Essentially, WordPress is the easiest and most popular way to create a website. It has long been over 30% of the Internet, and more than 1/4 of all websites are powered by WordPress.
Moving up to a somewhat higher technical level, WordPress is an open-source content management system licensed under the GPLv2, which means that anyone can use it for free and modify it as they wish.
A content management system is a tool that allows you to easily manage all aspects of your website without having to know anything related to programming.
The result is that anyone can build a website using WordPress, even non-developers.
What is WordPress? In short, it's the best way to build a website.
What websites can be built with WordPress
Many years ago, WordPress was primarily a tool used to create blogs. Today, thanks to changes in the core code and a large ecosystem of plugins and themes, you can use it to make any website, such as
- Business Websites
- Online Shop
- Blog
- Photo Gallery
- Forum
- Information content
- Social Networking
- Member Sites
Pretty much anything you think.
What is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?
We have already covered in detail the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com. Here is the short version.
WordPress.org: often referred to as self-hosted WordPress, you will need to purchase web hosting separately and install this software to create a website with 100% control.
WordPress.com: This is a for-profit platform based on the WordPress.org software that offers web hosting services that are very easy to use, but you lose most of the self-hosted flexibility WordPress.
When people say WordPress, they are mostly referring to the self-hosted WordPress available on WordPress.org. If you want to have an indeed your website, then self-hosted WordPress.org is the best choice.
How to create a WordPress website
Who developed WordPress
WordPress was launched as a standalone project in 2003 when it was just a b2/catalog branch.
It has now grown into popular open-source software, supported by many contributors and communities. However, if you trace the origins of WordPress, the original creators were Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, who, among other things, is the founder of Automattic, the company behind the for-profit WordPress.com.
Since its inception in 2003, WordPress has been moving forward, and with an increasingly active community of users, it is now the most popular solution for creating any website.
Who is using WordPress
Many individuals and businesses use WordPress, and if you want some compelling data, here are some of our favorite examples.
- U.S. White House
The White House, the most prestigious government agency in the United States, uses WordPress to build its official website at
- Microsoft
Microsoft uses WordPress to power its official blog and other product blogs (such as Windows and Skype).
- The Rolling Stones
Even famous bands love WordPress, and the Rolling Stones' website is powered entirely by WordPress!
Why you should use WordPress
More than 30% of all websites on the Internet use WordPress, including well-known companies such as the White House, Microsoft, AMD, and General Electric. As for you? Why should you use WordPress?
No matter what type of website you want to create, there are many reasons to use WordPress, such as the following.
- WordPress is free and open-source.
One of the most significant benefits of using WordPress is that it is free and open-source software, and while there are some fees to pay for web hosting, you never have to pay for the use of the software in a way that alternatives like Wix, Squarespace, etc. do not.
You can also find many open-source plugins and themes to improve the look and functionality of your website.
- WordPress is scalable
Even if you are not a developer, you can beautify your website with a huge range of themes and plugins.
Themes: mainly used to change the appearance of the site's style.
Plugins: Change the way your website works, such as compact contact forms or powerful e-commerce features.
Currently, WordPress offers over 50,000 free plugins and 5,000 free themes, as well as a large number of premium options, which means: you have a lot of choices!
- WordPress is easy to install
Need to be a techie to create your website? That was decades ago! Now it's just a few clicks of a button! Most colocation providers are.
Providing pre-installed WordPress so that your website can be online in minutes.
Special tools are provided to make the installation and use process ideal for beginners.
- WordPress is flexible
WordPress is excellent and allows you to create any website. Better yet, your website can grow with you.
- Want to add a forum to your existing WordPress site? No problem, install the bbPress plugin!
- Want to add a social network? Don't worry, and the BuddyPress plugin has you covered!
- Want to sell your products online? It's easy. Just install the WooCommerce plugin!
You are never tied to a specific set of features and can always grow and develop fully.
- It is easy to seek help.
Since WordPress is so popular, it is easy to find help when encountering any problems, such as the following ways.
- Blog
- Tutorials
- Forum
- Facebook Groups
- Colocation provider's human customer service
Summary
For many reasons, WordPress is the most popular way to build a website.