What is WordPress?
WordPress is free, open-source content management software that stores your pages in a database and builds each page when a visitor asks for it. You install it on hosting you control, then add a theme for design and plugins for features. WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3+, MySQL 8.4+ or MariaDB 10.11+ and HTTPS.
For business owners and beginners deciding whether WordPress suits their site, and what they need to run it on their own hosting.
knowledge
- Read time
- 3 min
- Sections
- 5
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.
What is WordPress and how widely is it used?
WordPress is free, open-source content management software: you write and edit pages in a browser, WordPress stores them in a MySQL or MariaDB database, and its PHP code builds each page when a visitor asks for it. It was released on 27 May 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little as a fork of b2/cafelog, and is licensed under the GPL.
Industry usage surveys such as W3Techs put WordPress on more than 40% of all websites, largely because themes and plugins cover ordinary business sites without custom development. The reasons people choose it are set out in why choose WordPress, and the same explanation in Hindi is WordPress क्या है.
- It is software from WordPress.org that you install, not a page you rent from one company.
- Posts, pages and settings live in the database; the theme decides how they look.
- You manage it at
/wp-adminon your own domain. - The same install can be a brochure site, a magazine, a blog or a shop, depending on plugins.
What is the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com?
WordPress.org is the free software you install on hosting you control; WordPress.com is a commercial service run by Automattic that hosts WordPress for you, with plugin and theme freedom depending on the plan.
| Attribute | WordPress.org (self-hosted) | WordPress.com (hosted) |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | On hosting you buy and control | On WordPress.com's servers |
| Plugins and themes | Any, including custom code | Restricted on lower plans |
| Files and database | Yours, with full access | Managed under the platform's rules |
| You maintain | Updates, backups and security | Less server work, less control |
The full comparison, including moving between them, is in WordPress.com vs WordPress.org.
How do themes, plugins and the block editor work together?
A theme controls layout and design, plugins add features such as forms, shops or backups, and the block editor (Gutenberg, introduced in WordPress 5.0 in December 2018) builds content from blocks such as paragraphs, images and buttons.
| Part | Job | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|
| Theme | Templates, header, footer, typography | Only one active at a time; use a child theme for custom code |
| Plugin | Adds a feature: SEO, forms, WooCommerce, cache | One plugin per job; two SEO plugins usually conflict |
| Block | A unit of content inside a page | Block themes also use blocks for the whole layout |
| Page builder | Optional visual layout tool such as Elementor | An extra layer, not required by WordPress |
When to change a theme versus add a plugin is covered in WordPress theme vs plugin.
What do you need to run a self-hosted WordPress site?
WordPress.org recommends hosting with PHP 8.3 or later, MySQL 8.4 or later or MariaDB 10.11 or later, and HTTPS support, plus Apache or Nginx with URL rewriting. Older PHP 7.4 and MySQL 5.5.5 still run WordPress, but WordPress.org warns those versions are end of life and may expose a site to security risks.
- A domain registered in your name and pointed at the hosting account.
- Hosting meeting the versions above, with enough memory for your theme and plugins.
- An SSL certificate so the site and admin load over HTTPS.
- Backups and updates for core, themes and plugins.
WebJi® runs WordPress on its Linux shared plans from ₹299 a month before 18% GST, with free SSL and one-click WordPress deploy (published pricing; checkout confirms the current figure). Plans are on WordPress hosting, and the steps are in how to install WordPress.
When is WordPress the right choice, and when is custom development better?
Use WordPress for business sites, blogs, magazines and shops that existing plugins already handle; choose custom development when the product is the application itself, with unusual workflows a theme would fight.
| Situation | Usual fit |
|---|---|
| Company site, blog, news or a typical WooCommerce shop | Self-hosted WordPress |
| You want software and hosting as one rented service | A hosted product such as WordPress.com |
| Bespoke workflows, heavy integrations, a SaaS product | Custom development |
| Tiny one-page site that rarely changes | A website builder or static HTML |
If you want it built for you, WebJi®'s WordPress web design service is scoped and quoted before work starts.
Frequently asked questions
Is WordPress really free?
The software is free under the GPL, and so are thousands of themes and plugins. You still pay for a domain, hosting and any premium themes or plugins, plus your own time or a developer's for setup and upkeep.
Do I need to know coding to use WordPress?
No. Writing, editing pages, adding images and installing plugins all happen in the dashboard. HTML, CSS and PHP help when you want custom layouts or to fix problems, but a typical business site can run without code.
Is WordPress secure?
The core is actively maintained and patched. Most hacks come from outdated or nulled plugins and themes, weak passwords and old PHP versions. Keep everything updated, use two-factor login and keep off-site backups; see the WordPress security checklist.
Can WordPress handle an online store?
Yes, with the free WooCommerce plugin, which adds products, cart, checkout and order management. Indian payment gateways such as Razorpay and UPI plugins connect to it. Larger catalogues need stronger hosting and caching.
Requirements checked against WordPress.org, 15 November 2026 · Reviewed by the WebJi® team, Jaipur.
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