WordPress

If you've ever published a blog or website, the chances are pretty good you used WordPress to build and maintain it. Since 2003, WordPress has been the preferred CMS for millions of website owners. It is easy to use, offers an incredible library of useful applications, and can even be used for e-commerce. WordPress stands alone when it comes to website development. WordPress is an open-source content management system. It can be used for a variety of purposes. Individuals can create a simple blog or a full-bodied website. It can even be used to create apps. Best of all, WordPress is free for everyone. Most web hosting providers offer one-click installation of WordPress to a user's domain. Once hosting is secured, all one must do is install the WordPress software to the domain server and begin creating. Everything about the platform is designed to be accomplished with a minimum of effort. WordPress users begin by choosing a theme from a vast free library. It is also possible to purchase advanced themes which offer greater functionality from private sellers. The theme is then installed and a convenient dashboard makes customizing it quick and easy. The dashboard offers simple options for creating pages, posts, and adding media. Plug-ins can then be added from another exhaustive library. Once again, many of these plug-ins are free while others can be purchased for specific applications. There are plug-ins for optimizing SEO, setting up a shopping cart, and even offering live chat support. WordPress plug-ins have even developed their own cult following. Pages and posts are created in a very simple but effective WYSIWYG editor. There is a live preview mode to help users get the look of a page just right. Once the content has been added, the page or post can be published immediately or scheduled for publication at a specific time. This is especially useful for individuals who like to drip feed their content. Users can schedule an entire week's worth of blog posts and be done with the work in a short period of time. WordPress also offers detailed analytics which help site owners evaluate the performance of their website. Reports show how many visitors a site has received, the country of origin, and even the average length of time spent on the site. Plug-ins are available for those who require more detailed reporting. WordPress has evolved since its early days into a rich and elegant platform that powers some of the most attractive sites on the Web. It is the supreme choice for the novice web developer as well as the seasoned pro.