What is Wordpress

                                                               

                        WHAT IS WORDPRESS?

In non-geek speak, WordPress is web publishing software you can use to create your own website or blog. Since it was released in 2003, WordPress has become one of the most popular web publishing platforms. Today it powers nearly 30 percent of the entire web — from hobby blogs to some of the biggest news sites online.

But many people don’t realize that WordPress is much more just a blogging tool. It’s actually a highly flexible content management system (CMS) that enables you to build and manage your own website using just your web browser. Best of all, it’s completely FREE.

That’s because WordPress is an Open Source project. That means that hundreds of volunteers from all around the world are constantly creating and improving the code for the WordPress software. And, there are thousands of plugins, widgets, and themes that enable you to build just about any type of website you can imagine.

Themes

WordPress users may install and switch among different themes. Themes allow users to change the look and functionality of a WordPress website without altering the core code or site content. Every WordPress website requires at least one theme to be present and every theme should be designed using WordPress standards with structured PHP, valid HTML(HyperText Markup Language), and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Themes may be directly installed using the WordPress "Appearance" administration tool in the dashboard, or theme folders may be copied directly into the themes directory, for example via FTP.^[15] The PHP, HTML and CSS found in themes can be directly modified to alter theme behavior, or a theme can be a "child" theme which inherits settings from another theme and selectively overrides features.^[16] WordPress themes are generally classified into two categories: free and premium. Many free themes are listed in the WordPress theme directory, and premium themes are available for purchase from marketplaces and individual WordPress developers. WordPress users may also create and develop their own custom themes. The free theme Underscores created by the WordPress developers has become a popular basis for new themes.

Plugins

WordPress' plugin architecture allows users to extend the features and functionality of a website or blog. As of March 2017, WordPress has over 55,286 plugins available,^[18] each of which offers custom functions and features enabling users to tailor their sites to their specific needs. These customizations range from search engine optimization, to client portalsused to display private information to logged in users, to content management systems, to content displaying features, such as the addition of widgets and navigation bars. Not all available plugins are always abreast with the upgrades and as a result they may not function properly or may not function at all. Most plugins are available through WordPress themselves, either via downloading them and installing the files manually via FTP or through the WordPress dashboard. However, many third parties offer plugins through their own websites, many of which are paid packages.

Web developers who wish to develop plugins need to learn WordPress' hook system which consists of over 300 hooks divided into two categories: action hooks and filter hooks.

Mobiles

Native applications exist for WebOS, Android, iOS (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad), Windows Phone, and BlackBerry. These applications, designed by Automattic, have options such as adding new blog posts and pages, commenting, moderating comments, replying to comments in addition to the ability to view the stats.

Other features

WordPress also features integrated link management; a search engine–friendly, clean permalink structure; the ability to assign multiple categories to posts; and support for tagging of posts. Automatic filters are also included, providing standardized formatting and styling of text in posts (for example, converting regular quotes to smart quotes). WordPress also supports the Trackback and Pingback standards for displaying links to other sites that have themselves linked to a post or an article. WordPress posts can be edited in HTML, using the visual editor, or using one of a number of plugins that allow for a variety of customized editing features.

So, how does WordPress work?

Since the earliest days of the Internet, websites have been created in programming languages like HTML, PHP, and CSS to format text, create page layouts, display images, and so on.

Your web browser then reads this code, interpreting those tags to render and display the content of a particular web page.

But today, you can install the WordPress software on your own web server in about 5 minutes. Once installed, you’ll log into your site using your favorite web browser, and then use a simple editor to create web pages — without having to learn how to code. There are even hosting companies like WordPress.com and others who install WordPress for you, and enable you to start building your website with just a few clicks.

There are several reasons WordPress is a great choice for building your blog or business website.

1. First of all, WordPress is Open Source. That means that there are thousands of people all around the world who are constantly working to improve WordPress. And because WordPress is an open source project it’s also completely FREE.
2. Second, it’s incredibly flexible and extensible. There are thousands of plugins and themes that enable you to easily change the entire look of your website, or even add new features like a mailing list, photo gallery, or an online store.

3. Third, it’s easy to use and learn. You don’t need to hire a web designer every time you want to make a small change to your website. Instead, you can easily update and create your own content — without having to learn how to code. In fact, if you know how to use the basic formatting tools in a program like Microsoft Word, you can edit your site.

4. Next, if you run into problems, or you want to add custom features, it’s easy to find support or hire someone to help you. In addition to the WordPress tutorials on this site, there are also thousands of WordPress developers and designers who can help you. The official WordPress Forum is a great place to get answers to your questions.

5. WordPress is also SEO-friendly. Right out of the box, WordPress includes everything you need to ensure that your content is optimized for search engines. This is critical to your site’s visibility and online success. Matt Cutts of Google says, “WordPress is made to do SEO well.”

6. Last, you’re in control of your own content. Other publishing platforms limit what you can and can’t do on your own website. And, you’re locked in to that service. If it should ever shut down, your content could simply disappear. With WordPress, you can import your content from other systems like Blogger or Tumblr. And you can also easily export your data to move away from WordPress, should you choose. You’re in control of your site… and your content.

       

Is WordPress right for you?

If you’re looking for an easy tool that will help you to build your own website or blog without having to learn how to code, you’ll love WordPress. And, you’ll find that WordPress is incredibly flexible, with thousands of themes, plugins, and support options to ensure that your site will continue to grow with you in the future.