Since its inception in 2003, WordPress has expanded into the most widely used self-hosted blogging tool in the world. Although it was originally designed and used as a blogging tool, WordPress has since evolved into a fully operational content management system.
It graces millions of sites, from those of lone bloggers to those of Fortune 500 companies. In addition to straight-up blogging, WordPress can be used for building a website, selling products and services, and a wide range of other functions.
The open-source project continues to improve, thanks to the hundreds of people across the globe who consistently contribute to its coding.
Pros
“Free” is one of the magic words that contributes to WordPress’ success, with absolutely no licensing fees or other dues required. All you need to do is download the software, which can be used on your own domain.
Unlike many content management systems that are difficult to navigate, WordPress was built and continues to be updated with the end user in mind. Managing content is self-explanatory and easy, requiring a few simple clicks to add content to a text box and publish on your site.
The variety of WordPress compatible plug-ins, widgets and themes numbers in the thousands, making it easy to customize projects to your exact needs.
You can also tweak the entire look of your website with a few clicks of the mouse, changing it right along with your needs and your target audience.
Cons
While it’s friendly for a single user, WordPress is decidedly less friendly if you’re looking to create permissions to allow others access to your site for editing purposes.
You need to install a plug-in to handle the task, and plug-ins can often be notorious for fouling up other plug-ins or site functions. Some users have had to make sacrifices in other areas for certain plug-ins to be fully operational.
Creating multiple content areas, such as different columns or separate layout features, can also be time-consuming and tedious.
You can either accept the provided text box, which may or may not always keep your photos in place, or you can define the fields yourself, a potentially arduous task if you’re not familiar with coding.