Are you undecided about whether to design your new website with WordPress or HTML?
WordPress is one of the most popular website builders, with over 500 new websites being created every day.
Because there are hundreds of thousands of themes and plugins, it may appear that everything revolves around WordPress, but is WordPress the best option for developing your website?
It's convenient to have your website made with just a few clicks, but is there any benefit to reverting back to the days when websites were developed from the ground up using HTML?
In putting together this article, I also got some insights from a leading web design company in Sri Lanka called Inspirenix web design and development to better get a 360 perspective from individual designers as well as web design companies.
Keep reading to learn about the most significant features of building a website with WordPress vs. coding, so you know what to expect.
What exactly is WordPress?
WordPress is the most popular content management system, which is developed in PHP and uses the MySQL database.
The content management system is linked to themes and plugins in this way.
I should also emphasize that WordPress is an open-source system, which means you can start customizing it as soon as you download it and put it on your hosting.
As a result, you can think of WordPress as a comprehensive package that provides you with everything you'll need to properly administer and expand your new website.
While the open-source WordPress system may be downloaded and installed on any hosting provider, you can also host your website directly at WordPress.com.
What exactly is HTML?
HTML stands for hypertext markup language, and it's best recognized as a language for creating documents that are meant to be viewed in a browser.
HTML is a means for many competent coders to build a custom website from the ground up that can be combined with JavaScript and other programming languages.
HTML was the primary method of creating websites, but if you look at websites from two decades ago, you'll notice that they're quite simple by today's standards.
HTML, on the other hand, has evolved over time, and talented coders can now produce websites that look just as well (if not better) than those created on content management systems like WordPress.
HTML vs. WordPress
Both WordPress and HTML have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. To show you exactly what to expect from both solutions, I divided this comparative study into ten key sections.
WordPress is a content management system that manages a website and its content without engaging directly with the code. HTML, on the other hand, is a code that describes the website and is the component of the completed website that does not have any background activities.
People may not see the difference on the surface, but which is better? Continue reading to find out!
User-Friendliness
The most significant advantage of WordPress is the lack of code. You can build a website without ever seeing the code, which also means you can change and redesign it without writing a single line of code.
One of the reasons WordPress is one of the most popular website platforms is the graphical interface.
HTML, on the other hand, has no graphical user interface and relies entirely on code. You must generate content within the code if you wish to do so.
If you want to change how your site works, you'll have to change the code. You get my drift.
As a result, WordPress is the clear winner in the Ease-of-Use category.
Cost
WordPress is a free system to use because it is open-source, but you will need to pay for your own hosting.
If you choose to host your website directly on WordPress.com, you will not be charged for hosting and will save money. Keep in mind, however, that you will only have limited ownership of the website if you do it this way.
When it comes to HTML, if you are a proficient developer, you will not need to hire someone to write the code for your website. If you don't, you'll have to not only engage a coder to create your website, but you'll also have to keep that coder employed because you'll need him whenever you need to make modifications.
You'll need a hosting package if you want to develop an HTML website, which can cost anywhere from $5 to $25 per month.
As a result, there is a tie in the cost category between WordPress and HTML. The price will mostly be determined by your requirements and circumstances.
Security
Despite the fact that content management systems like WordPress are well-protected and include dozens of plugins to make your website secure, it’s impossible to be completely safe all of the time.
Such systems can be hacked, and hackers will try their hardest to locate a flaw in each new upgrade. When you consider the number of themes and plugins used on a typical WordPress site (about 10), they become a possible entry point for hackers.
HTML, on the other hand, is a static code, and HTML webpages do not contain any background activities. A static HTML website, on the other hand, has a lower probability of being exploited by hackers.
So, when it comes to security, HTML comes out on top.
Search Engines (SEO)
There's a rumor going around that HTML webpages load faster since they're static and don't have any background activities running. This led to the belief that HTML websites are more likely to be ranked higher in search engines.
This was never formally confirmed, though. Although HTML websites may easily achieve faster page loading times, certain fantastic WordPress themes can also achieve this.
When it comes to search engines and rankings, the style of website doesn't matter - but the loading speed should be monitored.
With that said, the search engines category is a tie between WordPress and HTML.
Plugins
Plugins are the second most important benefit of WordPress, as they allow for more integration and a faster visual build of complicated websites.
Even though HTML websites don't come with any running plugins, everything you need is built right within the code. As a result, building a complicated HTML website can take a long time.
WordPress is unquestionably the winner in the plugins area, as plugins are one of the most important integration components that enhance convenience.
Updates and Maintenance
You'll never have to worry about updates if you develop an HTML website and submit it to the server. You'll have to go back into the coding and make the necessary adjustments if you decide to update the website.
WordPress, on the other hand, receives frequent upgrades as a system, and this also applies to WordPress themes and plugins.
Updates are frequently light, making them simple to apply, but they are also connected with security threats.
As a result, despite the fact that it's a close call, HTML can win this category if you're searching for simplicity with less dangers.
Platform Support and Community
WordPress is one of the most widely used content management systems in the world, with a large community and support network — HTML should not be overlooked at this point.
The beautiful thing with HTML is that there are lots of excellent communities dedicated to the language. As a result, you'll always be able to locate a community to join while also receiving assistance from expert coders.
This category is a tie because both WordPress and HTML have vibrant communities with ample of resources.
Platform Performance
HTML webpages are well-known for being lightweight and quick to load. When a user sees an HTML website, their browser will not be required to perform as many transactions as it would with a WordPress website.
However, because WordPress is built on PHP, the number of transactions per second increases with each PHP upgrade, resulting in faster loading times. Themes and plugins, on the other hand, play an important part in the performance of a WordPress website, so keep that in mind.
I can't see myself foregoing the benefits of WordPress in exchange for slightly better performance from HTML.
However, HTML outperforms WordPress in terms of performance.
Conclusion
HTML can be a good choice if you're just getting started and want to develop a modest website while learning a new language.
WordPress, on the other hand, can be the appropriate solution for constructing complicated websites that are easy to change as you progress if you don't mind a tiny learning curve that will result in a lot more convenience down the road.
With WordPress powering 40% of all websites, it's clearly a "safe" bet. If you opt to use HTML, be aware of the potential stumbling blocks.
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