WordPress is the most utilized CMS on the Internet. However, this was not always the case. Over 10 years since its inception as blogging software, WordPress has come full circle and has become a tool that is almost invaluable to many web developers. For the most part, webmasters and users alike could not see themselves working online without it. WordPress is now an essential tool in any developer’s arsenal due to its ease of use, documentation and attractive features.

Using WordPress

WordPress is not difficult to use or customize, but without knowledge of its internal structure and code, the task can seem daunting. Creating a website is convoluted, and no out-of-the-box product makes it easier than WordPress. Once the website is created, installed and secured, content creation is easy. Web developers choose WordPress because of this ease. When you have an intuitive system that clients can understand and operate without HTML or programming knowledge, you tend to have less maintenance issues. Users have the ability to change the content and even some of the design aspects of a website easily and quickly with just a few button clicks. They can manage text, images, music, widgets, videos and so much more from one place…something that was almost impossible to an end-user before WordPress.

WordPress is open source and free to download/use, so it became popular among developers and users worldwide very quickly. Currently, it is the leading open source CMS because it reduces the costs of design and development, is intuitive even for the greenest users, and is constantly developed and managed by the developers who use it.

WordPress is used for a multitude of types of business because of its functionality and plugins. It is easy to find or integrate plugins that manage calendars, galleries, videos, social media or even search engine optimization, which all allow this CMS to easily adapt to its user’s needs. Thousands of plugins exist to make your online life easier.

WordPress can also adapt to validation, browser and device specifics. This allows interoperability and compatibility between different browsers and devices from one central place. A well-designed WordPress site will display correctly in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Chrome and on your cell phone or tablet device. WordPress constantly updates itself, annoyingly to some, but to others making it versatile, secure and adaptive.

Here to Stay?

As a custom developer, WordPress was the bane of my existence, but after using the new versions, creating custom themes and plugins to work with WordPress, and seeing the community support behind the software, I am learning to like it. I would never put aside my custom development, but WordPress gives us options that were not there when we first started, options that help us help our clients in ways that custom development cannot. WordPress has quickly become a powerful tool in our arsenal and has allowed us to improve ourselves as a web agency. For now, it is here to stay.

Eric Oliver
Director of Website Development