Server load mysql versus a static include.

I am trying to figure out whether including static html on a php page has a lighter server load than pulling the same information from a database.

Let's say a wordpress type cms site versus a site which includes a static header, footer, nav menu and pulls the article display from a static html file. Five includes vrs. howerever many db hits it would take to produce the same page.

Which uses more server cpu, memory etc. ? How much more?

 

Querying anything from the db will always be more intensive than doing static includes.

 

This is the truth.

 

Caching DB content is a pretty decent way to go, best of both worlds, so to speak.

Update the cache when the DB changes, or however you want, but surfers will hit static content and lighten the load.

 

Just a teeny addition here.

If the db actually has to hit the physical disk. The additional work/time can be multiplied by a magnitude of thousands.

.