Website vs. webpage
The difference between a website and a webpage?
I sometimes get told to do a webpage for a client, but in real life, the client wants a website without knowing the difference. So what is the difference between these two, and why should you choose one over the other?
Webpage
A webpage is a single document or page on the internet with its own URL. You can think of it as one single page in a book and all the information is written on this page alone without other pages exitsting.
- Single HTML document
- One specific URL (e.g., www.example.com/about)
- Contains specific content or information
- Can be part of a larger website or the only page of a "website" (which makes it a webpage)
Website
A website is a collection of related webpages grouped under one domain name. Think of it as the entire book, where all pages are collected under a common denominator.
- Multiple interconnected webpages
- One main domain (e.g., www.example.com)
- Complete online presence with navigation between pages
- Includes homepage, subpages, and site structure
When to choose a webpage or a website?
You don't really "choose" between them in practice - you are usually deciding between a single-page website (= webpage) versus a multi-page website (= website).
Choose a Single-page website when:
- You have limited content (portfolio only, event landing-page, product launch)
- You want a simple, focused message
- Users need quick access to everything without clicking around
- Example: A freelancer's portfolio, a restaurant menu page, a conference registration site
Choose a Multi-page website when:
- You have diverse content that needs organization (blog, store, company site)
- Different audiences need different information
- You want better SEO through multiple targeted pages
- Content is too extensive for one page
- Example: E-commerce stores, news sites, corporate websites, educational platforms
Most businesses and projects need multi-page websites to properly organize information and serve different users' needs.
