Advantages and disadvantages of WordPress, and how to overcome its disadvantages

The WordPress system occupies the first place among the systems for creating and operating websites in the world, as the latest statistics estimated that the percentage of its use reached 38.8% of the total websites on the Internet, while its closest competitor (Joomla) reached only 2.2%. WordPress’s position as the best tool for creating and operating websites is due to a number of features, which we will learn about together in this article, and we will also learn about its disadvantages and how to avoid them.

Contents of the article: Why is WordPress the most famous system in the world?

Is WordPress worth relying on? The most important features of WordPress The most important disadvantages of WordPress and their solutions Why is WordPress the most famous system in the world? The most important features of WordPress revolve around its ease of use among beginners and its multiplicity of tools. Unlike other website creation systems, WordPress does not require advanced programming skills to use it, so it allows all people to build their websites without familiarity with programming codes. In addition, it gives the opportunity to those who are developing their programming skills to develop websites and improve their designs and functions further.

Is WordPress worth relying on? WordPress provides features that put it at the forefront; Such as the fact that it is an open source system that allows everyone to use and modify it, in addition to its ease of use and speed in creating websites without the need to know programming languages, in addition to the presence of a large number of add-ons that provide new functions for the site, and a huge number of distinctive templates that include all designs. Therefore, it is an integrated tool for creating all types of websites, starting from a small blog, all the way to the largest websites and e-stores. It is worth noting that major websites such as (Sony), (NBC), and (BBC) rely entirely on WordPress for their operation.

Read also: What is WordPress? A comprehensive explanation for beginners of the most important features of WordPress Well, WordPress did not achieve this fame in a vacuum. It certainly has unique features that distinguish it from other operating systems, the most important of which are the following: Advantages of WordPress 1- Open source system The open source system simply means the presence of software codes already written and ready for use, represented in the templates and functions of the site such as the background color, pages, menus, control panel, and other elements, and given the presence of many developers who use the WordPress system, you will find on the Internet all the codes that You need it to modify the functionality of your site if you want to add an additional programming touch to it. WordPress is open source (GPLv2), which means you can modify, use, and share the core WordPress code for free.

2- Ease of use: You can simply install the WordPress system for free on your website’s hosting, and start designing and implementing the entire website yourself without the need for programming experience. Through the WordPress control panel, you can manage the site, access all its parts, and modify them according to what you want without writing a single line of code. You can modify the template, customize site settings, add pages, lists, and blogs, and install plugins and many other functions, which undoubtedly saves you time and effort. The process of developing the site's functionality is easy and direct. 3- The speed of website creation. Have you ever tried to hire a programmer to create your own website?

You will need a lot of time to develop the initial design and write the code. But the WordPress system is distinguished by its speed in creating websites, whether you want to create a personal website, a blog, or even an online store. This is due to the fact that the system's code is ready, and the matter depends on development and modification directly in the WordPress control panel.

4- Developing functions using plugins. The WordPress system provides the feature of installing plugins on it, which is similar to mobile applications, but for WordPress, as it enables you to add features and characteristics to your site and activate new functions without the need to write software codes. For example, if you want to transform your website from just a regular website or blog, into an e-commerce website, with a few clicks, install the “WooCommerce” add-on and you will get the ability to publish products, receive payments, and other benefits associated with e-stores. One of the most important features of WordPress is that you will find hundreds of paid and free plugins that meet all your needs immediately, and you will also be able to activate or disable them at the time you want. This gives you greater control over your site.

5- Many appearance templates are available. WordPress templates, or as they are called in English (Themes), are the external design of your site’s appearance, and include the site’s features such as colors, shapes of buttons and pages, font type, heading formatting, and many other features. It is good that WordPress developers were able to provide hundreds of theme templates, as their functions vary according to the type of site. Some of them are free and provide limited design or modification features, and some are paid because they provide better features and a greater ability to develop the site’s appearance and functions. Because the WordPress system is very dynamic, website owners can change templates and switch between them at any time with just a few clicks. You can start with a free theme in the first period, then purchase a paid theme to develop the site’s design and make it unique.

6- Achieving a high ranking in search engines. The WordPress system includes many plugins that allow websites to obtain a high ranking in search engines such as Google. It provides the ability to add keywords, write a short description of topics, and other means of optimizing search engines, or what is known as (SEO). All of this can be applied after possessing the basic skills of the matter, and you will find many helpful tools for this. Read also: SEO Guide for WordPress Websites | WordPress SEO 7- A multi-functional system One of the advantages of WordPress resulting from it being a multi-functional system is that it provides the creation of almost all types of websites, including blogs, forums, personal websites, service provision sites, electronic stores, and more. It is worth noting that WordPress is the best content management system ever, as you can easily move between content pages and modify them, which makes it at the forefront of the systems that professional bloggers choose to create their personal blogs.

