WordPress has drawbacks and weaknesses. Okay, that's out of the way. But then let's also go over the nuances for the right context.
Like other website systems, WordPress can be the right choice, I'll conclude with that. But let's start at the beginning. Website systems are often called a CMS which stands for Content Management System. A way to manage texts and images and turn them into web pages.
On May 27th, 2003, WordPress was born. It was a CMS for blogging. Fast forward almost 20 years and we are in the present. WordPress has since become a Swiss army knife. With its many plugins, for example, it is no longer just a travel blog on the internet. It can be a webshop for electronics, a forum with discussions about a specific hobby or an informative website about an amusement park. Really anything.
Security
Yet it also has its quirks. One of the biggest drawbacks of WordPress is the figurative target it has on its forehead. This is ironically due to its success. Because WordPress is used so much, it is a popular target. Once a bad guy has found a hole in the security, there is a good chance that tens to hundreds of thousands of other WordPress websites can also be attacked in the same way.
In terms of security, there is another drawback. Although the core team behind WordPress does a good job, the level of knowledge and expertise of plugin and theme developers is variable. Thus, the very additions that make using WordPress so diverse are also a disadvantage. With great regularity, a leak is discovered in a plugin. This sometimes impacts hundreds of thousands of WordPress websites with far-reaching consequences.
Updates
Updates are a must for all modern software. The faster they are installed, the more secure it is. Yet this is another weakness of WordPress. Various developers release updates to plugins and themes at various times. It's a constant stream that needs to be kept up with for security reasons. As a result, it is literally a day job.
But here, too, the number of developers and their diversity of skills plays tricks. Thus, it happens with great regularity that an update for one plugin disrupts the other. Or worse, disrupt the entire website. With all those developers, software and versions, it is virtually impossible to always have everything work together flawlessly.
Finding help
In addition to a wide spectrum of plugin and theme developers, you can also find a wide spectrum of help. From installation and design to maintenance. Again, the range is wide due to the popularity of WordPress. But the services offered, prices and professionalism vary greatly. From moonlighting students to renowned software specialist.
And precisely because you often seek help yourself because technology is not your expertise, it is difficult to properly compare those parties. The less adept help can sometimes cause nasty surprises. Occasionally, this only comes to light after a while. For example, an underwhelmingly coded change to the website is regularly the cause of problems after updating later on. This can result in unnecessary and unexpected costs.
Advantages
At Exclusive-IT, we work with many different software. WordPress as well. Now that we've discussed some disadvantages and weaknesses in this article, it's good to touch on the advantages as well. Because there are, of course.
WordPress is by far the best choice for starting a website on a smaller budget. But also if it is still in a mockup or experimental phase, for example. In the beginning, often not all the bells and whistles are needed. And precisely because these are not necessary, a lot of plugins can stay away. This also makes it a little more manageable, given the disadvantages mentioned above.
As a brand new website owner, WordPress is also a nice way to get acquainted with what is involved. For example, much is later recognizable in other software for the web. After all, the principles are the same everywhere, for all websites on the internet.
Consequently, outgrowing WordPress often happens quite naturally. For example, when requirements outpace the system for WordPress customization. Or when growth is held back by performance. But also when, with a little more experience, the alternatives can be better looked at. For example, because of premium plugin, maintenance or security costs. That's often the time to move on. For example, to Foundation.