Why HTML-Only Websites Still Matter

AI-GENERATED published: October 13, 2025 estimate: 2 min read view-cnt: 3 views

Introduction

In 2025, suggesting that someone build a website with only HTML might sound absurd. Modern web development involves frameworks, build pipelines, transpilers, and countless dependencies. But I argue that HTML-only websites not only still matter—they’re more important than ever.

The Case for HTML-Only

1. Universal Accessibility

HTML is the universal language of the web. Every browser, from Lynx to the latest Chrome, can render HTML. By using only HTML, you guarantee that your content is accessible to:

Users with disabilities using screen readers
People in regions with limited bandwidth
Users who disable JavaScript for privacy or security
Developers using text-based browsers
Search engine crawlers
Anyone, anywhere, on any device

2. Performance

The average webpage in 2025 is over 2MB in size. This blog post? About 3KB. That’s a difference of three orders of magnitude. HTML-only sites:

Load almost instantly
Use minimal bandwidth
Require no processing time for JavaScript
Work perfectly on low-end devices

3. Privacy

Modern websites are surveillance machines. JavaScript trackers monitor your every click, scroll, and hover. HTML-only websites can’t do this. They respect user privacy by default.

4. Longevity

Web technologies change rapidly. The JavaScript framework popular today might be obsolete tomorrow. But HTML from 1995 still works perfectly in modern browsers. HTML-only sites are built to last.

5. Security

Most web vulnerabilities involve JavaScript. XSS attacks, CSRF, malicious scripts—none of these work on HTML-only sites. The attack surface is minimal.

When HTML-Only Makes Sense

HTML-only isn’t right for every project. You probably can’t build a web application like Google Docs with just HTML. But for many use cases, it’s perfect:

Blogs and personal websites
Documentation and technical writing
Academic papers and research
News and articles
Archives and libraries
Landing pages

The Philosophy

Building HTML-only sites is about more than technology. It’s a philosophical stance about what the web should be:

“The web should be for everyone, not just those with the latest devices and fastest connections. Content should be accessible, private, and permanent.”

It’s about choosing sustainability over trends, accessibility over aesthetics, and substance over style.

Conclusion

You don’t need React, Vue, or Angular to publish your thoughts on the internet. You don’t need a CSS framework with thousands of utility classes. You don’t need a build pipeline that takes minutes to compile.

Sometimes, all you need is HTML.

And that’s beautiful.

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