Static hosting is a type of web hosting that serves pre-generated files: the server does not run any programs or query any databases, but simply sends the uploaded HTML, CSS, JavaScript, image and video files to the visitor’s browser without any modifications. As a result, it can handle a very large number of requests even with limited resources.

What counts as static content?

Any file that displays the same content to every visitor and is not generated at the time of the request: simple HTML/CSS/JavaScript pages, images, videos, PDFs and other downloadable documents, as well as websites generated using static site generators (Jekyll, Hugo, Gatsby, Eleventy). These generators produce the finished HTML files on your own machine or as part of a CI workflow; only the final output is uploaded to the hosting server.

JavaScript runs in the browser, which means even a static page can be interactive: menus, galleries, maps, embedded videos or a form submitted to an external service will all work on it.

How does it differ from traditional web hosting?

Our standard web hosting plans include PHP and a MySQL-compatible database, making them suitable for running content management systems (such as WordPress and Joomla) and online shops. In contrast, our static hosting plans:

• An Nginx web server is running, optimised for serving static files, on a PCIe NVMe storage device;
• You can upload files via SFTP; SSH (command-line) access is not available;
• There is no PHP, Node.js or Python, nor is there a database; email accounts cannot be created, only email forwarding is available;
• It comes with free SSL, daily backups and DDoS protection;
• The plans differ only in terms of storage (5–100 GB) and monthly traffic (50–1000 GB).

As the server runs Nginx, the rules (redirects, restrictions) in .htaccess files written for Apache do not apply here.

When is it best to make a choice?

• for landing pages, portfolio pages or campaign pages that rarely change;
• for websites and documentation created using a static site generator;
• For hosting high-resolution images, videos and downloadable files, or even as media storage for another website.

When is it not suitable?

If your website uses a content management system (WordPress, WooCommerce), requires user login, a shopping basket or a custom PHP contact form, static hosting is not suitable. In such cases, web hosting or WordPress hosting is the right choice.

Uploading and verification

1. Connect via an SFTP client (FileZilla, WinSCP, Cyberduck) using the details provided when your hosting account was set up.
2. Upload the files for the finished website to the web root directory. For generators, you must upload the contents of the output folder (Jekyll: _site, Hugo: public), not the source files.
3. Open the domain in your browser and check the images, style sheets and subpages.

Common errors

• index.html missing: this is the index file in the root directory and in every subdirectory.
• Case sensitivity: the server distinguishes between the names Logo.png and logo.png, which can result in an image not loading even on a site running on your own machine.
• Incorrect base URL: if the developer address (e.g. localhost) remains in the generator’s settings, the links and style sheets will not load.

A more detailed comparison can be found on our blog: Static website hosting: comparison and selection guide.