What is WordPress? Best Explanation!

Today we are talking about WordPress in detail.

In simple words, WordPress is a content management system based on the most popular programming language, PHP, and paired with a MySQL or MariaDB database. It is a free and open-source CMS that allows you to create, re-create, manage, and publish content.

Article overview in the following:

What is WordPress?

WordPress is the best Content Management System or CMS platform created in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little. In the beginning, Matt Mullenweg, along with the association of Mike Little, designed to simplify the management, drafting, and publication of articles within a blog.

However, today most website builders use WordPress to build user-friendly websites that are no longer limited to blogging only.

You can build numerous websites using this open-source and versatile CMS platform of WordPress, starting from a simple blog site or portfolio site to a virtual store or a member portal.

Usage Statistics of WordPress Across the Web

The engrossing popularity of WordPress is undeniable. Approximately 40% of websites on the Internet use WordPress. Within the CMS (Content Management Systems) market, the platform occupies 65.2% of the market share.

Some of the most popular brands use the WordPress platform, including TechCrunch, BBC America, Variety, Sony Music, Fortune 500 companies, and many more. Media Platforms like NBC, CBS, USA Today, Time, Disney, Airbnb, Spotify, TechCrunch, and even the Pioneer Woman are active on WordPress CMS.

WordPress as a Content Management System

Creating a self-programmed website with an attractive design and a reliable operating system is not only successful for professionals. Building websites without CMS is mostly time expensive, along with other complex management systems.

A CMS, on the other hand, is easy to use and requires no coding knowledge. In addition, creating content in a CMS platform is quick and easy. Inserting images and other media do not bother the users as well. 

Features of WordPress

If you analyze the following features of WordPress, you will also acknowledge this overwhelming CMS platform. 

1. Mobile-friendly
2. User-friendly interface
3. Built-in blog
4. Search Engine Friendly
5. Fast Page Loading Speed
6. Media-file library
7. Custom menus
8. Etc

WordPress.org VS WordPress.com

WordPress.org and WordPress.com often confuse the new users. Let me make it clear first up what WordPress.org is, and WordPress.com is:

WordPress.org

• Simply download the open-source WordPress software and install it on your server or web hosting account.
• If you want to run WordPress.org, it requires a domain name, web hosting purchased from another well-known company.
• Maximum web hosts ensure a quick installation of WordPress to help you get started.

WordPress.com

• It is a hosted version of WordPress.
• If you want to build a blog site or any website, you can create a WordPress.com account.
• The default URL of your website or domain will have the word WordPress. For example, myblog.wordpress.com.
• It offers paid upgrades, including a custom domain and Google Analytics integration, more storage space, the ability to add necessary plugins and themes, and more.

How Popular is WordPress Today?

About 1 in 5 of the existing websites across the web use WordPress (a growing trend). Through WordPress, it is possible to create overwhelming websites of numerous variations. Are you inquiring about the potential that WordPress can offer? The following sections of the article are going to let you know why WordPress is so popular.

WordPress as a Popular CMS platform

The reason behind the worldwide popularity of WordPress is that you are free to use its user-friendly interface, copy, modify and update without asking anyone’s permission. So, there is no way to think that WordPress is the property only of a single person or a company. This platform is for all of you if you know how to deal with it.

The most important fact for your business is to create a website to gain greater visibility if you want a virtual transformation of your business. The reason is that, nowadays, users spend a large part of their time browsing the Internet, social networks, web pages, blogs, and other online platforms. 

WordPress helps to build web pages or blogs that have become essential to achieve the desired web positioning with the target business.  

All you need to do is download WordPress, install it, and start using it. You have to pay nothing. Even after some time, there will be no monthly subscription. 

It has a control panel where you will find all the managerial functions. You can create content and manage the entire website independently with the click of the mouse.

Using WordPress to create a website brings many advantages:

• It is simple, quicker, and user-friendly. Users can create and modify the content and update them at any time. The ease of the content management system lies in everything. From creating pages, articles to the loading of images and videos, nothing is beyond this CMS platform.
• It has an unlimited number of themes and plugins. You can create enormous templates from the existing themes and use plugins (both free and paid). You will also have customer support that leaves you with a better experience.
• It can be defined as one of the most optimized SEO systems. Users should be thankful for some specific plugins such as Yoast SEO or Rankmath plugin.
• It is easily customizable if you know the HTML and CSS. Then you can frequently adapt an already existing theme according to your needs.

What is WordPress Plugin

A WordPress plugin adds new features, functionalities, and integrations to your website. It is a set of additional codes that you need to upload to your website to use any particular features. 

• You can add a plugin from the plugins menu on the WordPress dashboard.
• On the WordPress.org Plugin Directory, you will find free plugins. To do so, you need to use the built-in search function.
• You can also make a zip file of your plugins.

What is WordPress Theme

A WordPress theme is a design framework of a particular website. In general, a WordPress theme includes the following features:

• Outlook design like the style and look,
• Sitewide font style
• Color scheme
• Blog post style and blog archives
• The layout of pages and templates
• Widget locations
• Additional details of stylistics

Themes like WordPress Page Builders allow the users to create page layouts without applying coding knowledge.

Recent Update of WordPress: Features & Improvements

The current update of WordPress 5.8 is Tatum, released on July 20, 2021.

The enlisted points include new features of WordPress 5.8:

• Block-Based Widgets Editor 
• Live Preview in Customizer (On By Default)
• New Block-Based Template Editor (Off By Default)
• New Query Loop Block
• New Login/Out Block and Theme Blocks
• Improved List View of Blocks
• New Patterns Directory
• New Duotone Image Editing
• More Granular Style Options for Column Blocks
• More Granular Color Options for Table Blocks
• Suggested Patterns for Blocks
• Embed PDFs with the File Block
• Improved Reusable Blocks Interface
• Top Toolbar Mode Improvements
• Parent Block Selector is More Obvious

Improvements that developers can notice:

• Support for Uploading WebP Images
• IE11 Dropping Support
• Theme.json
• Adding Additional Block Supports
• Site Health is Now Extendable
• REST API Changes

What Are Some Alternatives of WordPress?

There are millions of fans of WordPress across the world. It does not surprise us since it offers a great variety of themes and additional plugins. WordPress is mostly flexible and easy to use.

However, in 2021, you have numerous content management software similar to WordPress with a few differences. Check out the list:

• Shopify
• Joomla
• Wix
• Squarespace
• Drupal
• Bitrix24
• Blogger
• Magento
• OpenCart

Conclusion: Future of WordPress

We know what WordPress is today, but do we know what it will be like ten years from now?

Unquestionably you cannot imagine it as it is constantly updating. However, numerous data, statistics, and reasonable predictions could reveal the future of WordPress for the next ten years.

Besides, WordPress should not be considered the only application to create websites. Because although it is true that with WordPress, you can develop websites in a few minutes. There is a massive difference between only forming a website and giving it a fantastic professional look. But the reality is that WordPress has already become a commodity. In one afternoon, you can hire specialized hosting, install WordPress in one click, load a professional theme, a few plugins, and layout on your website without any problems. It will continue to be the trend and be on the rise. WordPress will be perceived and used as a commodity for the creation, development, design, and management of web content, more and more.