Features and Growth
WordPress is written in PHP and uses MySQL or MariaDB for database management. It supports a plugin architecture and a template system called "Themes," allowing extensive customization. Today, WordPress powers over 43% of all websites and is used by millions worldwide, making it the most popular CMS. Its open-source nature, licensed under GPLv2, allows users to freely install, modify, and distribute the software.
Community and Ecosystem
The WordPress ecosystem includes thousands of plugins and themes, a large developer community, and self-hosted (WordPress.org) and hosted (WordPress.com) options. The WordPress Foundation oversees the project and related trademarks, ensuring the platform remains free and open-source. Major releases are named after jazz musicians, reflecting the developers’ shared passion for jazz.
Legacy
From its humble beginnings as a blogging tool, WordPress has transformed web publishing by making it accessible to non-technical users while providing powerful tools for developers. Its history highlights the strength of open-source communities in creating widely adopted, flexible, and sustainable software.