8- A low-cost system. WordPress not only saves time and effort, but also money, as you will not need to spend a large amount of money, or even hire an entire team of programmers to create your site. You can do all of this on your own at very low costs, depending only on the price of the domain and hosting. If you want to get a distinctive look and advanced additions, you will find everything you want for free or without spending a lot of money. 9- Mobile compatible: Most WordPress theme templates have a mobile compatibility feature. You will not find significant differences between the appearance of the site on the desktop or on the phone. Say goodbye to searching for the best web developers and spending huge sums of money to make your site integrated on all screens. With just a few clicks, get all the features possible by using WordPress.

The most prominent defects of WordPress and their solutions. I have been using WordPress personally for 4 years to run an online store and a blog. Believe me, you will not find anyone better than me to tell you about the defects of WordPress and how to avoid them. I faced all possible obstacles during that period, and I solved them all. Here are those defects: 1- Weak security standards of WordPress. Yes, what you are reading now is correct. The first point of WordPress’ advantages is the first point of its disadvantages. You can say that it is a blessing and a curse at the same time. The dilemma is that the WordPress system is always a target for hackers as a result of it being open source. Normally, a hacker will exploit a loophole in the code, and since the WordPress code is written by someone else and is then widely used, hackers can find some loopholes to try to hack sites through. the solution? Make sure to activate your site's security certificate (SSL), and obtain domain and hosting security plans from your service provider. All of this will make your site highly secure, in addition to the possibility of installing WordPress security plugins to increase its effectiveness.

One of the necessary ways to maintain the security of your site is to rely on reliable templates and plugins, not to be led by unimportant comments or as we call them (spams), and to stay away from harmful links. 2- Limited modification: One of the shortcomings of WordPress is the difficulty of implementing exactly the vision you want through it, as appearance templates give you limited modification possibilities, and the control panel also provides you with certain options that are difficult to change or modify extensively. the solution?

Use paid templates, as most of them provide an advanced design panel that makes it easier for the user to change appearance features with greater flexibility. As for the control panel, its features are developed by installing the appropriate plugins that you want to provide the site with its features. For example, if you want to add the “WishList” feature to your online store, you will have to install the “yith woocommerce wishlist” plugin, as the basic WordPress system does not provide you with that feature without an addition. 3- Frequent updates. Do not forget that the WordPress system requires a lot of additions that were implemented by developers who constantly seek to develop it and make it better, which means that you will face a large number of required updates every period, including updating the WordPress system itself.

But what's dangerous about that?

Well, an update might conflict with your site and cause it to crash temporarily, or you might not like the update itself! the solution? Try as much as possible to read the update notes before performing it; In order to anticipate potential conflicts before they occur, it is also preferable to use a hosting plan that provides a rollback option, so that you restore previous versions of your site and avoid updating broken add-ons until the defect is fixed.

4- The site is relatively slow, given that the WordPress system includes many interconnected components such as the theme template and plugins, so your site can become somewhat slow, which may prompt users to avoid the site if it takes a long time to load. the solution? Reduce extras by deleting unimportant or unused ones, and look into developing your hosting plan, as it is the most important factor in determining site speed.

5- Sudden collapse of the website Do not be surprised by what I am going to tell you now, but I faced the problem of the sudden collapse of my website a few times, and to find out the reason, I had to spend a lot of time researching all possible possibilities for the matter. The main reason is that WordPress contains many plugins and external sources that may conflict with the site and cause its collapse. the solution?

Be aware of the WordPress communities that bring together developers and people who have encountered problems and found solutions to them, and undoubtedly, if you encounter a problem related to this point, you will find many people offering solutions. In addition, be aware of the tasks you are performing, and the latest additions you have updated or added to it, so that you can quickly anticipate the causes of problems and find solutions to them. Read also: The most common WordPress problems It is clear that the advantages of WordPress prevail over its disadvantages as long as solutions exist, which shows that it is the best system for creating websites more quickly and at lower costs, without the need for advanced programming skills.

As someone who has dealt with various website creation and operating systems, if I had to rebuild my website again, without a doubt, I would choose WordPress every time! The article was prepared and edited by Omar Tariq