Wix and Squarespace.
The cool thing about WordPress is that it can be used by both amateurs and experts, so it can help you create a basic website or, if you know what you’re doing, you can delve into the advanced features and make a completely customised site.
So much so that these days, many experienced web devs actually use WordPress to design websites that they’re creating for other people, and the results are sleek and professional.
Of course, the other option is the old-school, so to speak, way of building websites – starting from scratch using HTML (hypertext markup language) and CSS (cascade styling sheets). HTML is the code that web devs use to create the content of a webpage and CSS is used to design and style the site.
So, why do some web devs use WordPress while others go the old-school HTML and CSS route?
A Direct Comparison of WordPress Vs. HTML
First and foremost, WordPress and HTML can both be used as methods to build websites, however, they function in completely different ways, they require varying levels of skill and they involve different methods of upkeep.
At the most basic level, WordPress is a type of content management system that allows you to quickly and easily create a website by picking and choosing from a variety of different options and templates. For extended customisation, you can then delve deeper into the more complex tools and make use of extended plugins for extra features.
HTML, on the other hand, is a website that is created by writing code. The webpages that are coded are fixed and in order to edit and update them, the actual code needs to be changed manually.
But, that’s just the most basic difference between the two. Here are some specific differences to consider when thinking about the use of HTML or WordPress in building a website:
- Editing: HTML websites are often referred to as “static” because the pages are hard-coded in the way they’re meant to be displayed, so if changes need to be made, it requires full-on rewriting of code which is difficult, time-consuming and costly. But making edits via WordPress is easy – you just have to log in to the backend and you can edit whatever you like quickly and easily.
- Ease of Use: WordPress is significantly easier to use because you don’t need any skills in coding or web development. The CMS provides a straightforward dashboard that allows you to create and edit as you like. However, HTML requires coding as well as the use of CSS, so you need to have expertise as a web developer to be able to use HTML at all.
- Added Features: With an old-style HTML website, you can create pretty much anything you like, but it’s a difficult and time-consuming process that requires creativity and skill. WordPress, however, as a CMS, provides users with a whole lot of tools and features ready to go. And, if you want to do anything extra, there are loads of plugins you can purchase to add whatever you like to your site.
- Required Time: Building a WordPress website can be done relatively quickly, depending on how complicated or basic you want it to be. However, in comparison to going the HTML coding route, it’s almost incomparable. With WordPress, you’re basically picking and choosing from a whole lot of pre-existing options (mostly), but on HTML, you have to create everything from scratch. So basically, creating a website with WordPress will be way quicker than HTML.
- Costs: Since using WordPress is way easier and quicker than building a website from scratch, and it requires less expertise (even though many web devs who use WordPress still could code themselves), using HTML is normally way more expensive. It takes longer and necessarily requires a coding web developer, while with WordPress, you don’t necessarily have to have those skills, even though you may.
- Updates: WordPress is quick and easy to update and HTML isn’t, so if you’re creating a site that will need to be changed frequently, HTML will be a nightmare. However, if you need a site that just needs to be coded and can then pretty much be left, HTML may be totally appropriate.
- Customisation: Since an HTML website is built from scratch, you can choose to create and code pretty much anything that you like – there are no limits to customisation. However, with WordPress, you’re working with pre-existing templates and plugins, so you can only go so far as what’s already available. Now, WordPress is known for having a lot of capabilities and plenty of options for customisation, especially since there are so many plugins (especially compared to other website builders), but there’s still a limit to your options.
- Hosting: Both options require hosting of some sort, but the requirements are slightly different. In the case of an HTML website, fewer server resources are needed and sites can be hosted using cheaper plans. With WordPress, however, hosting can be done via the platform making it pretty quick and easy to set up and manage.
So, WordPress or HTML?
Deciding between a WordPress or HTML website isn’t necessarily about making an overall judgement about which one is better, because ultimately, neither is better than the other – the simply offer different features.
But, having said that, there’s a good reason why WordPress has become so popular not only among amateurs but skilled web developers too. These are people who have the skills and abilities to code websites from scratch but are still choosing to use a CMS because generally speaking, it’s easier, it’s quicker, it’s cheaper and it (mostly) provides the same capabilities.
Ultimately, HTML websites still provide far more opinions for customisation and creation of unique websites, and if you’re creating a site for a big, important company with plenty of money to pay a team of web devs to constantly code, make updates and keep track of the site, it may be the right option.
However, for most people who don’t have unlimited time and money and can’t afford to waste hours and days making simple changes by writing brand-new code, WordPress offers an excellent way to create and manage a website.
Not only has WordPress made website development easier for experts, but it’s also opened the door to non-coders who are interested in designing sites beyond the scope of the more basic platforms but without having to learn full-on coding languages and skills.
