When trying to decide which method is best for you when building your website, it is important to first distinguish what conditions and requirements must be met for your website to be successful. The more of these conditions and requirements you can list, the easier it will be to choose the relevant tools for building your website.
example Requirements and Conditions:
How much time you have to build the website.
The budget for the website.
How customisable it needs to be.
Prior knowledge of website construction.
HTML and CSS
HTML and CSS, while taking the longest to learn when compared to other website development methods, allow you to custom build your website and implement almost any creative idea you might have. In contrast to this, paying someone else to do it for you can be costly. Using HTML and CSS also allows you to use Javascript effectively. You will need to purchase your own domain name and web hosting for your website to become visible on the web.
Advantages:
It’s free
When coding the website yourself, you know that the result will match your vision for the website since it gives the most freedom with customisation
Doesn’t require advanced software to write
Disadvantages:
It can take a long time relative to the other options
You have to learn to code
It is free to use yourself but can cost a lot if you pay someone else to make it for you
You will have to purchase a domain name and website hosting for your website to become visible on the web
Content management systems (CMS)
Unlike HTML and CSS, CMS allows users to edit/upload content without the use of any coding knowledge. Content management systems are usually free while offering premium features allowing for extra options or more customisation. CMS, take a long time to set up and are usually difficult to maintain yourself, adding additional hidden cost. You will need to purchase your own domain name and hosting for your website to become visible on the web.
Advantages:
No coding background required
Usually free
Decent amount of customisation (especially with the premium options if you choose to use them)
Disadvantages:
Difficult to maintain yourself adding additional hidden cost.
You will have to purchase a domain name and website hosting for your website to become visible on the web.
Takes a long time to set up.
Website builders
Website builders offer the user an efficient way of building a website and it can take only a couple of hours to set up a simple website. Website builders will often offer a free website hosting service and domain name to people that are happy to allow the website builder to advertise on the site the user creates. The user can pay for premium services which unlock extra features. This sometimes means the level of customisation can be limited with the free version.
Advantages:
You can build a website in a couple of hours
Some offer free website hosting service and domain name
No coding background required
Disadvantages
The free version can feel very limited
Website builders will advertise on sites that use the free website hosting service and domain name
Because of the limitations, it can be difficult to implement your original design
Author: Richard Jenkins
Editor: Ruby Osborne
references:
[Figure 1] Free From Wix Images "Questions". CC0. 2019.
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