What is WordPress? WordPress is a content management system. A content management system is a software program that you install on a web server. I think of it like this: to write a letter I use a word processor, to create a page on my website I use WordPress.
You do not install WordPress on your computer.
This confuses some people. WordPress is a software program and you do install it on a computer. But you don’t install it on your computer, you install it on your web server. However, once it’s installed you use WordPress like any other software program, by pointing, clicking, and using menus and options.
You can build a website using WordPress without knowing or using any code. However, having a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and PHP enables you to do much, much more with your WordPress website. Although knowing code can be useful in some situations, it’s not obligatory. For a new WordPress user, learning how the WordPress application and your chosen theme work is much more useful than learning code.
Creating a new blog post or web page.
To create a new post or page on your website you select +New > Post from the tab in the admin bar at the top of your WordPress editor screen.
The WordPress editor screen.
When people ask “what is WordPress” they’re often surprised to discover using WordPress is similar to using any other software program. You can create web pages, add headings, paragraphs, images, rows, and columns via point and click settings.
Dot com and dot org.
There are two official WordPress websites WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
WordPress.com provide easy set up hosted WordPress websites. WordPress.org is a repository where you can download the WordPress program as well as themes and plugins you might need as you build your website.
WordPress.com websites are easier to set up but generally more expensive than the equivalent specification self hosted WordPress.org website that you set up yourself.