What is WordPress used for?

WordPress is an open-source publishing platform and CMS for building websites, blogs and online stores with themes, blocks and plugins. It is a good fit for business websites and company blogs, online stores built with plugins, and publishing sites for creators.

Is WordPress open source?

Yes. WordPress is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at WordPress/WordPress and is written mainly in PHP.

Yes. WordPress is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence. A managed cloud version is also available.

Can I self-host WordPress?

Yes. WordPress can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is WordPress an alternative to?

WordPress is an open-source alternative to Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and WordPress.com. Other open-source alternatives to Wix include Microweber, Webstudio and Silex.

Is WordPress actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to WordPress was on 2 October 2026. The project has 21k stars on GitHub.

WordPress: open-source alternative to Wix, Squarespace

About WordPress

WordPress is a content management system and publishing platform for building websites, blogs and apps. People write and organize content in a browser-based editor, choose how the site looks with themes, and publish without writing code. Its own site describes it as the platform behind millions of websites, from creators and small businesses to enterprises.

Design and editing are built around blocks, so pages can be assembled and rearranged visually with a live preview as content changes. Styling can be adjusted for different screen sizes and interactive states without writing CSS. Functionality is extended through a large library of plugins that add features such as stores, analytics, newsletters and social media integration.

The software is written in PHP and is open source; the GitHub repository is a read-only mirror of the project's Subversion repository, with development happening elsewhere. You can run it on your own hosting, and a managed service is also available through WordPress.com. It suits individual bloggers, small businesses and larger organizations alike.

Key features

Block-based page and post editor
Themes for site design
Plugin library for extra functionality
Site editor with responsive styling controls
Media library with a built-in editor
Runs on your own PHP hosting

Good fit for

→Business websites and company blogs
→Online stores built with plugins
→Publishing sites for creators

Built with: PHP
Tags: cms; blogging; website-builder; php; plugins; themes; publishing; self-hosted

WordPress: questions and answers

What is WordPress used for?: WordPress is an open-source publishing platform and CMS for building websites, blogs and online stores with themes, blocks and plugins. It is a good fit for business websites and company blogs, online stores built with plugins, and publishing sites for creators.
Is WordPress open source?: Yes. WordPress is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at WordPress/WordPress and is written mainly in PHP.
Is WordPress free?: Yes. WordPress is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence. A managed cloud version is also available.
Can I self-host WordPress?: Yes. WordPress can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is WordPress an alternative to?: WordPress is an open-source alternative to Wix, Squarespace, Webflow and WordPress.com. Other open-source alternatives to Wix include Microweber, Webstudio and Silex.
Is WordPress actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to WordPress was on 2 October 2026. The project has 21k stars on GitHub.