What is the difference between a static mesh and a skeletal mesh?

[Leancer]

Ok so I have a question I am fairly new with this so bear with me please. I am trying to get a custom armor to work in the CE dev kit which is UE4 engine, and I am not sure what mesh I should use or how I should go about it, I have watched a few tuts on it, but they each seem to be going in a different direction, and advice or guidance would be lovely

[fighter5347]

1.
static = no animations, no rigg -> for the level creation
skeletal mesh = rigg, animations -> used for moving stuff like characters

2.
Actually you should create all your assets outside of the UE4 -> so normally you use a combination between maya and photoshop. In the UE4 you just create the materials for the meshes

[gus382]

1. What is the difference between a static mesh and a skeletal mesh?

2. Also, is it possible for an asset -e.g. a character or building to be textured in an external program(s) e.g. combination of Maya, Photoshop and Mudbox and imported into and rendered in UE and still produce realistic results?