Have you ever seen rumors on the web that WordPress is outdated?
WordPress is the preferred web site builder in the marketplace, powering about 43% of the web sites. With its giant market share, flexibility, and common updates, it’s secure to say that WordPress is just not outdated in any respect.
Nevertheless, you could have seen some weblog posts or threads on the web convincing you to not construct a web site on the platform.
On this article, we are going to talk about if WordPress is outdated and shed some gentle on the nice, unhealthy, and ugly facet of the platform.
Is WordPress Actually Outdated?
WordPress is an open-source software program that’s fully free, versatile, and simple to make use of.
Notice: Please don’t confuse WordPress.org with WordPress.com, which is a self-hosted service. For particulars, you possibly can see our comparability on WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org.
WordPress can also be extremely widespread. It holds over 64% of the CMS market share, and about 36% of the highest 10,000 web sites are powered by WordPress, exhibiting that it’s the greatest web site builder in the marketplace.
Plus, many big-name manufacturers like Sony Music, CNN, and Disney Books have additionally used WordPress to construct their web sites.
So, if WordPress was outdated, then why would among the hottest manufacturers on the earth use it to energy their web sites?
The reply is that WordPress is up to date recurrently, is safe, and cost-effective, together with loads of customization choices for all types of web site homeowners and small companies.
In brief, the weblog posts that you could have seen on the web about WordPress dying are unfaithful. These rumors are often promoted by individuals who use different options and are satisfied that these platforms are higher than WordPress.
Having stated that, let’s take a look at WordPress’s good, unhealthy, and ugly sides to find out if the platform is outdated. You should utilize the short hyperlinks beneath to leap to the completely different components of our dialogue:
The Good
First, let’s check out among the benefits of utilizing WordPress as a web site builder to show that it isn’t outdated in any respect.
1. Common Updates
WordPress has round 2-3 main releases every year. These updates usually introduce new options and enhancements, together with measures to attenuate safety vulnerabilities.
Moreover, WordPress additionally will get some minor updates each few weeks that target bug points, boosting efficiency, and any minor safety issues.
Since WordPress is open supply, it’s maintained by builders all around the world who additionally repair errors and even add new options which might be then launched in main updates all year long.
One other advantage of WordPress is that it’s mechanically up to date each time there’s a minor launch, so that you received’t need to waste time doing it your self.
We advocate all the time utilizing the most recent model of WordPress so as to add new options, enhance efficiency, and keep up to date with the most recent business requirements.
For extra particulars, chances are you’ll prefer to see our tutorial on safely replace WordPress.
2. Ease of Use and Flexibility
WordPress is tremendous widespread resulting from its ease of use and suppleness. This implies you don’t want any coding information to construct a web site on the platform.
That’s the reason there are virtually 4 million WordPress blogs and web sites within the USA alone.
The platform has a clear and user-friendly interface with a really simple menu on the left facet of the display screen. This makes it simple for newbies to handle their web sites proper from the dashboard.
WordPress additionally provides the block editor, the place you should use completely different blocks from the panel, together with picture, heading, video, quote, column, or group blocks to create posts and pages.
Moreover, it’s versatile and means that you can add all types of customizations utilizing WordPress themes and plugins.
For instance, you can use a theme like Astra or a theme builder like SeedProd to construct a gorgeous website.
Equally, it’s also possible to add contact varieties, construct on-line shops, add social media icons, create lead era campaigns, and a lot extra utilizing the 59,000 plugins obtainable within the WordPress.org listing.
For extra concepts, chances are you’ll prefer to see our skilled picks for the must-have WordPress plugins.
Total, WordPress has a terrific steadiness between ease of use and suppleness as a result of it provides an intuitive interface for newbies.
Alternatively, it additionally has superior customization choices for skilled customers by means of themes, plugins, and open-source code entry.
For extra info on this matter, you possibly can see our newbie’s information on why WordPress is tough and make it simpler.
3. Search engine optimisation-Pleasant
WordPress is Search engine optimisation-friendly and up-to-date with the most recent Search engine optimisation requirements as a result of it makes use of clear and semantic code, which is simple to grasp for serps like Google.
