What Is WordPress? – A New Blogger’s Guide

Those who have been looking for a blogging platform or online content management system may have heard other Internet users talk about WordPress; however, they may not know what this platform is, or how to effectively use it. To get the most out of WordPress, it is important to understand how it evolved, how it is currently used, and how it can benefit users.

The History of WordPress

In 2001, Michael Valdrighi created a blogging platform called B2/Cafe. Although B2/Cafe was relatively advanced compared to other platforms available at the time, it failed to gain widespread attention. As a result, it was shut down in 2003.

Shortly before the termination of the project, one of B2/Cafe´s users, Matt Mullenweg, began incorporating the platform´s codebase into his own folk software. Soon after, Valdrighi and Mike Little joined Mullenweg in his efforts to make blogging more accessible and user-friendly.

The team launched the first version of WordPress in May 2003. Over the next several years, the platform evolved quickly to keep pace with a dramatically increasing global interest in blogging. In 2005, the team added a hosting service designed for users who lacked the interest or knowledge to host their own blogs.

That same year, WordPress added a template system, which allowed users to customize the look and feel of their blogs by uploading design templates. Many of the early templates were generic and lacked advanced functionality; however, in later years, premium templates evolved that allowed users greater control over the presentation of their blogs.

WordPress is now the most popular blogging platform in the world. Its versatility and a huge range of plug-ins make it the number one choice for anyone looking to set up a professional looking website at low cost. To see an example of wordpress in action, why not visit our web design blog, where you can keep up to date with the latest web design news.