A study led by Goldsmiths, University of London, found British army infantry troops spent less than 47% of their time on the Western Front between 1914 and 1918.
While there, they spent one in five days fighting directly with their enemy, researchers found.
They added trenches as shown in TV show Blackadder were "just not correct".
Around 27,000 volunteers helped contribute to the research.
Information was collected from war diaries posted online, via the Operation War Diary, and logged details such as place names and activities carried out, which Goldsmiths then analysed.
Artillery soldiers spent 62% of their time either at the front or fighting on the Western Front, in France and Belgium, while the cavalry spent 20% of their time at the front or fighting, the study found.
Professor of 20th Century history at Goldsmiths Richard Grayson, who led the research, said a lot of the soldiers' time at the front was "quite quiet".
He added: "In terms of the popular perception, people imagine that soldiers spent most of their time at the front and that is just not the case.
"I'm a big fan of the BBC programme Blackadder and it does portray a lot of things accurately, but the idea that people were living in trenches all the time is just not correct."
Prof Grayson said the project was a "radical departure" from traditional methods where an academic sifts through documents without help - allowing data to be produced far more quickly.
The project was carried out with the help of the National Archives and the Imperial War Museum.

"The US is an extremely diverse society and attitudes toward LGBT people differ hugely across the country," a travel advisory from the UK reads.
Newly passed laws in both states allow businesses to refuse service to LGBT people.
The advisory comes from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
In North Carolina, legislation passed by Governor Pat McCrory invalidates previously passed legislation from Charlotte, that state's largest city, that enacted LGBT protections.
His new law states that transgender people must use public bathrooms according to the gender on their birth certificates. Mississippi's law has a similar bathroom provision and also protects dozens of forms of businesses and services from being prosecuted by the government for refusing to serve LGBT people.
It is "both frightening and embarrassing that one of our nation's staunchest allies has warned its citizens of the risks" of travelling to the US, said Ty Cobb of the Human Rights Campaign.
"It is now more clear than ever that these terrible measures are not only harming individuals and taking an economic toll on the states, but are also causing serious damage to our nation's reputation, and the perceived safety of LGBT people who travel here."
Companies are curtailing their businesses in the states because of the law, and several entertainers have cancelled performances in both states over the law.
More than a dozen US states have passed or considered "religious liberty" laws, sparking controversy and protest across the country.
Supporters argue the the bills protect religious beliefs, but most critics say they are actually legalised discrimination in the face of gay marriage becoming legal last year.
Republican front-runner for the US presidential race Donald Trump has weighed in on the bathroom provisions of the laws, saying people in North Carolina should be allowed to use the bathroom they feel is appropriate.
Asked whether reality television star Caitlyn Jenner could use any bathroom in Trump Tower in New York City, he said "That is correct."
"North Carolina did something that was very strong," Mr Trump told ABC's The Today Show. "And they're paying a big price."
Senator Ted Cruz has said he supports North Carolina's law.

Media playback is unsupported on your device
11 February 2014 Last updated at 12:37 GMT
The woman had been driving east towards Newmarket on the westbound carriageway before being stopped at junction 27.
She stopped in front of the police car with inches to spare.
Simon Newton reports.
World War One (WW1) soldiers spent less than half their time on the front line, according to researchers.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
The UK government has warned gay and transgender travellers to be careful in the US due to legislation in North Carolina and Mississippi.
[NEXT_CONCEPT]
An 81-year-old motorist driving the wrong way along the A14 at 50mph was stopped by police who put their car in the way of her vehicle.