WordPress History
In 2003, Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little built a new platform with improvements on top of an already existing blogging software called b2/cafelog when it was abandoned. In 2004, version 1.2 was released, and it included the ability to use plug-ins that could extend the functionality of a WordPress website without changing the core files. Early in 2005, pages were able to be created within a WordPress website, which allowed users to use it for more than just blogging. The theme system was also introduced. Later in 2005, JavaScript and DHMTL were introduced, creating a better admin experience. The functions.php file was also added to provide even more customization.
In 2006, Automattic, the company founded by the co-founder Matt Mullenweg of WordPress, filed for its official trademark and logo, which were transferred to the WordPress Foundation in 2010. Around 2011, ecommerce plug-ins were being developed and used which provided a way to have an online store on a WordPress website. In 2013, automatic updates were introduced, and WordPress officially became the most popular CMS in the world.
In 2018, WordPress 5.0 introduced the brand-new block editor known as “Gutenberg”, a more modern drag-and-drop building and editing experience. The template editor was added in 2021 to lay the foundation for full-site editing, which in 2022 evolved into block-based themes which provided even more control for users to design their website. In recent years, WordPress is focusing on improvements such as how AI can play a bigger role and real-time collaboration within the editor (like Google Docs). WordPress still remains open-source and community-driven.
WordPress.org Entity
The WordPress.org entity serves as a resource center and provides a way for users to download WordPress software for free to self-host a WordPress website. It is up to the user to secure a domain and hosting service to be able to have a functioning website. Building a WordPress website this way offers a lot of technical freedom but does require more technical knowledge. The users will need to do their own research on a theme to use and what plug-ins will be necessary for the functionality they would like on their website, including plug-ins that help boost SEO, security, and provide site analytics. A user can also make changes to the PHP environment.
WordPress.com Entity
The WordPress.com entity, owned by Automattic, provides a way for users to create an account and pay for a plan that suits their needs for their websites, and includes managed hosting, security, and back-ups. WordPress.com also offers users help with the design, as well as creating and maintaining their website by providing quality themes with already built-in plug-ins. Plans come with built-in plug-ins that offer SEO optimization, security, and site analytics. There are also real people, staff members, that can assist users with any issues they may encounter with their website. WordPress.com also offers a managed hosting stack for developers that are creating websites for others.
Summary
WordPress has come a long way since its first release in 2003! It’s interesting to think that there I was graduating high school (in 2003) and WordPress was just born! It’s also inspiring to see how two people took something they liked using but wasn’t being supported anymore and took its structure to build an even better platform. It circles back to what Garret and I say sometimes with our own business… sometimes it’s not about recreating the wheel but building a different, but “better” wheel, “better” being defined differently by different people. As I researched WordPress and other CMS’s, I recognized that at least the ones I researched all started around the same time, in the early 2000s. It was when I first was encountering the notion of going to college and deciding what I wanted to do as a career. I spent time wondering what it would be like to have lived through the history of these platforms if I had recognized my love of coding and design could be an educational and career path back then. I would have graduated from college around 2007 and perhaps evolved with these platforms. But I do not regret my path in life for so many reasons, and I know that even now technology and CMS platforms will continue to evolve, and I can have more of a place in its history.
Lastly, comparing WordPress.org and WordPress.com gives me some hope. Using WordPress.org to build a WordPress site speaks to the benefit of still knowing how to code and design. To do so more on one’s own gives more control, and a more human touch to the design and usability of a website. However, having the paid plans through WordPress.com provides accessibility for small businesses and individuals that do not have the technical knowledge or time and energy to develop a quality website. And I wonder how both entities will evolve as AI becomes more a part of the lives of both developers, creators, designers, and users. This is the part of the history I will get to be more a part of!
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