What Is WordPress? WordPress.com vs WordPress.Org
Let’s uncover this beginner’s guide on what is WordPress and how to use it.
Building a fully functional website doesn’t have to be tiresome as you might think it is something only a developer can do.
You may well be wrong! But don’t worry, that’s a good thing.
There’s software specifically designed to help you manage all the nitty gritty work of website technology.
WordPress fits well with all sorts of projects, from building a simple personal blogging website to the likes of world-famous Time Magazine and Vogue.
You’ve probably heard of this free-to-use software application here and there in the web space.
Let’s unpack all there is to know about WordPress and how to use it as a beginner.
What Is WordPress?
WordPress is a content management system that allows users to build websites and store their data.
Let’s get technical here!
WordPress is a free, open-source project available for anyone to edit and modify.
Anyone with little to no prior knowledge in programming can use WordPress and build simple to professional, eye-catching websites.
And, you know what?
You can do that too, my friend. It’s one of the reasons why WordPress is so popular around the globe.
What Is Content Management System?
On the other hand, a content management system is a software that helps you create and publish digital content for your website. You can store all your website data in one place and access it whenever you need.
There’s a bunch of CMS software in the market, like Drupal, Magento, and Joomla, to name a few.
However, WordPress is way ahead in the game and undoubtedly the best one out there.
Why Is WordPress So Popular?
Due to its ease of use and easy-to-navigate UI (user interface), WordPress accounts for 835 million websites around the web.
Can you believe that? That’s a staggering amount of websites.
Nearly 44% or one in every four websites you surf through most likely use WordPress as their CMS.
If you plan to build one for yourself, WordPress could be your ultimate DIY solution.
Not just for you, actually. For everyone getting started with building a website.
And that’s for all the good reasons. Let me walk you through it!
Why Use WordPress As Your CMS?
Due to its vast community of dedicated forums and discussion panels, WordPress makes it easier for potential users to learn about its working mechanism.
You can find thousands of online tutorials and resources that can be of great support when starting out with WordPress.
With the right resources in place, you can ace WordPress and build a highly-functional website in no time.
Reasons To Use WordPress
You can use WordPress for all sorts of projects; it’s free and open-source, meaning you can edit and modify its code to your preferences.
Easy learning, setup, and maintenance.
Plugin architecture and template system allow you to get complete control over your website.
Now you have all the basics covered around WordPress. As a beginner, it should be enough for you to learn how to use WordPress.
You can get so much done in WordPress with only a few clicks.
Thousands of ready-to-use themes, templates, and plugins support you in building a visually appealing yet highly-functional website.
Building a WordPress website comes with two options, WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
It’s essential to understand how these two differ from one another.
Choosing WordPress.com vs WordPress.org
Let’s start with a brief introduction to what WordPress.com and WordPress.org is.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is an online platform where you can start a personal blog or build a website free of charge.
Though it shares the same name with the latter, WordPress.com is a fully hosted blogging hosting provided run by a company called Automattic. It is not directly associated with WordPress.org though it uses its software at its core.
Although WordPress.com is free, it does come with limitations. Namely, it provides limited theme support and plugins, and no ads are allowed other than its own ads.
WordPress.com has a paid plan, but in that regard, WordPress.org is slightly more economical than the former in the long run.
WordPress.org
On the hand, WordPress.org is system software that you can download and install to create a website under any web host.
If you’re serious about building your website and giving your business a digital presence, WordPress.org might be your better option.
With WordPress.org, you can:
Get access to thousands of themes and must-have plugins
Customize your website according to your preferences
Get complete control over your website
Generally, when people refer to you as WordPress, they mean WordPress.org.
Getting complete control over your website is a good thing. But remember, it does come with added responsibilities.
With WordPress.com, yes, you can solely focus on building content, as all the groundwork, like security, maintenance, updates, and backups, is managed by Automattic.
This article comprises steps on using WordPress.org.
Now that you know the difference, it is time to choose a name for your website and its hosting provider.
