WordPress versus static sites – the differences
If you've built static sites before, you'll know that they consist of a number of files that you upload to your server. These will include:
- HTML files
- One or more CSS files (referred to as style sheets)
- Possibly JavaScript files if you're running sliders or other dynamic elements on your site
Your WordPress site will include different file types and it will also include a database, which is where your content will be stored.
The main elements of a WordPress site are:
- The files running WordPress itself. These are mainly PHP files.
- The files in your site's theme, including one CSS file (occasionally more) and a number of PHP files.
- The files in any plugins you install. These will always include PHP files but may also include CSS and JavaScript files.
- Files you upload to your site, including images and PDF files.
- Your site's database, which will include a number of tables storing your content and site settings.
You'll learn more about these and what they do in the next section.
