WordPress

Wordpress is a content management system that is open source and 100% free to download to use to build dynamic websites and blogs. I've recently read that Wordpress is used on over twenty five percent of all website online. That is a huge number probably in the tens or hundreds of millions. I've been using Wordpress since the first version and have seen massive changes and updates but the core functionality and user interface remains the same. There is so much available in Wordpress. I've setup more than two hundred sites using it and love the optimization, customization, personalization and robustness of it. I've built a HTML/CSS website from scratch and can appreciate what it does that is so much more complicated than this, though I can get an initial site setup completed in five minutes while it took me a week learning to code it. Wordpress has manual and automated installation options. The manual installation is relatively simple compared to other software installations I've completed, and worth doing to learn how it all works for instances of VPS or dedicated server hosting when it is your responsibility to do so, and there is no Cpanel option for automating your installation. The extensibility and functionality of Wordpress is simply amazing. If you can think of doing something for your business on Wordpress, chances are there is already a market for it with several top Wordpress based software companies competing for this traffic to their specialized plugin or theme. Or it's already available for free in the Wordpress community as an open source project which may or may not be linked to a premium version of this free theme or plugin. In this CMS you can create static pages such as a Home page, About Us page or Contact Us page. While you can also create a blog which dynamically rotates chronologically which suits individuals or companies that want to engage visitors ongoing rather than with just a few static information based pages. I've setup contact forms, created sales pages, sold products using ecommerce, setup slideshows and videos, created contests and sweepstakes, synced with Facebook and any other social media network, created custom logins and completed branded Wordpress as my business, as well as for clients. There is a gigantic community and forum available for Wordpress and it's very helpful. I've received answer to questions every time I've posted in need of answers and I'm grateful for that. I could never say enough good things about Wordpress. In that it's free in every sense of the word is first and foremost. What Wordpress.org stands for in the free world through it's open usage and customization is important to society and it's potential to help facilitate integral growth by the sharing of such powerful virtually unlimited. So good on them. I love the customization options most. I can take control of my own designs in an easy way using themes. And make updates to themes or create child themes easily with a bit of html and css knowledge. There is no coding necessary when using Wordpress. But the option and opportunity to do so exist. Wordpress is no more complex in it's usage than a classifieds site editor as an example. There are many more features than this but the overall complexity doesn't need to feel or be any more than this in order to get a professional looking web presence online quickly.

I don't like that sometimes plugins and themes don't play well together. There can be conflicts especially if plugins are not updated to the next version of Wordpress. I don't like how the Wordpress plugin database doesn't have extensive filtering. And how it's not possible to display all pages or posts on a single page without a plugin. There is a learning curve to Wordpress, but because the functionality at the core remains the same with each update it's easy to recall how it works even as a casual user.

Wordpress is a massively powerful content management system that has a learning curve but is simple enough for the beginner to pick up quickly. The intuitiveness of the user interface is very good. It's straight forward as a dashboard. And settings all make sense when you go through them all. The ability to extend Wordpress in any way you can think of almost for personal or professional use is another tremendous feature. Overall, with the price being free and the spirit of the company committed to openness and sharing of their software, with the ability to make money from it directly or through offering a product or service that integrates with it and so much more to offer Wordpress gets my very highest possible recommendation.