Introduction.
For a long time, the free CMS WordPress was primarily used as blogging software. The credo was: Who runs a blog, preferably uses WordPress. A comparison of the WordPress features with those of other major content management systems such as TYPO3 , Joomla or Drupal shows, however, that the range of WordPress has expanded significantly as a CMS. Although it is still suitable for the creation and management of a weblog, but can be implemented with the program now also extensive company pages, news portals and web shops.
With WordPress in a few steps to your own website
WordPress makes it as easy as possible for users in many ways. This already starts with the installation, which takes only a few minutes (you can find the free download here ). If you want to host your WordPress site yourself , in addition to the software you need a web server that supports PHP and MySQL . Alternatively, you can host a website directly through WordPress . To do this, log in to the wordpress.com page . When registering you have the choice between:
• the free use of the software (strongly limited functionality, smaller web space;. Their site is a subdomain of WordPress, for example website-xyz.wordpress.com)
• and several paid variants (with its own domain, many additional features and a higher storage capacity).
Either way, unlike the self-hosted CMS, you do not have to worry about system updates or basic security measures. But there are fewer functions available. Another option is Internet service providers, where you can rent ready-made WordPress versions. Again, you do not have to worry about updating and security - that's what the provider does for you. The cost of this solution, which is usually referred to as "Managed WordPress", depends primarily on the size of the rented online storage space.
Should I use wordpress.org or wordpress.com?
Self-hosting is recommended for more experienced users . The locally installed version (software download via wordpress.org ) is not only suitable for ambitious web designers. Even those who increasingly understand the technical background (for example, the integration of plug-ins) and would like to familiarize themselves with the maintenance and care of websites and servers, is therefore correct. The variety of WordPress features and the greatest possible control over the management of the page are in the foreground. For inexperienced users is more likely to set up a website on wordpress.comat. On the one hand, the management of the plug-ins is easier, on the other hand, as mentioned in the previous section, they do not have to worry about setting up a server or updating and maintaining the system and the security measures focus on the content of their website. Especially CMS beginners and website operators, who want as little effort as possible, are therefore the target group of wordpress.com.
With both versions of WordPress you can use plug-ins to extend the functionality and customize the design of your page with different layouts (WordPress themes). However, the expansion of an Internet presence via plug-ins and themes in the preinstalled variant is more limited than in the self-installed version. The following presentation of the individual functions therefore primarily refers to the self-hosted variant.
The WordPress features at a glance
The focus of the software is on easy operation . You do not need to have experience with PHP or HTML for using WordPress - the CMS also provides laypersons with helpful options for creating and editing an online presence. Here are some of the basic features at a glance:
• Write articles with a WYSIWYG editor that is in many ways comparable to a word processor such as Microsoft Word.
• Pictures, videos and audio files can be easily integrated into the library.
• There are four different roles (administrator, editor, author, employee) for editing the content.
• Another option allows your visitors to create their own account for using your website (for example, if only registered users are allowed to comment on posts).
• The website users can also subscribe to the articles via news feeds.
• There is responsive rendering for both the front end (the website visible to visitors) and the back end(which you use to edit your WordPress page).
These and other features not only help you create a blog, but are also great for corporate websites, news portals, online magazines, web shops, or community platforms . Well-known sites that have been realized with WordPress are the New York Times Company , the Vogue fashion magazine , the Rolling Stones , Sony Music and the official Swedish website . For some website types and industries, there are special extensions that you can easily integrate into your personal WordPress CMS.
WordPress: CMS with enormous plug-in bandwidth
WordPress offers - compared to other CMS - a very high number of add-ons, which is mainly due to the considerable community. There are already over 40,000 extensions , and the number is increasing. Here are some of the best and most sought-after plugins that you can get for free from the official German WordPress site :
• Jetpack : With this very extensive extension you get over 30 different tools that will optimize your WordPress page and simplify the administration. For example, you'll see visitor stats and tips on how to increase traffic.
• Wordfence Security : Although WordPress is already considered a secure CMS in the standard version, this add-on significantly improves protection against hacker attacks and malware.
• WP-DB Backup : Use this tool to quickly and easily back up your database.
• NextGen Gallery : Manage images, create galleries, and provide photos and graphics with a digital watermark.
• WooCommerce : The online trading plug-in offers you a wide range of options for implementing a webshop with WordPress.
WordPress SEO plug-ins
With regard to search engine optimization , WordPress is already well-equipped in the basic version. With various enhancements you can improve the ranking of your WordPress page even further:
• Yoast SEO : The SEO complete package has enjoyed great popularity for years and contains u. a. Tools for page analysis, optimization of meta and link elements as well as social media integration.
• All-in-One SEO Pack : Another plug-in that combines many SEO functions - it can also be combined with the aforementioned extension WooCommerce.
• Google XML Sitemaps : This tool creates sitemaps of your website that allow search engines to better index them.
• W3 Total Cache : This quite complex plug-in optimizes the performance of your page.
• Broken Link Checker : This extension analyzes your website for broken links and proposes appropriate actions.
New themes for your WordPress pages
In addition to the unmanageable number of extensions, there is a wide range of WordPress themes . Themes - also called skins or templates - determine the design of your website . In addition, you can use a theme to select which site features are offered or highlighted. How to customize your WordPress page specific requirements. If you want to create a website for barrier-free use (see also the WCAG guidelines ), you should pay particular attention to the choice of a suitable theme.
New themes - both free and paid - can be downloaded from the official WordPress website . More design templates can be found on GitHub and at special providers of themes and templates. The largest selection is Theme forest , where more than 6,000 WordPress themes are available at different prices.
However, the huge range of themes and plug-ins also carries security risks: Not all extensions come from professional developers. Sometimes they are hardly or not cared for, so u. U. necessary updates are missing. This can quickly lead to security vulnerabilities. Therefore, regularly update the extensions - it is for the security of your system.
Conclusion: strengths and weaknesses of WordPress
Other drawbacks are the limited possibilities of user and rights distribution and the comparatively complicated implementation of a multilingual website . Although the missing features can be upgraded with extensions, but for the implementation of very complex websites you usually have to make many plug-in settings- one of the main drawbacks of WordPress.
Overall, however, the strengths outweigh - not without reason makes WordPress in comparison to the competition no doubt about its top position pay: It is the internationally most widely used CMS . If you use WordPress as a CMS, you benefit from this popularity, because the large community not only provides an immense supply of plug-ins and themes, but also helps you quickly with questions and difficulties. You also benefit from regular system updates . And if you ever need professional help, you can call on the support of various external service providers who specialize in the management of WordPress.
Another big advantage of the CMS market leader is the ease of use - especially for laymen. With the WYSIWYG editor, drag-and-drop operation, a handy library and other useful features, you can achieve significant web design results even without HTML knowledge.
Posted on Utopian.io - Rewarding Open Source Contributors
Thanks for the article. Do you recommend any e-commerce themes?
Not at all buddy, any will serve well. I am using Wellington theme.
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