5 WordPress myths debunked
It has been said that the internet contains misinformation. It is also very effective at spreading it. fake newsAnd since anyone can publish whatever they want, it can be difficult to distinguish fiction from truth. Shocking, isn't it? Wordpress It's no stranger to various myths and conspiracy theories. Some people suspect major changes at the core of the content management system (CMS). And others simply have misconceptions about the ecosystem, the community, and the overall picture of how things work.
It's time to set the record straight. Today, we'll take a look at some of the most common myths floating around the WordPress world and try to uncover the truth. What will we find? Keep reading!
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Myth 1: WordPress is slow and insecure
Let's start with the double whammy of performance and security. Social media clickbait often portrays WordPress as seriously lacking in these two key areas.
The problem with this narrative is that it treats WordPress as a basic, flat CMS. The fact is, while a standard installation is universal, we rarely leave it that way.
There are many ways to customize WordPress. To begin with, third-party plugins and themes are a big part of the experience. And experienced developers can create their own. Furthermore, the CMS can be hosted on several different server environments. For example, you could use shared hosting to host the system and an S3 bucket on Amazon Web Services to host images and videos, significantly increasing website speed. In addition, if you add a CDN, WordPress websites can be incredibly fast.
Because WordPress is incredibly popular, it has become a target for bots and hackers (crackers, lammers), who write scripts specifically targeting the platform. The bigger you are, the more they target you. The WordPress project is open source and has a large number of volunteers who dedicate themselves to, among other things, performance and security. That's not to say there's never a bug or security flaw, but the core code is fairly well maintained.
That said, WordPress by itself is neither particularly slow nor insecure.
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Myth 2: WordPress is owned by Automattic / Matt Mullenweg
There has long been a misunderstanding regarding the "ownership" of WordPress. At least some of this is due to self-inflicted brand confusion and some blurred lines.
It is true that Matt Mullenweg He co-founded WordPress in 2003. However, it's a free, open-source project that anyone can download and install anywhere. It's commonly known as ".ORG," a tribute to the project's domain name.
Mullenweg is still very active in the project. His name appears as a primary contributor on several releases, and he often participates in community discussions. He also works with others to determine the software's roadmap for future development. However, he doesn't own the project itself. It's owned by the non-profit WordPress Foundation (which Mullenweg founded, by the way).
Now, here's the part that might confuse you. WordPress.com (".COM"), with its similar name, is a place where you can host a blog for free or access a (somewhat limited) website builder with various hosting (and price) tiers. It's owned by Mullenweg's company, Automattic. And yes, it runs the WordPress software.
So, although Automattic (and therefore Mullenweg) are major contributors to the project, they do not own WordPress.
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Myth 3: WordPress websites are too cheap/expensive
The reality is that WordPress can be either of those things, or neither. Much depends on how web designers, developers, or agencies choose to market their services. There's also the question of how much a particular client is willing to pay.
WordPress itself is free. And you can certainly take a free theme and then add any number of free plugins. It's entirely possible to create a website for nothing (or almost nothing).
However, if you want a website with specific functionalities and a detailed, customized design, the best solution will always be Contact an agency specializing in web design and developmentIts price will be determined based on how complex and detailed it is required.
WordPress can be as simple or as complex as you want. A web professional can use it to create a complex web application or a simple landing page. There's no single way to do things. Therefore, WordPress can't be categorized as inherently cheap or expensive. It's all about what you do with it.
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Myth 4: WordPress is not a "real" CMS
In its early days, WordPress was purely a blogging platform. And, despite having undergone a great deal of evolutionary change since then, some people still associate it with this purpose.
Running a great blog is just the beginning of what a modern WordPress website is capable of. You can leverage the software for virtually any purpose.
Celebrity e-commerce store? Major government portal? Website for a corporate giant? Well-known educational institution? We could go on and on. The point is, WordPress can be used for virtually any type of website: large, small, or in between. It can even serve as a backend engine for mobile applications.
To say that it is just a blogging platform is a myth.
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Myth 5: WordPress maintenance is very complicated.
All CMS platforms require some form of maintenance. When it comes to WordPress maintenance, there are two main points to consider:
- WordPress core software
The WordPress core typically releases a few major updates per year. 2019 and 2020 each saw three such releases. Beyond that, there are several minor updates (which are automatically updated) that patch security vulnerabilities and eliminate bugs. Consider the major updates as the foundation for maintaining your website. - WordPress themes (templates) and plugins (WordPress plugins).
Third-party plugins and themes are a completely different matter. The number of updates (or lack thereof) depends on each developer. Some larger plugins may release updates every few weeks. Others may not see a change for a year or more.
In theory, the more third-party resources you add to your website, the more you'll have to maintain.
Much depends on the types of themes and plugins you're implementing. A plugin that powers crucial functionality and has a large user base (like WooCommerceThis will require a bit more maintenance. The same can be said of a theme that uses many advanced JavaScript libraries and custom functions.
Maintenance needs can be significantly reduced by removing unnecessary add-ons. This will not only save you time but also help you avoid software conflicts.
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WordPress is whatever you want it to be
By reviewing these WordPress myths and misconceptions, it becomes clear that the WordPress experience is different for everyone.
These stories shape our perception of what a CMS can and cannot do. Even the confusion about the differences between WordPress.org y WordPress.com It can lead us to make assumptions about who is in charge and what is possible.
The bottom line is that WordPress is truly ours to do with as we please. Customize it to your liking. There's almost limitless flexibility. That's what has led many of us to choose WordPress; however, as with everything, there will always be other perspectives worth considering.
Author Eric Karkovack (This article was originally published in https://speckyboy.com/wordpress-myths-debunked/.
Translated by Alejandro Santamaría
