WordPress: what is it and what is it for?

You've probably heard of WordPress Is not it? But what are the possibilities of this technology? IT'S o which we will see in today's post. 

We are talking about the most popular CMS (Content Management System) in the world. What makes it so popular? Undoubtedly its diversity and versatility. In this post we will cover the following topics:  

• WordPress Definition
• Is WordPress free?
• What types of websites can be made with WordPress?
• Differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?
• What are WordPress Templates?
• How to structure my website?
  

Definition of WordPress 

As we said, it is a powerful CMS. And what is CMS? Content Management System (or content management system) is an application that allows the user to edit, create and publish content.  

There are several applications considered CMS and WordPress is one of them. In addition, it is also open source, that is, its “base” code is free and free for users to make changes in the way they see fit. This allows for various customizations to be carried out and is the element that makes WordPress technology so versatile. 

In addition, applications considered open source have a large community of users who voluntarily review codes, correct errors and help in different ways so that the source code available to users is always up to date and secure. 

WordPress it is free? 

Yes, WordPress source code is maintained by the institution WordPress.org and made available free of charge.

Of course, it is surprising when we see such a robust and versatile platform being distributed at no cost, but we must understand the aspects behind it. 

As already mentioned, there is a large community of enthusiasts and developers who help to keep the code safe and up to date. And when we talk about solutions open-source, in general, we must keep in mind that those involved contribute voluntarily due to a strong sense of belonging to a community.

In addition, although the source code is free and open, there are numerous paid extensions (which include themes, plugins and other add-ons miscellaneous) that can be coupled to WordPress, creating a large marketplace for the entire community.  

So, by definition, although WordPress is free, most likely at some point in the development of a new website, it will be necessary to hire some add-on for the platform. 

Also, it should be borne in mind that just the code/CMS is not enough for a website to be online. It is necessary to hire a server (also known as hosting) where the CMS will be hosted, so that it can be made available on the internet. And for this content to be found, an address is needed, that would be the domain, that is: www.nomedosite.pt ou www.sitename.com, among others.

What types of websites can be made with WordPress?

As it is an extremely versatile tool, we can say that WordPress can be used for most categories of websites on the internet, after all, by making the correct customizations and adaptations, it is possible to have a range of options for its use, such as, for example:  

• Institutional websites 
• Blogs 
• News websites 
• Portals 
• E-commerces 
• Forums 
• Distance Learning Platforms 
• Website with login and member panel 
• And much more. 

differences between WordPress.org e WordPress.com? 

Perhaps in your research, you have come across a “paid” WordPress solution, also known as WordPress.com. This is an initiative of the company itself. WordPress.org, where it already offers the domain and hosting and the end user only has to worry about posting their content.

There are different plans for this modality, but they all offer less customization possibilities such as the use of open source, that is, WordPress.org.  

On the other hand, to configure a WordPress.org site, it will be necessary to have some technical knowledge, since it is necessary, as already informed, to provide hosting for the new site, as well as other technical resolutions related to servers, domains, theme customizations, between others. 

What are templates WordPress? 
 

Templates or themes, represent the main elements when we talk about WordPress. When installing WordPress on a server, by default it has a very simple interface, totally geared towards a personal blog. However, it is possible to browse a gallery and find free and paid themes that are nothing more than templates for the site to have a certain structure.  

They are “pre-made” templates that, once installed on WordPress, the user can make changes to their needs and have less work than if they were to program the site completely from scratch. 

There are also third-party companies specialized in the development of themes for the platform. One of them is Elegant themes, creator of Divi, one of the main and most versatile WordPress themes today.

It is worth mentioning that WordPress is considered a front end technology, that is, most of the functionality is used directly in its own interface and not by programming a code. Of course, it is possible to make several changes through code, considering that it is a CMS based on PHP language.

The main possibilities for changing the “code” are through the editing of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) and HTML (HyperText Markup Language) files. 

Still on templates and themes, it is usually possible to change their CSS files, allowing an even greater customization of the contents. It is worth mentioning that for this, as already mentioned, it is necessary at least a basic knowledge in programming languages. 

How to structure my own if you? 

Establishing a WordPress site is a relatively simple task. In general, it is important to plan a scope before actually starting the production of a website. In it, it is important to contain key information such as defining the audience that will access the site, the page structure and content possibilities, choosing the domain and the best server for your needs.

After structuring and validating this scope / planning, a few steps are necessary: 

1. Hire the server and perform domain configurations and solutions.
2. Install WordPress. For this, most servers have installation tools with a few clicks. 
3. Configure the theme, plugins and other elements related to the functionality and appearance of your new site. 
4. Structure the pages and the content of each of them. 
5. Publish your website. 

Simple, isn't it? Of course, there are several guidelines that must be configured in relation to the security, usability, performance and possibilities of analysis of accesses to the website.

In addition, it is necessary to be aware of national and international laws and policies regarding the protection of visitor data, etc. 

Therefore, while it is entirely possible to structure your own website using WordPress, it is highly recommended that you study and delve into the topic to do it in the best way possible.

Another option is to hire a professional or company specialized in this, which will be able to offer safe and fully customized solutions for the needs of the enterprise. 

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