Why I recommend WordPress

Content Management

WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that is widely used to create and manage websites. It is open-source software that is free to use and is written in PHP. WordPress was initially released in 2003 and has since become one of the most popular CMS platforms, powering more than 60 million websites around the world.

One of the main benefits of WordPress is its ease of use. It has a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily create and manage the content of their website, including text, images, and other media. It also has a large community of developers who have created a wide range of plugins and themes that can be used to extend the functionality and design of a WordPress site.

Plugins

A WordPress plugin is a piece of software that can be installed on a WordPress website to extend the functionality of the site. There are thousands of plugins available for WordPress, which can be downloaded and installed from the WordPress Plugin Directory or through other sources.

Plugins can be used to add various features to a WordPress site, such as contact forms, SEO tools, social media integration, and much more. They can also be used to customize the look and feel of a site, by adding custom themes and templates.

To use a plugin, it must first be installed and activated on your WordPress site. This can be done through the WordPress dashboard by going to the “Plugins” section and clicking on “Add New”. From there, you can search for and install the plugin you want to use.

It’s important to note that while plugins can be a great way to add functionality to your WordPress site, it’s important to be selective about which plugins you install. Too many plugins can slow down your site and increase the risk of security vulnerabilities. It’s generally a good idea to only install plugins that are well-reviewed and actively maintained by their developers.

In addition to its user-friendliness, WordPress is also highly customizable, making it suitable for a wide range of websites, from small personal blogs to large e-commerce stores. It is also SEO-friendly, meaning it is designed to help websites rank well in search engine results.

Open Source

WordPress is open-source software, which means that the source code is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. Open-source software is typically developed and maintained by a community of volunteers who work together to improve the software.

While WordPress is open-source, the company WordPress.com, which is owned by Automattic, Inc., offers a proprietary version of WordPress as a service. WordPress.com is a platform that allows users to create and host WordPress websites without having to install and set up the software themselves. WordPress.com offers various pricing plans, ranging from a free version with limited features to paid plans that include additional features and support.

Overall, while WordPress.com is a proprietary service, the WordPress software itself is open-source and can be freely used and modified by anyone.

But the biggest reason I recommend WordPress is because you can take it with you. With other hosting platforms, you might not be able to take your design with you.

Portability

One of the benefits of using WordPress is its portability, which refers to the ability to easily move a WordPress website from one hosting provider or server to another. This can be useful in a variety of situations, such as when you want to switch to a different hosting provider or if you need to move your site to a new server for any reason.

To move a WordPress site, you will typically need to perform the following steps:

1. Back up your site: It’s important to create a full backup of your site before starting the migration process. This will ensure that you have a copy of all your site’s content, settings, and files in case something goes wrong during the migration.
2. Export your site’s content: You can use the WordPress export tool to create an XML file that contains all of your site’s content, including posts, pages, and custom post types.
3. Install WordPress on your new hosting provider or server: If you are moving your site to a new hosting provider or server, you will need to install WordPress on the new platform.
4. Import your site’s content: Once WordPress is installed on the new platform, you can use the WordPress import tool to import the XML file containing your site’s content.
5. Update your domain name: If you are moving your site to a new domain name, you will need to update your site’s settings to reflect the new domain name.

Overall, while moving a WordPress site can be a bit technical, it is generally a straightforward process that can be completed with a few simple steps.

For all of these reasons and more, WordPress is a versatile and powerful platform that is well-suited for creating and managing a wide range of websites.