A static website serves pages built before a visitor arrives. A dynamic CMS can generate pages on the server when they are requested. Publii is a free, open-source static CMS without PHP or a database on the public server. Compare the differences in speed, SEO, hosting and maintenance.
| Static CMS (Publii) | Dynamic CMS (e.g., WordPress, Joomla, Drupal) | |
|---|---|---|
| Speed & performance | Pages are generated before publishing. Your server delivers pre-rendered HTML without running the CMS or querying its database for each visit. | The server can build pages on request using application code and database queries. Page caching can serve saved HTML and reduce that work. |
| SEO & discoverability | Manage metadata, clean URLs, XML sitemaps, structured data and social previews in Publii. These tools are built in, without a separate SEO plugin. | Built-in SEO tools vary by CMS. Themes and extensions can add more control over metadata, structured data and social previews. |
| Security & reliability | Your published site has no Publii admin panel, PHP runtime or CMS database to attack. Hosting accounts and any added scripts still need protection. | The live CMS, admin accounts, extensions and database need ongoing protection. Updates, access controls and backups help reduce risk and recover from failures. |
| Privacy & consent | Publii adds no tracking by default. Official themes self-host their assets, and built-in consent tools support a GDPR- and CCPA-friendly setup. The services you add and how you operate the site still matter. | Privacy depends on the theme, plugins and services you choose. Configure consent where needed; neither CMS architecture makes a website compliant on its own. |
| Maintenance | There is no server-side CMS to update. Keep your desktop app, themes and plugins current, and back up your local projects. | Maintain the CMS, themes, extensions and server software, and back up both files and the database. Managed hosting can handle some of this work. |
| Hosting & costs | Static hosting works without PHP or a server-side CMS database. Use GitHub Pages, Netlify or a compatible conventional web host; costs depend on the provider and traffic. | WordPress, Joomla and Drupal need hosting that supports their server software and database. Pricing depends on resources, traffic and the level of managed support. |
| Publishing changes | Connect your hosting in the app, then sync to publish. Publii supports FTP/SFTP, GitHub Pages, GitLab Pages, Amazon S3, Netlify and Google Cloud. | Once the CMS is installed on your host, you can publish content from its web admin. Many hosts offer automated installation and managed setup. |
| Everyday editing | Write, organize content and preview your website in the desktop app. Publish your changes when they are ready, without running build commands. | Manage content in a browser-based admin panel. Available editors, settings and workflows depend on the CMS and the extensions you install. |
| Handling more traffic | A CDN can distribute static files without running the CMS for each visitor. Capacity and costs still depend on your host, bandwidth and file sizes. | Caching, CDNs and database optimization help sites handle more visitors. Requests that cannot be cached still use application and database resources. |
| Where the CMS runs | Your content database, settings and theme stay on your computer. Publii combines them into HTML, CSS, JavaScript and media files for publishing. | The CMS and database run on the server. Templates and application code assemble pages from stored content, with caching available to reuse generated results. |
| Moving your website | Move the generated files to another compatible host without migrating a live CMS database. Keep your local Publii project to continue editing and publishing. | Self-hosted CMSs can move between compatible hosts. Migration includes files, the database and configuration; switching to another CMS may also require content and theme changes. |
| Working offline | Create, edit and preview your site without an internet connection. Connect when you want to publish, download updates or use external services. | A hosted admin panel needs an internet connection. You can run the CMS locally, but that requires a local server and a way to transfer changes. |
A CMS without PHP on the public server is a useful fit for a content website. When accounts, transactions or personalized data drive the site, a dynamic application may suit the work better.
Publii is an offline website builder and static site generator with a GUI. Write and preview on Windows, macOS or Linux, then publish static files to the host of your choice. The ideal fit for blogs, portfolios, documentation and business websites.
Compare Publii with WordPressWordPress, Joomla and Drupal support server-side extensions and shared browser workflows. They can suit stores, memberships or sites with user accounts. A static site can connect external services too, but each integration needs its own setup.
Compare Publii vs Medium for publishingFree and open source. Windows, macOS and Linux.