How to build a website without a page builder or WordPress

The idea

A website is files

A web page is HTML, CSS and images. Page builders and plugin stacks add layers on top of those files. In our sample-store test, the version coded the way a default theme typically is scored 73 for Performance on mobile, and the hand-coded version scored 100 (report and report). That is one example, not a verdict on any tool.

The steps

How to build a site with plain HTML and CSS

1. Start from a template. Open a live sample, run it through PageSpeed Insights and pick one that already passes (see the catalog).
2. Edit in a text editor. Change the words, the contact details and the images. No account or builder is needed.
3. Compress images and keep their dimensions. Set width and height on every image so space is reserved while it loads (see the code teardown).
4. Host the files anywhere that serves static files. There is no database or plugin to keep updated.
5. Add a form with a service if you need one. Plain HTML cannot receive form submissions by itself.
6. Test on mobile and fix the first issue. Then re-test after every change (the method is in our 100 PageSpeed guide).

The cost

What you give up

• A visual editor, so changes mean editing code.
• A plugin ecosystem, so features like booking or memberships need an outside service.
• Built-in commerce, since a cart and checkout need a platform or payment service.
• Easy editing by non-technical teammates.

The honest call

When a platform is still the right choice

If several non-technical people need to publish often, or the business depends on store features, a platform or WordPress is usually the practical choice, and it can still be tuned. Plain HTML fits sites that change a few times a year: local services, portfolios, brochure sites and landing pages.

If you want a head start

Start from code that already passes

Every template here is the complete, hand-coded file behind a live sample site with a public report. Open a sample such as the pet grooming site, run the test yourself, then decide. Templates are $29 each or $99 for all of them (see the catalog), and the $19 book walks through the method. Downloads work on an honor system (how it works), and building for clients needs a different license (licensing).