Plus, it means that you can customise your permalink construction, simply add titles and meta descriptions, and comes with built-in taxonomies within the type of classes and tags.
This makes it simpler for customers to arrange their content material and enhance their search engine rankings.
All these settings can be found in WordPress by default and may simply be configured proper out of your dashboard. You too can use some plugins and instruments to optimize your content material additional.
To do that, we advocate utilizing All in One Search engine optimisation for WordPress as a result of it’s the greatest Search engine optimisation plugin in the marketplace.
It means that you can add titles and meta descriptions and comes with options like a damaged hyperlink assistant, XML sitemaps, on-page Search engine optimisation evaluation, a robots.txt editor, social media playing cards, a redirection supervisor, and extra.
Plus, it has schema markup for articles, merchandise, FAQs, and recipes that may increase your rankings and natural click-through fee.
For extra particulars, you possibly can see our final WordPress Search engine optimisation information.
4. Safety
Quite a lot of customers on the web imagine that WordPress is overly susceptible to hackers, malware, and bugs.
Nevertheless, that’s an over-exaggeration.
WordPress is a safe platform that’s monitored by safety consultants worldwide. Since it’s open supply, its supply code is all the time obtainable for builders to check and debug safety points.
You may even add an additional layer of safety to your WordPress website through the use of widespread safety plugins like Sucuri. This software provides a firewall that forestalls unhealthy visitors, hackers, and malware from reaching your server.
Plus, Sucuri makes use of a content material supply community (CDN), which might increase your web site’s efficiency and pace.
Aside from WordPress, all of the themes and plugins that you’re utilizing are additionally safe as a result of most premium plugins pay safety consultants to audit their code. Which means that even when malware is present in a theme or plugin, it’s patched up fairly rapidly.
Plus, plugins submitted to the free WordPress plugin repository should meet sure safety and coding requirements.
Nonetheless, we advocate utilizing safety plugins, website backups, robust passwords, and common updates to make your WordPress website fully safe. For extra particulars, please check out our WordPress safety information.
WordPress is just not outdated as a result of it’s nonetheless wildly widespread. It boasts an enormous neighborhood of people, together with bloggers, builders, and designers, who recurrently contribute to the platform.
The WordPress neighborhood is thought for its inclusivity. It generates a wealth of sources equivalent to boards, blogs, documentation, tutorials, and video guides to assist newbies study and develop their web sites.
For instance, the WordPress translation neighborhood has absolutely translated the CMS into over 50 languages and partially translated greater than 200.
People and groups all around the world additionally manage WordCamps and meetups every year to advertise international collaboration and share their love of WordPress.
The WordPress neighborhood additionally means that you can contribute your expertise to completely different initiatives, entry help, and supply alternatives to study from different members of the neighborhood.
You may even publish job listings for writers, builders, or designers on the WordPress.org web site.
Total, the neighborhood is an integral a part of WordPress and generally is a invaluable useful resource for newbies who’re simply beginning with the platform.
6. Scalable
WordPress isn’t an outdated choice as a result of it may be used for all sizes of internet sites and on-line companies, that means you could develop from inside the platform.
WordPress might be extremely scalable should you use the fitting instruments in your web site. Quite a lot of WordPress websites on the web have very excessive visitors quantity and carry out exceptionally nicely.
For instance, there are many dependable WordPress internet hosting companies that may deal with a excessive degree of visitors with out hurting your website’s pace.
Moreover, there are many WordPress caching plugins, like WP Rocket, that may scale back server load and increase your web page load pace.
You too can offload your static recordsdata and media to a CDN community to deal with larger visitors masses as your web site grows.
For particulars and suggestions, chances are you’ll prefer to see our information on how a lot visitors WordPress can deal with.
The Unhealthy
Whereas we predict WordPress is a good choice for all types of internet sites, there are some potential downsides to utilizing the platform. Listed here are some cons of utilizing WordPress as your web site builder.
1. Reliance on WordPress Plugins
The WordPress.org listing provides greater than 59,000 free WordPress plugins. This ensures that yow will discover just about any software that you must add new performance to your web site.
