WordPress is an immensely popular open-source content management system (CMS). While it started off as a platform for personal blogs, it has evolved to support a wide variety of websites, ranging from professional publications to e-commerce platforms.
Since its launch in 2003, WordPress has grown to power roughly one-third of websites worldwide and boasts a large developer community that has contributed over 50,000 plugins.
Key Takeaways
- WordPress is a leading open-source CMS platform.
- Known for its high customizability, supported by a vast community of plugin developers.
- Due to its extensive user-base, WordPress can be a target for hackers. Users should keep their WordPress installations up-to-date to mitigate these risks.
How WordPress Works
Users can choose from two basic versions of the service. The first is the hosted version at WordPress.com, allowing users to launch a website hosted on WordPress’s own servers. This option is often favored by non-technical users avoiding the complexities of self-hosting. The hosted version is automatically updated, which reduces the risk of security breaches.
For advanced users, downloading the latest version of WordPress from WordPress.org is another option. Here, users need to host the software themselves, either on their own servers or through a third-party provider. This choice gives users full control over customization but also requires them to handle software updates manually.
Because of its large user-base, outdated versions of WordPress can be a hot target for hackers due to known security vulnerabilities. Therefore, self-hosting is recommended only for those confident in their ability to manage updates and secure their installations, including any additional plugins.
WordPress Customizations
WordPress is built to be highly customizable right from the ground up. Its [application programming interface (API)] ensures standardized interactions across databases, theme modifications, and customizations. This allows developers to build robust functionality on top of WordPress, knowing their work will integrate seamlessly, provided the installation is up-to-date.
Examples of WordPress in Action
Many companies provide plugins and themes designed to extend WordPress’s capabilities. For instance, WooCommerce has become a leading e-commerce plugin, enabling WordPress sites to accept orders, track shipments, and incorporate other e-commerce functionalities seamlessly.
Other popular plugins cater to SEO, contact forms, newsletter marketing, social media integration, commenting, and various design enhancements. These plugins make WordPress flexible enough to meet a myriad of functional and aesthetic website needs.
Related Terms: CMS, open-source software, web hosting, WordPress plugins, website security.
References
- WordPress. “WooCommerce”.
