What Is WordPress?
WordPress is software for creating and managing websites. It provides a content management system that allows pages, blog posts, images, navigation, themes and other website content to be managed through an administrative interface.
WordPress is a content management system
WordPress is a content management system, commonly shortened to CMS.
A CMS provides tools for creating, organising, editing and publishing website content.
Instead of manually editing every page as a separate HTML file, WordPress can store content and generate web pages dynamically.
Build a website with WordPress.com
WordPress.com combines WordPress with managed hosting, giving you a platform for creating, hosting and managing a website from one service.
Explore WordPress.com ↗What does a CMS do?
A content management system separates much of the website's content from the underlying code.
This allows website owners to manage content without manually rebuilding every page.
WordPress can manage posts and pages
Posts
Commonly used for articles, news and other date-based content.
Pages
Commonly used for more permanent content such as About, Contact and Services pages.
WordPress uses a block-based editor
Modern WordPress content can be assembled from blocks.
Blocks can be combined to construct pages and posts without manually writing all of the underlying HTML.
Themes control website presentation
A WordPress theme determines much of a site's visual presentation and page structure.
Themes can define typography, colours, layouts, templates, headers, footers and other design elements.
Plugins can add functionality
Plugins extend WordPress with additional features.
This allows a relatively simple WordPress installation to be extended into a much more sophisticated website.
WordPress is software, not one hosting company
This distinction is important.
WordPress itself is website software that can be installed and hosted by many different hosting providers.
WordPress.com and WordPress.org are related but different
| WordPress.com | WordPress.org |
|---|---|
| Hosted WordPress service | Home of the WordPress software project |
| Hosting is included | Software can be installed with a hosting provider |
| Infrastructure is managed for you | Hosting arrangements depend on the provider you choose |
What is WordPress.com?
WordPress.com is a hosted service built around WordPress.
It combines the website software with managed hosting, meaning WordPress.com handles much of the underlying hosting infrastructure.
WordPress.com provides managed hosting
With managed hosting, the hosting provider handles many infrastructure responsibilities.
WordPress can use a custom domain
A new WordPress.com site can use a WordPress.com subdomain.
A site with an appropriate paid WordPress.com plan can instead use a custom domain such as:
A domain registered somewhere else can also be connected to WordPress.com on eligible plans.
The domain and WordPress website are separate components
The domain provides the web address.
The hosting infrastructure runs the website.
WordPress manages the website content and application.
WordPress is built primarily with PHP
WordPress uses PHP extensively on the server side.
PHP code can retrieve content, apply templates and generate the page returned to a visitor.
WordPress stores information in a database
Website information such as posts, pages, settings and user data is typically stored in a database.
WordPress traditionally uses MySQL-compatible database systems for this data.
WordPress still produces ordinary web technologies
Despite the CMS and server-side infrastructure, visitors ultimately interact with familiar web technologies.
HTML
Provides the structure of the rendered page.
CSS
Controls the visual presentation.
JavaScript
Provides interactive browser behaviour.
PHP
Performs substantial server-side WordPress logic.
WordPress avoids manually maintaining every HTML file
A simple static website might contain:
With WordPress, much of that content can instead be managed through the CMS and generated using reusable templates.
WordPress is well known for blogging
WordPress began with a strong focus on publishing articles and continues to provide extensive blogging functionality.
WordPress can build much more than blogs
WordPress can support online stores
E-commerce functionality can be added to WordPress using systems such as WooCommerce.
WordPress supports different user roles
Multiple people can work on the same site with different permissions.
WordPress also has an API
WordPress provides a REST API that can allow other software to interact with WordPress data.
This makes WordPress useful not only as a traditional website CMS but also as a content source for other applications.
WordPress can even be used without a traditional theme
In a headless architecture, WordPress can manage the content while another application handles the visible front end.
Why do people use WordPress?
Content Management
Pages and posts can be managed through a CMS.
Themes
Website presentation can be changed and customised.
Plugins
Additional functionality can be added to the site.
Extensibility
Developers can build custom themes, plugins and integrations.
WordPress.com removes much of the hosting administration
Running WordPress yourself can involve managing hosting, software updates, backups, security and other infrastructure.
WordPress.com offers managed WordPress hosting, so many of these infrastructure tasks are handled by the platform.
Interested in building with WordPress?
You can explore WordPress.com, create a website and compare the available options using the Freelance Coder referral link below.
Visit WordPress.com ↗WordPress.com referral credit
Under WordPress.com's current Refer a Friend programme, a new customer who follows a valid referral link and purchases an eligible annual WordPress.com plan can receive US$25 in WordPress.com account credit.
The person who referred them can also receive US$25 in WordPress.com account credit.
Monthly plans are not currently eligible for these referral credits. Referral terms can change, so check WordPress.com's current terms before purchasing.
Open Freelance Coder Referral ↗WordPress.com information
For current WordPress.com features, hosting information and referral conditions, consult WordPress.com's official documentation.
Content becomes a website.
WordPress is a content management system used to create and manage websites. It combines content, themes, plugins, databases and web technologies to produce websites ranging from simple blogs to business sites, online stores and larger web applications. WordPress.com provides a managed hosting platform built around the WordPress software.
