View source for KB 223

===What's the difference between dynamic and static web pages?===
 Article:223
 Created:2003-04-30 11:54:32
 Categories:
   Web Publishing

====Question or Symptom====
I've heard the terms dynamic and static referring to web pages. What
does that mean?


====Resolution====
A static web page is a file made up of HTML commands that tells a web client
(web browser) how to display some content. A dynamic web page is HTML that is
generated by some programming process. This HTML is then sent to the web browser
and displayed in the same way a static web page would be. To the web browser the
page it receives is just an HTML document. The difference occurs at the web
server. 
  
Some processes that generate HTML are PHP, Perl cgi scripts, Active X, and Server
Side Includes. These processes may be built into the web server like PHP, or
Mod-Perl, or they may be external programs that are invoked, like most CGI
scripts.
  
Dynamic pages are most often associated with form processes. For example a form
may ask you to check your product interests and the subsequent page displayed
will use that information to query a database of products showing only the ones
you've indicated an interest in.

====Related KB articles====
  [[KB 221]] What is TCP/IP?

  [[KB 222]] What are servers?