When you are ready to launch a website, the first and most important decision is to choose which way to build a website. This article centers on the "way to build" this core issue, to help you from the demand, cost, time, maintenance and scalability of the five dimensions of the comparison of self-built (self-built), templates and customized development, to give hands-on advice, so that you can make the right choice according to the actual scene.
Why should you choose the way to build a website seriously? (Pain points and scenarios)
Different website building methods directly affect the online speed, cost, function realization, subsequent iteration cost and risk. Choosing the wrong way may lead to time delay, budget overspending or difficult to expand later. Common scenarios include:
- Personal blog or portfolio: pursuing speed and low cost;
- Small and medium-sized enterprise official website: need brand image and certain management background;
- E-commerce or complex business systems: high concurrency, orders, payments, user system requirements.
H3: determine your real needs (quick self-checklist)
- Does it need complex business logic (orders, user roles, permissions)?
- Is there a need for frequent revisions or feature iterations?
- Is there any development or operation and maintenance capability in the team?
- What is the budget and go-live time?
Overview and advantages and disadvantages of the three ways to build a website
H3: Self-built (self-built / open source built)
Definition: Developed or configured by individuals or teams using open source frameworks/platforms (e.g. WordPress, Hugo, Next.js).
Pros:
- Costs can be controlled (with open source software can save license fees).
- Full control of the code and data, easy to customize and migrate.
- Rapid prototyping with low learning costs.
Disadvantages:
- Requires some technical skills (build, deploy, O&M).
- Security, backup, and performance need to be your own responsibility.
- Development input may still be required for complex feature implementation.
Applicable scenarios: technical team or willing to learn, limited budget individuals / small teams; information display sites, blogs, documents station.
H3: template station building (station building platform or theme template)
Definition: Use a third-party website building platform (such as Wix, Squarespace, Shopify) or a template-based CMS theme to quickly build.
Pros:
- Fastest uptime, no development knowledge required.
- There are ready-made templates, plugins and customer service support.
- Maintenance and hosting are taken care of by the platform, low O&M costs.
Disadvantages:
- Customization is limited, complex requirements are difficult to implement or costs rise.
- Platform binding risk (migration difficult).
- Long-term subscription costs may accumulate higher.
Applicable Scenarios: Enterprises or individuals who wish to go online quickly, have limited budgets and relatively standard needs; simple commercial display stations, small e-commerce stores.
H3: Customized development (on-demand development by professional team)
Definition: customized development of websites/systems from scratch or based on frameworks by the development team according to demand.
Pros:
- Functionality is fully realized on-demand, and the experience is highly compatible with the brand.
- System architecture can be designed according to business growth and is highly scalable.
- Can interface with internal enterprise systems and complex processes.
Disadvantages:
- High cost (labor, testing, go-live, maintenance).
- Long go-live cycle requires clear requirements and project management skills.
- Each subsequent feature iteration may incur high costs.
Applicable scenarios: large and medium-sized enterprises or core products with clear and complex business requirements and high dependence on performance security and brand.
Comparison and Generalization (Table)
| Dimension | Self-built (open source) | Template build (platform/theme) | Customized Development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uplink speed | Medium | Fast | Slow |
| Cost (initial) | Low (hosting fee + domain name) | Low-Medium (subscription/template fees) | High |
| Cost (long term) | Medium (maintenance) | Medium-High (subscription accumulation) | High (maintenance/iteration) |
| Customization Capability | High (development required) | Low-Medium | Very High |
| O&M Requirements | Medium-high | Low | High (or to a third party) |
| Migration and Persistence | Good (self-control) | Poor (platform binding) | Good (but complex) |
| Suitable Scenarios | Technical teams/individuals | Quick Show/Small Shop | Complex business/enterprise |
How to make a choice based on the actual situation (decision-making process)
H3: If you are an individual or startup
Prioritize template-built or self-hosted static sites (e.g. Hugo, Hexo + GitHub Pages). Advantages are low cost, quick launch, and subsequent migration to self-hosting or custom development.
H3: If you are an SME webmaster
Evaluate whether you need backend management, CRM or order system:
- Simple requirements (company profile, product pages, forms): template website or WordPress is enough.
- Need to interface with internal systems or have specific processes: tend to self-built or find outsourcing custom development to ensure interface and security compliance.
H3: If you are an enterprise with a complex business
Prefer custom development or hybrid solution (custom backend + template frontend/Headless CMS). At the same time, plan for long-term O&M and code hosting, CI/CD process.
H4: Recommended hybrid solution (incremental investment)
You can use the template to quickly verify the requirements, and then gradually replace it with customized modules or access to APIs to achieve a smooth transition and control risks and costs.
Landing recommendations and operational steps (executable)
1. Define the core objectives and the three-month minimum viable product (MVP).
2. Evaluate budget and technical capabilities: make a list of "must have" and "can follow" features.
3. Select a pilot solution: if time is short and content is stable, start with a template; if the business is complex, immediately require customization.
4. Plan migration strategy: If you choose a template at the beginning, make sure that the data export and domain name are independent, so as to reduce the cost of future migration.
5. Set aside a maintenance budget: set aside 15-30% of the annual development/hosting costs for security and upgrades.
6. Do security and backup: Either way, configure HTTPS, regular backups and basic protection as soon as you go live.
7. Ongoing monitoring and user feedback: focus on collecting usage data within 1-3 months after launch to decide whether to upgrade the technical solution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
H4: Q: Can I do e-commerce with a template website?
A: Yes, small-scale e-commerce (single store, few SKUs) can be used on platforms such as Shopify, Wix, etc. However, when the order volume is large and the promotion is complex, it is recommended to migrate to a customized or mature e-commerce system.
H4: Q: Can I migrate my data if I want to change the platform later?
A: It depends on the platform. Prioritize the functions that can export content, users, and orders when choosing a platform; avoid being locked by the platform.
H4: Q: Is there a cost-effective compromise?
A: Using Headless CMS + static front-end or template + external API is a good compromise for quick launch and easy expansion in the future.
Conclusion
There is no best way to build a website, only the most suitable choice. It's often more prudent to take an incremental path (go live, then optimize) by weighing requirements, budget, time-to-launch, and team capabilities on the same sheet. By following the steps above, you can both control costs and leave room for future expansion.
Reference:
- WordPress Official - https://wordpress.org/
- Shopify Help Center - https://www.shopify.com/zh-cn/help
- MDN Web Docs (Basics of Building a Website) - https://developer.mozilla.org/zh-CN/docs/Learn
- Jamstack official website (Headless and static site architecture) - https://jamstack.org/
- Let's Encrypt (free SSL) - https://letsencrypt.org/