Common Myths About WordPress

Over the years there have been some misconceptions about WordPress that have long abounded and many of them unnecessarily give WordPress a bad reputation.

Most of these myths are based on older versions of the software when its overall level of polish and functionality was a long way from what’s on offer today. Let’s get a few of the more obvious ones out of the way before we go any further.

Myth 1: WordPress Is Just for Blogs

WordPress is justifiably proud of its roots in the world of blogging and the stated aim of the platform – to democratize publishing – looks to build firmly on those beginnings.

It’s an aspect of WordPress’ history that has led some larger outfits to dismiss the platform as little more than a souped-up blogging engine – a position that’s very far from the case these days. WordPress is currently powering over 43.3% of all websites. The days of it being primarily a blogging solution are a long way in the rear-view mirror at this stage.

Myth 2: WordPress Is Flaky on Security Issues

Another myth about WordPress is that its security track record is poor. WordPress has certainly suffered some less than stellar years in that respect – 2009 was a particularly low point – but its recent track record is solid, especially considering the size of target that it represents.

Best practice steps for locking down the platform are commonly known, security releases are prioritized and speedy, and the WordPress Security Team now comprises 25 experts including lead developers and security researchers.

Third-party themes and plugins remain a possible attack vector, but the core software has never been safer.

Myth 3: Open Source Is a Con, Not a Pro

Our final myth about WordPress will shock many but it’s still an unfortunate reality in some sectors of the corporate world – the idea that open source software cannot be relied on at the enterprise level.

WordPress’ status as an open source project really shouldn’t be an issue. It’s been precisely this rock solid open source underpinning that’s enabled the software to flourish while giving thousands of businesses a solid platform to provide services around.