To WordPress or To Not WordPress
WordPress vs Custom Development
I'm frequently asked by clients if WordPress is the best platform for their websites and my answer is always the same: it depends.
What is WordPress
WordPress is a free and open-source CMS based on PHP and MySQL, originally created in 2003. It started as a simple blogging platform but has evolved into a full content management system through custom themes and plugins.
WordPress Stats
- WordPress powers almost 27 percent of the entire internet
- WordPress sites publish 24 posts per second
- 50,000 WordPress.com websites are launched daily
Why WordPress is Great
- Open Source: It's free and you can deploy in minutes
- Create Anything: From blogs to e-commerce, plugins can run it all
- Easy To Use: Anyone can start managing it with a few tutorials
Why WordPress is Not So Great
- Security: Due to popularity, it's an easy target for attacks
- Updates: Frequent updates make it difficult to keep everything current
- Plugins: Multiple developers' code can interfere with each other
- Bloat: Endless features tend to slow sites down compared to custom builds
Butter CMS
Butter is an API CMS and blogging platform with a hosted editor and API client libraries. It has a Ruby gem and handles hosting, upgrades, security, and performance for you.
Conclusion
WordPress is easy but not appropriate for all use cases. Ruby gives you complete freedom in design and functionality, while WordPress builds within existing limitations. Choose based on your specific needs: quick deployment vs. custom control.