Guide
Which stack should you ask Claude or another AI to build?
For most small business websites, ask the AI for a static site: plain HTML and CSS for a few pages, or Astro for a larger one. Static files are the cheapest to host, the fastest to load and the safest to run, and they work on shared hosting with no extra setup. Choose WordPress if you want to edit content yourself, and a Node.js or Python app only when the site genuinely needs to run code on the server.
Why it matters
The stack is the decision that shapes everything else
When you ask an AI assistant to build a website, one of the first things it has to decide is the stack: the set of tools the site is built from. If you do not say, it will pick one for you, and the choice is often a modern framework that suits a developer's laptop better than a small business website. The result can look impressive and still be awkward to host, slow to change or expensive to run.
Choosing the stack yourself, before the first prompt, avoids that. The right choice depends on three plain questions. How often will the content change, and who will change it? Does the site need to remember anything about visitors, such as accounts or orders? And how much do you want to look after once it is live? The answers point to one of five options, and this guide walks through each in turn.
The advice here is written for people building with Claude, ChatGPT or a similar assistant, but it applies equally to a freelancer or a template. Our guide to building a website with Claude covers the whole process, and this page focuses on the single most important decision within it.
The five stacks
Pick from these five
Plain HTML and CSS
The simplest site that works. No build step and nothing to update.
Astro
Static pages without repeating yourself. Builds to plain files.
WordPress
For sites other people will edit through a login.
Node.js
Only when the site must run code on the server.
Python
Only when the site must run code on the server and you prefer Python.
Claude
Can build any of the five. Tell it the stack in your first prompt.
Side by side
The five stacks compared
| Stack | Best for | Build step? | On our shared plans | Upkeep | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain HTML and CSS | A brochure site of a handful of pages | No | Yes, upload and go | Very low | Excellent |
| Astro (static output) | A larger site, a blog or a guide library | Yes, on your computer | Yes, upload the built files | Low | Excellent |
| WordPress | Sites that non-technical people edit often | No | Yes, one-click install | Medium, updates needed | Good with caching |
| Node.js app | Logins, dashboards, custom server logic | Often | Yes with the Node.js selector, within plan limits | Higher | Depends on the code |
| Python app | Data tools, custom back ends | Sometimes | Yes with the Python selector, within plan limits | Higher | Depends on the code |
Heavy or always-on applications may need more than a shared plan offers. If you are unsure, ask our live chat before you build.
Option 1
Plain HTML and CSS: the simplest thing that works
If your site is a homepage, an about page, a services page and a contact page, plain HTML and CSS is hard to beat. There is no framework, no build step and nothing to update. An AI assistant is very good at writing it, the files are small, and the finished site is just a folder you upload.
The limit is repetition. Every page carries its own copy of the header and footer, so changing the menu means editing every file. That is fine for five pages and tiresome for fifty. It also has no built-in way to handle a contact form, because a form needs something on a server to receive the message. You can solve that with a form service or a small script, which we cover in the guide on adding a contact form.
Ask for plain HTML when the site is small, rarely changes and will be maintained by one person. It is also the best first project if you are new to building with AI, because you can open the files in a browser and see exactly what you have.
Option 2
Astro: static pages without the repetition
Astro is a framework that builds a site from reusable pieces, such as one header and one footer shared by every page, and then outputs plain static files. You get the tidiness of a framework while the live site stays as simple as the plain HTML option. Pages load quickly because there is very little code for the browser to run.
The extra step is the build. You run a command on your own computer, and it produces a folder of finished files that you upload to your hosting. With SSH and Git available, that upload can be automated, so a change you make goes live without you opening a file manager. Our guide on deploying a website to shared hosting with SSH and Git shows the setup step by step.
This is the stack we would suggest asking for when you want more than a few pages: a guide library, a set of service pages, a blog. It is also the sort of site that suits UK shared hosting well, since the hosting only has to serve files. If you search for Astro hosting, this is the point to remember: a static Astro site does not need a special host, only somewhere to put the built folder.
Be aware that Astro can also be set up to render pages on the server. That mode needs a running Node.js process, which is a different matter from static hosting. Unless you need it, ask the AI for static output explicitly.
Option 3
WordPress: when other people will edit the site
WordPress is the right answer when the person updating the site is not the person who built it. A visual editor, user accounts, a media library and thousands of themes and plugins mean a shop owner or a marketing assistant can publish without touching code. One-click installation is included on every plan.
You can still use an AI assistant here. It can help you plan the pages, write the content, choose plugins and set up a child theme. What it cannot safely do is replace the regular care a dynamic system needs: updates, backups and a short list of trusted plugins. Our guide to WordPress versus website builders compares the options, and our WordPress hosting page explains what the plans include.
