The term static is defined within computer processing as the condition of being fixed or stationary. The opposite condition to being static is the condition called dynamic; that is, occurring immediately or constantly changing. Both terms can be applied to a number of different types of computer-related items, such as hardware, Web pages, programming languages (or its components), and application programs. For example, a memory buffer (a temporary holding place for data) that is static remains invariant ("fixed") in size throughout program execution. On the other hand, computer operations are often performed dynamically ("on-the-fly") and are based on decisions made while the program is running rather than beforehand. For example dynamic memory buffers are dynamically created; that is, the storage space is created when actually needed, and not reserved ahead of time.

Static can also be defined as a piece of hardware that does not need to be...