WordPress
WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) used to create and manage websites. It is built on PHP and MySQL and features a plugin architecture and a template system, allowing users to customize websites easily without extensive coding knowledge.
Overview[edit | edit source]
WordPress powers millions of websites globally and is known for its flexibility, ease of use, and large community of developers and contributors. It is available in two primary forms:
- **WordPress.org** — the self-hosted, open-source software that can be installed on any web server.
- **WordPress.com** — a hosted service managed by Automattic that provides managed WordPress sites.
Features[edit | edit source]
- Visual content editor and block-based design (Gutenberg editor)
- Custom themes and templates
- Plugin support for functionality extensions
- User roles and permissions management
- SEO-friendly structure with customizable URLs
- Built-in media library for images, videos, and documents
- Multilingual and accessibility support
- REST API for developers
Plugins and themes[edit | edit source]
WordPress supports thousands of plugins and themes that extend its functionality. Popular plugin categories include SEO, e-commerce, security, performance optimization, and marketing automation. Examples:
- WooCommerce — e-commerce plugin for online stores
- ActiveWoo — integrates WooCommerce with ActiveCampaign
- Yoast SEO — search engine optimization
- Jetpack — site analytics and security tools
Use cases[edit | edit source]
WordPress is used to create various types of websites, including:
- Blogs and portfolios
- Business websites and landing pages
- Online stores
- Membership and community sites
- News and magazine portals
Development[edit | edit source]
Developers can customize WordPress using themes, plugins, and hooks (actions and filters). The WordPress REST API allows integration with external applications. WordPress core development is led by a global community, coordinated through the WordPress Foundation and Automattic.
History[edit | edit source]
WordPress was launched in **2003** by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little as a fork of the blogging software b2/cafelog. It has since evolved into a full-featured CMS that powers over 40% of websites on the internet. Major milestones include the introduction of the Gutenberg block editor (2018) and the continued shift toward full site editing.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- Official website — wordpress.org
- WordPress.com — wordpress.com
- WordPress Documentation — developer.wordpress.org
- WordPress GitHub repository — github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop