WORDPRESS TO STATIC HTML
Could your WordPress site
go static?
Every time a PHP or WordPress vulnerability makes the news, the scramble to update and re-test begins again. It doesn't have to involve your public site.
Your team keeps editing in WordPress; only exported static HTML goes public, and the public server runs no PHP and no database. That's the setup we propose.
Not every site can go static — it depends on how the site is built and which features it relies on. We review your site first, and only then recommend whether to migrate.
WHAT CHANGES
If your site can go static, here's what you can expect.
Far less to attack
The public server runs no PHP, no database, and no WordPress. It only serves HTML, images, and CSS — so when a PHP or plugin vulnerability is disclosed, your public site isn't directly exposed to it.
No more emergency updates
Every disclosure means rushing to upgrade WordPress, plugins, and PHP, then re-testing everything. Static publishing takes your public site out of that cycle.
Faster and harder to take down
Pages aren't assembled on each request, so they load faster. Traffic spikes can't knock the site over through its database.
More hosting options
All you need is somewhere to serve static files — inexpensive hosting or a CDN, with no PHP or database required.
HOW IT WORKS
After migration, operation would typically look like this. The exact setup depends on your hosting and how the site is built.
Keep editing in WordPress
WordPress moves to a private, access-restricted editing location (e.g. wp.example.com). Writing posts and editing pages works essentially as before.
Export and publish in one click
When you're done editing, run the export from the WordPress dashboard. Static HTML is then generated and published to your public domain (e.g. www.example.com). Depending on your hosting, export and publish can be a single action.
Only the pages you need
We use an export plugin we developed in-house, customized for each site. Rather than dumping every unused archive and listing page the way generic tools tend to, it exports only the pages your site actually uses.
wp.example.com (editing, access-restricted)
↓ export from the dashboard
www.example.com (public, static HTML only)
IS IT A GOOD FIT?
Good fit
- Corporate sites: company and service information
- Sites centered on news, blog posts, or case studies
- Sites updated up to a few times a week
- Campaign and recruitment sites
Poor fit
- Sites that require member sign-up or login
- E-commerce sites selling through WooCommerce or similar
- Sites built around visitor comments or submissions
- Sites whose content changes per visitor
Even when part of a site doesn't fit, it can often be split off into a separate system so the rest can go static. Ask us.
If going static isn't possible, you can keep WordPress and protect it through server architecture instead.Secure PHP Hosting →
FEATURES THAT NEED REPLACING
Static HTML has no server-side processing, so a few features would need to move to other mechanisms. If a feature can't be replaced, going static may not be the right choice.
Contact forms
Form submissions can be routed to an external service. The contact form on this site works the same way.
Site search
Can be replaced with a search solution built for static sites, or an external search service.
Scheduled posts
Depending on your hosting, export and publish can run automatically at the scheduled time.
PROCESS
- 01
Consultation
Tell us your site's URL and the main features it relies on — forms, search, membership, and so on.
- 02
Feasibility check
We review the theme, plugins, and page structure, and tell you whether the site can go static and which features need replacing. If static isn't a good fit, we'll say so.
- 03
Tune and verify
We adapt the export plugin to your site, export every page, and check rendering and broken links.
- 04
Switchover
We relocate WordPress to its restricted editing location and switch the public site over.
- 05
Ongoing operation
You can handle updates and exports yourselves, or we can export and publish for you under a maintenance agreement.
PRICING
The work varies widely with the size and structure of the site and which features need replacing, so pricing is quoted case by case. We'll provide an estimate once we understand your situation.
CONTACT
“Can our site even go static?” is a fine place to start. Send us the URL and we'll take a look and let you know how likely it is.