WordPress started in 2003 with a single bit of code. Open Source WordPress platform is the platform of choice for most bloggers and can be used successfully for simple website design. It does have some stiff competition though, especially with the release of Drupal and with Joomla’s increasing popularity.
Each platform has its advantages and disadvantages, and users need to evaluate what is important for them in a blogging platform/CMS:
Advantages:
1. Easy to Use : - While most products advertise themselves as being “easy to use” WordPress doesn’t advertise this, this is the reputation it has earned. Unlike Drupal and Joomla, WordPress doesn’t require knowledge of PHP or HTML coding.
2. Menu : - Wordpress 3.0 has some great menu options, making it prettier and simpler than Joomla due to its custom menus that can be rearranged to include categories, pages, etc.
3. Community : - Having a large community to draw on for support and tricks is important to many people and Wordpress has one of the largest online communities around.
4. Themes : - There are thousands of free themes available online to use to help you choose a design for your site. There are also premium themes available for purchase for those who want an added touch of professionalism to their site.
5. Plugins : - There are almost 13,000 plugins available for the Wordpress platform. It is through these plugins that Wordpress gained its CMS title as plugins opened up Wordpress to a world of possibilities. Most of these plugins are free which is cool.
Disadvantages:
1. Wordpress Scripting :- For advanced users who are familiar with more advanced techniques like scripting, Wordpress uses its own script. And knowledge of the Wordpress script is necessary for things like adding or removing post dates.
2. Design Knowledge Required :- To make unique designs in Wordpress you need knowledge of the CSS style sheet language, and odds are that if you have this sort of designing knowledge you will want a more powerful toolset like those available in Drupal-like CMSs.
3. PHP Security : - Unfortunately the PHP security for Wordpress has a shoddy track record and security isn’t as strong as some of the other platforms. This will only be a factor depending on how sensitive the content of your site is.
4. Queries :- Queries can be a difficult and convoluted process because of all the custom fields you need to use to go take Wordpress beyond typical blogging actions. Often you need a Custom Select Query, which can be a royal pain in the butt.
Each platform has its advantages and disadvantages, and users need to evaluate what is important for them in a blogging platform/CMS:
Advantages:
1. Easy to Use : - While most products advertise themselves as being “easy to use” WordPress doesn’t advertise this, this is the reputation it has earned. Unlike Drupal and Joomla, WordPress doesn’t require knowledge of PHP or HTML coding.
2. Menu : - Wordpress 3.0 has some great menu options, making it prettier and simpler than Joomla due to its custom menus that can be rearranged to include categories, pages, etc.
3. Community : - Having a large community to draw on for support and tricks is important to many people and Wordpress has one of the largest online communities around.
4. Themes : - There are thousands of free themes available online to use to help you choose a design for your site. There are also premium themes available for purchase for those who want an added touch of professionalism to their site.
5. Plugins : - There are almost 13,000 plugins available for the Wordpress platform. It is through these plugins that Wordpress gained its CMS title as plugins opened up Wordpress to a world of possibilities. Most of these plugins are free which is cool.
Disadvantages:
1. Wordpress Scripting :- For advanced users who are familiar with more advanced techniques like scripting, Wordpress uses its own script. And knowledge of the Wordpress script is necessary for things like adding or removing post dates.
2. Design Knowledge Required :- To make unique designs in Wordpress you need knowledge of the CSS style sheet language, and odds are that if you have this sort of designing knowledge you will want a more powerful toolset like those available in Drupal-like CMSs.
3. PHP Security : - Unfortunately the PHP security for Wordpress has a shoddy track record and security isn’t as strong as some of the other platforms. This will only be a factor depending on how sensitive the content of your site is.
4. Queries :- Queries can be a difficult and convoluted process because of all the custom fields you need to use to go take Wordpress beyond typical blogging actions. Often you need a Custom Select Query, which can be a royal pain in the butt.