Classical hypertext navigation occurs among "static" documents, and, for web users, this experience is reproduced using static web pages, meaning that a page retrieved by different users at different times is always the same, in the same form.

However, a web page can also provide a live user experience. Content (text, images, form fields, etc.) on a web page can change in response to different contexts or conditions. In dynamic sites, page content and page layout are created separately. The content is retrieved from a database and is placed on a web page only when needed or asked. This allows for quicker page loading, and it allows just about anyone with limited web design experience to update their own website via an administrative tool. This set-up is ideal for those who wish to make frequent changes to their websites including text and image updates, e.g. e-commerce.