Member Avatar for wonderland

Hi,

I've been renewing information in my site directly into code for quite some time now. Since my page isn't that big it's not very difficult.

I have about 15 .html pages in my web directory. They all are more or less identical, and they all have small news section. At the moment I'm just copying those news from one page to another. What I wanted to know is there a way I can Change news section in all of those pages at once?

Thanks!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by _1_27

Dani AI

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You do not need a full admin panel to solve this. Centralize the news in a single file and pull it into every page. That keeps your HTML/CSS workflow, but removes the copy/paste grind. As and point out below, a CMS is an option; but for a 15-page site, a lightweight include is faster to ship and easier to maintain.

Two simple paths:

  • Server-Side Includes (SSI): put your news in /includes/news.html, rename pages to .shtml (or enable SSI for .html), and drop this where the news goes:
<!--#include virtual="/includes/news.html" -->
  • PHP include: if your host already supports PHP, keep your pages as .php and include the same partial:
<?php require __DIR__ . '/includes/news.html'; ?>

Workflow: edit one file (news.html), upload once, and every page updates. This aligns with and ’s advice without adding a database or a full CMS.

Tips and cautions:

  • Avoid iframes, as you suggested. They complicate styling, accessibility, and SEO. An include behaves like native markup.
  • If you run into caching, add cache-busting on deploy (e.g., rename to news-2025-10-19.html and update the include) or configure proper cache headers.
  • Want to stay 100% static with no server features? Use a build step. A simple static site generator or even an HTML preprocessor can inject the same news.html into all pages before you upload. That gives you the same single-source edit without changing hosting.
  • If you outgrow this, graduate to a flat-file CMS (no database) rather than jumping straight to a heavy admin panel. You can keep your existing templates and get a small editor for the news.

This keeps your UI consistent, reduces errors, and scales far better than manual edits, while staying true to your current skill set.

Recommended Answers

All 12 Replies

Member Avatar for customhosting

could you build your sites template into a simple cms such as wordpress? then you could let the cms handle it al and leave you with more time to write news/ do something else

Member Avatar for jbennet

Really, you need to use some sort of content management system.

For that you are best using server-side-scripting technology (perhaps using a database as well, although for a small site, flat-file would do fine)

Member Avatar for wonderland

could you build your sites template into a simple cms such as wordpress? then you could let the cms handle it al and leave you with more time to write news/ do something else

Thanks, I suppose I can use other cms as well like drupal etc ?!

Really, you need to use some sort of content management system.

For that you are best using server-side-scripting technology (perhaps using a database as well, although for a small site, flat-file would do fine)

If I have a server to play around with, is there something I must install to use server-side-scripting. I'm not that familiar with servers yet.

Member Avatar for jbennet

If I have a server to play around with, is there something I must install to use server-side-scripting. I'm not that familiar with servers yet.

Speak to your web host and they can add PHP (one such server-side scripting technology) support and/or a database engine to your package for an increased monthly rate.

Member Avatar for wonderland

I actually have those, not sure what to do though, Is there something I can install, like php my admin ? - I searched google a bit :)

Member Avatar for emhmk1

I recently did a site which had a news section and to be honest all i did was create a text file and use

<?php include('news-file.txt');?>

into the pages i wanted to display the news.

For styling purposes you could create a HTML page and change the news-file.txt to news-file.html.

Probably not the best way of doing things but you only update one file upload it and bobs your uncle!!

Hope it helps!

Member Avatar for wonderland

Thanks!

I suppose I could do the same with iframe ?

Member Avatar for cohen

You can just do a php include arrangement. That is what i have done.

Its pretty easy to do. Google will help you with that sort of stuff.

Member Avatar for wonderland

Thanks guys, found some php include tutorials on the net :)

Member Avatar for bassetexpert

Hello!
You just need to use one of the following :
1- ( The BEST ).
2- http://www.Pulsecms.com

These all the best scripts that you can integrate a one of them on your existing HTML/CSS website. Check out them, you'll love them :)
Thanks!
Goodbye!

Member Avatar for rad1964

Suprised no one used this as their answer.. If you are using Dreamweaver, just open up all the html pages and do a search and replace. BAM all pages done, save and ftp back to the server.

Member Avatar for _1_27

Try it, universal admin panel
Nest - clear and simple admin panel for all kind of page. Nest don't need hard and nasty integration and work with code.

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