WordPress is a free, open-source website creation platform. On a more technical level, WordPress is a content management system (CMS) written in PHP that uses a MySQL database. In non-geek speak, WordPress is the easiest and most powerful blogging and website builder in existence today.
WordPress is an excellent website platform for a variety of websites. From blogging to e-commerce to business and portfolio websites, WordPress is a versatile CMS. Designed with usability and flexibility in mind, WordPress is a great solution for both large and small websites.
If you’re wondering why WordPress is such a widely used website content management system, here are some of the benefits of WordPress as a website platform:
- Simplicity: WordPress allows you to publish and build your website content quickly. Even as a beginner, you can easily use WordPress.
- The cost is free – The actual WordPress software available on WordPress.org is free to download and use. You will, however, need to pay for web hosting and a domain name.
- Flexibility: WordPress allows you to create many types of websites from personal blogs and online stores to online magazines and newspapers.
- Easy to use – If you can use a word processing software like Microsoft Word, you can use WordPress to build and manage a website.
- Open-source software – WordPress is open-source software that is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL), meaning it isn’t owned by a single company or entity. Hundreds of developers and users collaborate and contribute to the software to make it better. The spirit of open-source means constant improvements, accountability and free usage for everyone.
- No need to know code – WordPress removes the requirement of needing to know how to code in order to build a website. While WordPress utilizes a variety of coding languages, there’s no need to know any of them to use WordPress.
- Extendable with WordPress plugins – The core WordPress software can be extended with WordPress plugins. WordPress plugins are bits of software that you can upload to your website to add more features (such as e-commerce, SEO, backups, contact forms and more). There are thousands of free WordPress plugins available on the WordPress.org plugin directory and a thriving premium (paid) plugins industry.
- Highly customizable with WordPress themes – WordPress themes provide the design and layout of your website. With a click of a button, you can change the entire look of your website by applying a new WordPress theme. More advanced WordPress themes are more like WordPress page builders, giving you even more control of your layouts.
- Website security – While no website platform is 100% secure, WordPress security continues to improve with a vigilant security team of core developers and users. Common WordPress security issues are usually due to user error, rather than the software itself.