WordPress is a free, open-source Content Management System written in PHP. Originally launched in 2003 as a blogging platform, it has evolved into a full-featured CMS powering everything from personal blogs to enterprise e-commerce stores. It is the most widely used CMS in the world.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com
- WordPress.org — The self-hosted version. You download the software, install it on your own hosting, and have full control. Free to use; you pay for hosting.
- WordPress.com — A hosted service. Easier setup but less control. Free tier available; premium plans for custom domains and plugins.
Themes and Plugins
- Themes — Control the visual design and layout. Thousands available in the WordPress.org theme directory.
- Plugins — Extend functionality. Over 60,000 plugins available: SEO (Yoast, Rank Math), e-commerce (WooCommerce), performance (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache), security (Wordfence).
Gutenberg Block Editor
Since WordPress 5.0 (2018), the default editor is Gutenberg — a block-based editor where content is composed of modular blocks (paragraphs, images, columns, buttons).