Whereas that could be a big profit, it additionally implies that your web site may very well be closely reliant on completely different plugins so as to add options.
WordPress plugins could typically battle with different plugins or WordPress’s newest software program model, which might trigger sudden points. For instance, should you use two plugins that supply the identical performance, then that may result in some errors.
Not all free plugins obtain ongoing help, both. Chances are you’ll set up a plugin in your web site, just for it to be deserted by the developer later and grow to be outdated. This may introduce safety vulnerabilities or trigger WordPress errors.
Nevertheless, you will need to do not forget that WordPress plugins undergo fairly a little bit of testing earlier than they’re added to the plugin listing. Most of them work properly, and a few could even enhance website efficiency. Nonetheless, you will need to be aware of the potential downsides of utilizing outdated plugins.
For extra on this matter, you possibly can see our information on how to decide on the perfect WordPress plugin.
2. WordPress Errors
WordPress is tremendous simple to navigate, however you possibly can typically run into some widespread errors that may sound scary and even forestall you from accessing your website.
For instance, chances are you’ll come throughout the Inner Server Error when you find yourself attempting to go to your web site as a result of the server has run into an issue that it can not acknowledge.
In that case, it is going to be as much as you to determine and repair the error. To do that, you possibly can strive clearing your browser cache, reuploading core recordsdata, rising the PHP reminiscence restrict, or deactivating all of your WordPress plugins.
For particulars, you possibly can see our tutorial on repair the interior server error in WordPress.
Apart from that, you may additionally see different WordPress errors just like the 504 gateway timeout, password reset, RSS feed error, or WordPress not sending e-mail errors. Whereas they may sound scary, you possibly can simply repair them utilizing the sources obtainable on the web and WordPress neighborhood boards.
For extra info, please see our newbie’s information on the most typical WordPress errors and repair them.
3. Internet hosting and Area Title Prices
WordPress.org is totally free as a result of it’s an open-source platform.
Nevertheless, the price begins including up when that you must buy a website title and internet hosting in your web site. A site title is your web site’s title on the web, like www.wpbeginner.com, and may price as much as $14.99/yr.
Alternatively, a internet hosting plan usually begins from $7.99/month. This may be costly when you’ve got simply began and are on a shoestring funds.
Happily, you may get round this by selecting an affordable WordPress internet hosting supplier like Bluehost, which is without doubt one of the largest internet hosting corporations in the marketplace. Primarily, you may get began for $2.75 per 30 days.
For extra info, you possibly can see our newbie’s information on how a lot it actually prices to construct a WordPress web site.
4. Efficiency Points
Some folks declare that WordPress is outdated as a result of some WordPress web sites are slow-loading and have efficiency points.
Though WordPress is a scalable platform, that doesn’t imply that your web site will mechanically be quick. It could nonetheless undergo from efficiency points that may harm the consumer expertise and search engine rankings.
A number of the widespread causes for gradual web site pace generally is a poor internet hosting plan, giant picture sizes, extreme plugins, unoptimized code, or database points.
In that case, we advocate optimizing your website for pace by lazy loading feedback, utilizing JPEG and PNG as picture file codecs, choosing light-weight themes, and resizing your visible content material.
Most significantly, you must guarantee that you’re utilizing a WordPress caching plugin like WP Rocket. This ensures that your web site can deal with extra visitors with out slowing down your server.
For extra suggestions and tips, check out our newbie’s information on increase WordPress web site pace and efficiency.
The Ugly
WordPress isn’t excellent, so listed below are some extra severe disadvantages to think about should you begin utilizing it in your web site.
1. Wants Common Upkeep
Although WordPress is a good web site builder, you’ll nonetheless need to carry out some common upkeep duties to maintain your website safe and quick.
For instance, we advocate all the time updating your WordPress to the most recent model.
Subsequent, you should create common WordPress backups, optimize your database, and run efficiency checks. You must also strive altering your website password at times as a result of it’s the first protection towards hackers attempting to entry your web site.
