And why you should develop one too
I love WordPress. I really do. Granted, it isnt the last thing on my mind before I go to sleep and it isnt the first thing I think of when I open my eyes, but its pretty good. Whenever Im forced to use another Content Management System, I cant help but compare the experience to WordPress, solemnly whispering to myself, "I would never have to do that in WordPress."
But what is it about the Open Source CMS that stole my heart?
Not Just for Blogs
No longer is WordPress just for blogging. Take these websites, all of which have been built on WordPress (NB I am involved with all of these websites):-
Even some e-Commerce websites are now built on WordPress (though my own experience would tell me larger e-commerce sites dont tend to work very well on the platform). Some of these include (NB I am in no way involved with these sites):-
Ease of Use
Even non-web savvy types can pick up the interface quickly and its WYSIWYG means of adding and modifying content, it simplifies the process of adding new pages and posts or modifying existing ones.
Easy to Customize
As the worlds most popular Open Source CMS, WordPress has engaged quite literally thousands upon thousands of developers who create themes. So even if youre not savvy enough to create your own custom theme, you can probably find one you like, either from the WordPress directory or from countless theme websites. Themes are easy to find (both free and premium ones) and can be installed quickly and easily.
Additional Functionality
If there is something you can think of that WordPress does not do by default, theres a good chance that someone somewhere has already created a plugin for it that you can just install. Were spoiled by the WordPress developers out there. Plugins already exist, without charge, for:-
Assistance with SEO
eCommerce functionality
Social Media integration and sharing
Creating subscriber lists
Moderating comments
Implementing photo galleries
And thats just the tip of the iceberg. Call me a little bit odd, but I do spend quite a lot of time browsing plugins (I will get a life one day, promise!)
Im not a developer. I will never be one PHP? Its not for me. But my job requires that I am able to make quick, frequent updates to client websites and as such, I have encountered a LOT of CMS systems (both Open Source and paid for). I have not yet found one I like anywhere near as much as WordPress. You?