WordPress

WordPress is a system to manage my website, blog or even webshop without having to know HTML or PHP. WordPress is originally a free blogging software. It is currently the most widely used content management system (I will explain later). WordPress uses the PHP programming language. All files are stored in a MySQL database (I'll explain later). WordPress is open source, which means I can download it for free and participate in customizing it.

CMS

Because WordPress is a content management system (CMS), the user can easily make adjustments to the website without technical knowledge. The user writes in plain language what should be on the website and the CMS translates this into HTML code. So the system writes the HTML code for me. A CMS is a software application (web application) that allows people without much technical knowledge to publish data and documents on the Internet. In Dutch it would be called Content Management Systeem (I almost never use the Dutch name). A CMS consists of:

• Administration module in which data can be entered, modified or deleted

• A database to store data

• A presentation module, the actual website where the visitor sees the data.

MySQL Database

MySQL database is a kind of rack cabinet in which I have different compartments (tables). I can place things in these tables, such as pages. When I add a page, post, category, tag or anything else in WordPress it is stored in a table. On my website, at the front end, it is then fetched from the database and displayed on my website. Without MySQL database, I don't have WordPress. I just need to know this excist. My hosting or my webbuilder will have to deal with this.

WordPress.com

WordPress also hosts WordPress on their own system under WordPress.com. This free version is limited but suitable for small blogs or websites. At WordPress.com it is not possible to use custom themes and plugins. This is possible on my own server and then I have to have WordPress.org.

Functions

WordPress has a number of features:

• Templates, are the design and appearance of my website

• Plugins, small pieces of software that I add to my website to, for example, create a contact form

• Widgets, are small modules that I can add to the website by dragging. For example, a search bar, a blog archive, etc.