When to use WordPress

As a developer, I'd usually say writing code is better than using WordPress to build a website. But that isn't always the case.

First, what is WordPress? It's a CMS with a drag-and-drop website builder. So why is it used so widely around the world?

WordPress is known for needing little to no code: you can create something quickly without building it from scratch. With AI models that can now build a full website in minutes, often for less money and within the deadline, you don't always need WordPress for that anymore.

Where WordPress wins

There are scenarios where WordPress is the go-to solution. For example, a simple online store selling products like clothes, perfumes or candy, with payment tracking and stock management. WordPress has well-maintained plugins like WooCommerce. Combine it with a theme and you have a store to sell your products and manage inventory, delivery and payments, probably in under a week.

Building an online store from scratch is more complex than it sounds. You have to set up the backend with all the API endpoints, integrate a payment gateway and take care of security so your customers' data is protected. You need an admin dashboard to upload, edit and manage products, which takes much longer to build. After that come the landing page and the shop, plus sessions for carts, checkout and user cookies.

With WooCommerce this is done for you, and it's regularly updated with patches and bug fixes. You get to focus on your actual products instead of building and maintaining a website. That's one of many examples where WordPress is the right choice.

When it doesn't fit

Sometimes what you have in mind isn't covered by existing plugins. Then you have two choices: build the web app yourself and customise it fully, or combine plugins, or write your own custom plugin, which isn't that hard if you know what you're doing.

In conclusion, how you build your website depends on what you want the final product to be. If your goal is functionality and a quick, seamless setup, go with WordPress. If you need something that existing plugins don't do, build it from scratch or write your own plugin. And if you only need a landing page, please just use AI.

— Omar. Questions or corrections? Tell me.