What is WordPress (CMS)

A free, open-source CMS (Content Management System) built in PHP + MySQL. It lets you publish blogs, business sites, and stores without writing code — but you can extend it with code if you want.

A CMS is software that stores your content in a database and renders it through templates, so editors can add/edit pages from a friendly admin panel instead of editing HTML files.

• Free + open source (GPL license)
• No coding required for 90% of sites
• Massive ecosystem — themes + plugins + community
• SEO-friendly out of the box
• Works for every scale — personal blog → enterprise news sites

• Powers ~43% of all websites on the internet.
• ~65% market share among CMSs.
• Used by The New Yorker, TechCrunch, BBC America, Sony Music.

TechCrunch, BBC America, The New Yorker, Sony Music — all run WordPress at scale. Even Government sites (USA.gov, Sweden.se) use it.

Important. WordPress is GPLv2-licensed — you can use it commercially, modify it, and resell sites built on it WITHOUT paying anyone.

• Open-source CMS — PHP + MySQL/MariaDB
• Powers ~43% of all websites in 2026
• Created in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg + Mike Little
• Two flavors — WordPress.com (hosted) vs WordPress.org (self-hosted)

1. Open wordpress.org and download the latest version — note the .zip size.
2. List 5 famous brands running WordPress (search 'sites built with WordPress').
3. Compare the WordPress version in 2003 (0.7) vs 2026 (~6.x) — what major features have been added?

• Quote ~43% market share + 65% CMS share in interviews — shows real-world awareness.
• Mention REST API + headless WordPress for advanced/agency roles.
• Bookmark wordpress.org/news/ for security advisories + release notes.