Did you know there are over 835 million websites online?
That means over 40% of those websites are WordPress. But if you’re just getting into the web scene you probably questioned yourself what is WordPress and you want to know how it works.
I know how you feel because when I was first introduced into this world of web design I had no idea this thing called WordPress.
I was in college confused about what to do with an art degree and I had a friend who told me I should get into web design. Then I could use my skills in a practical way to make money and line myself up for a future career.
That’s the first time I heard about WordPress. But when I first started everything was so confusing. That’s why I want to give you a simple introduction to this platform. By the end you will know what it is, how it works, and how to get started.
What is WordPress?
In 2003 2 guys named Mike Little and Matt Mullenweg decided to come together to make a tool that 1/8 of the world would use to make websites.
This tool was made to help people make websites and publish them to the internet.
The reason why this software became so popular was because you didn’t need to know any code to create a website or create your own blog. If not, you would have to either hire a web developer or learn to code yourself.
With WordPress it made it super simple for anyone to create their own website. And now 22 years later almost a billion sites have been made with this single tool.
The best part is it’s FREE!
How is this possible? Well WordPress is an open source software. That means it’s a community project. In other words, many developers from around the world share their time to help improve and continue to build the software.
Along with that there are other tools called plugins that you can download and purchase to enhance your website. There’s also a massive library of 1000s of themes you can use to build your website.
Another benefit is WordPress is online so as long as you have internet access you can build your website from anywhere in the world. You can even download the mobile app to update your blog (I don’t know about designing your theme from your phone even though I haven’t tried that).
Let’s just say WordPress has given web developers and designers access to customize sites with and without code.
How does it work
As I mentioned before it was built for non coders. How is this possible? Well they basically made a dashboard that made it easier to customize the site without the code.
You make an adjustment, pick a specific color and from the dashboard it interacts with the code. It’s quite genius if you think about it.
Be careful because if you do a quick google search you will find 2 wordpress sites. One is a .com and .org.
But there’s a few subtle differences.
WordPress.org vs WordPress.com
WordPress.org
This is where the magic is.
This version is self hosted which is perfect for DIYers. So you would have to buy your own hosting and upload the downloaded software to your hosting provider. The best part is you won’t have to worry about someone deleting your website (unless you get hacked) but you have full control.
I highlighted some of the benefits in the chart below.
WordPress.com
Now with wordpress .com you can still make websites, but there are a few limitations with them. They do have premium plans that gives you more access to customize your site but there are still limitations. Look at the chart below to see.
The biggest thing is no full customization.
if you want to know a full breakdown of the pros and cons of both sites you can check out this article from WPBeginner
How to get started
So if you made it this far you’re probably interested in making your own website.
Whether you want to make a personal portfolio, a landing page, an e-commerce site, an online business, or just somewhere to host your personal projects, a website is the best way to show your work online.
If that sounds like you then I created a simple step by step guide how to get started and build your first website with WordPress.
I walk you through how to get hosting, selecting a domain name, and installing WordPress. So if you’re interested click the link below.
Until next time.
