WordPress software for website creation and blogs is downloadable from wordpress.org. This is different from wordpress.com, a free blog posting website, where you can start your own blog. The two are connected, but any website can use the open source code that makes up WordPress. The concept of WordPress is to offer a way for individuals to self publish their content — some do it on their own, some have it hosted and some just post to an existing site. The GPL is the license for the product also called the GNU General Public License, the intent of which is to guarantee the right to share. WordPress is written with MySQL and PHP. Originally WordPress CMS was called b2/cafelog by its creator Michel Valdrighi.
WordPress started in 2001 with a simple development of the code made available to the public. After the initial release, 12 more versions have been released that upgraded various aspects of the CMS. initially tools were developed to allow for better editing of static pages. Then, the development allowed users to include plug-ins. Other versions developed the use of themes and widgets that expanded the versatility of the system. Over its development WordPress has had a varied record with security, but new versions were created to address these issues.
Today, WordPress is used by millions of individuals and companies. The program is available for free today as version 3.0.4. If you are not well-versed in how to use the program there are many companies that offer a service to host your CMS. Be a little cautious as not all hosts are the same, so know what you want before you sign up for hosting. So, now you are ready to connect to your community with unlimited plug-ins and theme opportunities. All you need is to know what you want. Keep that in mind as you research the huge variety of tools available to you with WordPress.