Dynamic Web Pages
a.k.a.
Web Applications

Static web pages contain HTML and possibly a client-side script, and can be viewed in browser without even needing a server.

Database-backed web pages, however, are created by a web server working in conjunction with an application server and a database server. These pages are called dynamic pages and must be served by a web server because they are generated by a server-side script (for example, ASP).

Dynamic pages cannot be simply opened in a browser-- they must be requested and served from a server. Furthermore, that web server must be running an application server and have access to a database.

Dynamic pages contain both HTML and server-side scripting code (ASP, for example). An application server processes this code and sends a complete HTML page to the web server which then sends the page to your browser. No ASP code remains in the final page you view in a browser.

Figures from Riccardi which illustrate this process:

11.1 Architecture of Dynamic Web Sites

Fig. 11.4 Dynamic Architecture with IIS and ASP

Setting Up DW for Dynamic Pages: the Testing Server

To actually create and deliver a dynamic web page, you must set up DW to work with a "testing server" that has both an IIS/ASP server and a database..

For 382, the "testing server" will be the computer you are working on: the computers in B26 Kla have IIS running, and they can serve dynamic pages using the special http://localhost/ URL.

Therefore, the computers in B26 Kla can be used to write and test dynamic web pages. Your home computer can also be configured as a testing server, by installing DW, IIS, and Access.