Calin Don passionate web developer

5 reasons why I recommend WordPress

Today I was asked by someone why would I use WordPress over a framework for a real estate website. This put me in reflective mode. After some debates, here are the conclusions I've reached.

1. Short way from design to a website

I've worked with WordPress, CakePHP, Drupal, Magento and I found that if you want a very quick way from .psd / .png to a working website, with editable content than WordPress gives the best results.

2. Taxonomies included

Lately WordPress gave developers the ability to use custom taxonomies. This way you can group posts in a very creative combinations; for example I used them to group episodes of a webcomic into seasons.

A good article on custom taxonomies can be found at http://justintadlock.com/archives/2009/06/04/using-custom-taxonomies-to-create-a-movie-database.

3. Already optimized

Given the fact that there is a very large community around WordPress, the tables are already optimized. If I can use wp for a website / application usually I cannot come with a better solution for table optimizations in a custom framework.

To take advantage of further optimization, I try to follow a simple rule when developing for WordPress not a single extra table. Lately WordPress included the ability to have custom metadata associated with posts (and pages, attachments, etc.), users and comments. Theoretically this would be sufficient for every site which can be powered by WordPress. If it needs an extra table, then WordPress is not the answer.

4. Actions and filters

This is the part I like the most about WordPress. Almost every imaginable interaction can be altered trough actions and almost any imaginable output can be passed to filters.

This gives you the power to not touch the core, power I abuse on a regular basis. If I have to touch the core, than it's almost certain that I found a bug .

5. Widgets everywhere

With the introduction of the Widgets API in WordPress 2.8 good widgets can be easily written. Also i try to make sidebars, header and footer widget ready areas, because widgets give just enough customization for the end user. If the customer needs to be able to manage website beyond using and customizing widgets, than WordPress is not the answer.

If I didn't convinced you, the try WordPress.