Ask for WordPress if you expect to add pages weekly, run a shop, take bookings or hand the site on to someone else later.
Options 4 and 5
Node.js and Python apps: only when the site must run code
Some projects are not really websites in the brochure sense. A members area, a dashboard, a booking system with its own logic or a tool that processes uploads all need code running on the server every time someone uses them. That is the job of a Node.js or Python application.
Our plans include Node.js and Python selectors, so these can run on shared hosting, together with SSH, Git, MySQL databases and Redis. For a modest application that is a good fit. For something that needs to stay running constantly, hold large amounts of data in memory, or handle heavy traffic, shared hosting may not be the right home, and the honest answer is to check with live chat before you commit. We would rather you ask first than build something the plan cannot carry.
Do not choose these because they sound more serious. A server-side app is more to secure, more to update and more to monitor. If a static site can do the job, it is almost always the better engineering decision as well as the cheaper one.
Decision route
How to pick in four questions
- Does it need accounts or live data?Yes: Node.js or Python. No: keep going
- Will others edit it often?Yes: WordPress. No: keep going
- More than about ten pages?Yes: Astro. No: keep going
- A small brochure site?Plain HTML and CSS
When two answers fit, take the simpler stack. You can always move up later.
Host your AI-built site in the UK
Plans from 84p a month (£10.03 billed yearly), with SSH, Git and Node.js and Python selectors included, and a 15-day money-back guarantee on your first hosting order.
The prompt
What to put in your first prompt
The quickest way to get the right stack is to name it. Vague prompts such as "build me a website for my business" leave the assistant to guess, and the guess may be a framework that needs server features you do not want to manage. A good first prompt states the stack, the output and the hosting in a few lines.
Include who the site is for, the pages you want, the tone of the copy and where it will live. Mention that it will run on UK shared hosting, and say whether you want a build step. If you want to keep the code tidy, ask for the content to be kept in separate data files so you can change wording without touching the layout.
Examples
Prompt wording for each stack
| You want | Say this in your prompt |
|---|---|
| A small brochure site | "Build a static site with plain HTML and CSS, no framework, four pages, ready to upload to shared hosting." |
| A larger content site | "Build this with Astro using static output only, no server rendering, so I can upload the built files to shared hosting." |
| A site others will edit | "Do not write code. Plan a WordPress site, list the plugins and pages, and write the page content." |
| A tool with logins | "Build a small Node.js app suitable for shared hosting with a Node.js selector. Keep memory use low and explain the start command." |
| A data or back-end tool | "Build a Python app suitable for shared hosting with a Python selector, and list every dependency." |
Do not skip
What an AI-built site still needs from you
- A backup before every change, plus your own copy of the files
- A way for visitors to contact you, such as a form service
- A clear title and description on every page
- A privacy notice and, if you use cookies, a consent approach
- Your company details on the site if you are a limited company
- A check of every page on a real phone
- Alt text on every meaningful image
- A person who reads the code you are about to publish
Be realistic
AI writes the first draft, you own the result
An assistant can produce a clean site in minutes, but it does not know your business, and it can state things that are not true. Read every claim, price and address before you publish. Check that links go where they should, that forms deliver messages to a mailbox you control, and that the legal pages say what applies to you. Our website launch checklist covers the checks in order.
It is also worth keeping the project in Git from the start. That gives you a history of every change the AI made, so a bad edit can be undone in seconds, and it is the foundation for automatic deployment later. If you are building with an assistant and want to understand the moving parts, this is the habit that pays back most.
Finally, think about search. A fast static site is a good start, but it still needs useful pages, sensible headings, a sitemap and a Google Search Console account. Hosting does not decide where you rank, and a good stack does not replace good content.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the best stack to ask Claude to build a website with?
For most small business sites, a static site: plain HTML and CSS for a few pages, or Astro for a larger site. Both are fast, secure and inexpensive to host. Choose WordPress if others will edit the content.
Does Astro need special hosting?
Not when it builds to static files. You run the build on your computer and upload the output folder to any web hosting, including our shared plans. Server rendering is different and needs a Node.js process, so ask for static output.
Can I host a Node.js app on shared hosting?
Yes, our plans include a Node.js selector for suitable applications. Heavy or always-on apps may need more than shared hosting offers, so check with live chat before you build.
Is a website built with AI good for SEO?
It can be, as long as the pages are useful, load quickly and have clear titles, descriptions and headings. The AI only writes the code. Ranking still depends on the quality of the content.
Do I still need a backup if I use Git?
Yes. Git protects your code, but not your live uploads, databases or email. Weekly remote backups are included on every plan, and you should keep your own copy before big changes.
Keep reading
Related pages
Put your AI-built website online in the UK
SSH, Git, free SSL and 24/7 live chat on every plan, from 84p a month (£10.03 billed yearly).