For extra suggestions, please see our information on essential WordPress upkeep duties to carry out recurrently.
Whereas these duties are essential, they are often irritating and time-consuming. Plus, not doing them can harm your website’s efficiency and expose it to safety vulnerabilities.
Nevertheless, if doing these duties seems like an excessive amount of work, then you possibly can go for Seahawk Media Providers as a substitute. They’re the perfect WordPress companies supplier that may carry out common upkeep duties for you so that you just don’t want to fret about something.
Apart from that, Seahawk Media additionally provides pace optimization, Search engine optimisation optimization, website migration, hacked website restore, web site rebuilding, content material writing, and so many different companies.
Alternatively, you can select a managed WordPress internet hosting supplier like WP Engine. Their plans begin at $20 per 30 days and embody VIP internet hosting companies like managed updates, superior WordPress safety, every day and on-demand backups, and a built-in exercise log.
2. Bloated Code
WordPress is typically accused of being outdated and having bloated code as a result of it has a whole lot of built-in options for a variety of internet sites. Nevertheless, a whole lot of these settings are non-compulsory and might not be wanted by all websites.
These options can add additional code to your pages, which might decelerate load instances. That being stated, the best method to do away with bloated code is to disable all of the settings that you just don’t wish to use in your web site.
For instance, you possibly can disable the pingback characteristic that notifies different blogs whenever you hyperlink to them. This performance is just not essential for all types of internet sites and provides pointless bloat to your database.
You too can disable emojis, default themes, and unused plugins to make your website quicker. Nevertheless, we advocate rigorously contemplating options earlier than disabling them, particularly in case you are new to WordPress.
What Is the Way forward for WordPress?
After trying on the good, unhealthy, and ugly sides of WordPress, we now have concluded that WordPress is just not outdated in any respect and its future is vibrant.
It’s a strong platform that performs common updates and is Search engine optimisation-friendly, scalable, and safe, making it the proper option to construct a web site.
Plus, its reputation and neighborhood are rising, and it’s even a extremely widespread platform for on-line shops, with over 5 million web sites powered by WooCommerce alone.
We additionally anticipate Synthetic Intelligence (AI) to grow to be an integral a part of WordPress sooner or later, and we imagine the platform will proceed to develop and evolve within the coming years.
If you want some extra info, then you possibly can see our information on the way forward for WordPress and what to anticipate.
Steadily Requested Questions About WordPress
Listed here are some questions which might be steadily requested by our readers about WordPress:
Is WordPress nonetheless related in 2024?
The reply is sure. WordPress continues to be related in 2024, contemplating that it powers over 43% of all web sites globally.
It’s open-source, free, user-friendly, and provides an unlimited library of plugins and themes that reach WordPress’s performance, making it the popular alternative for constructing a web site for a lot of customers.
Are WordPress websites outdated?
WordPress itself is recurrently maintained and up to date with new options and safety patches. Which means that all of the web sites utilizing the most recent WordPress model might be fairly trendy.
Nevertheless, some web sites on the web could also be utilizing an outdated theme or plugins or a really previous model of WordPress, which might result in a hack.
If you happen to preserve your core software program, themes, and plugins up to date, your WordPress website might be simply as trendy and safe as one constructed on a special platform.
Is WordPress dropping reputation?
WordPress continues to be an excellent widespread web site builder and holds a 64% share of the Content material Administration System (CMS) market.
It additionally boasts an enormous neighborhood that organizes WordCamps worldwide and promotes international inclusivity. Plus, the neighborhood provides in depth plugin help, has translated the platform into over 50 languages, and has boards that will help you along with your WordPress issues.
Is WordPress actually that unhealthy?
No, WordPress is definitely a really user-friendly platform the place you possibly can construct a web site with none coding information. It’s utilized by among the prime corporations on the earth and is tremendous scalable.
For particulars, you possibly can see our newbie’s information on is WordPress actually that unhealthy.
We hope this text helped you study if WordPress is outdated, with an outline of its good, unhealthy, and ugly sides. You might also wish to see our full WordPress evaluate and our information on why you must use WordPress.
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