WordPress History: Key Dates and Community
WordPress began in 2003 as a free, open-source tool for publishing blogs. It was created by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little, who built it from an older blogging tool called b2/cafelog. Today it is one of the most widely used ways to build websites, and its community of volunteers, developers and businesses helps write, translate, test and support it. This article explains where WordPress came from, how it grew, and how the community works.
What WordPress is, in plain terms
WordPress is a content management system (CMS). A CMS is software that lets you create and edit a website through a dashboard, without writing the underlying code. You add pages and posts, upload images, and change how the site looks.
WordPress is open source. This means its code is publicly available, and anyone can read, change or reuse it under its licence. It is free to download from wordpress.org. You still pay for things like a domain name and web hosting, which is the service that stores your site and makes it available online.
WordPress is extended with two main kinds of add-on:
- Themes control the look and layout of your site.
- Plugins add features, such as contact forms, search engine tools or online shop functions.
Where WordPress came from
WordPress was not the first blogging tool. Its roots go back to b2/cafelog, a blogging system created by French programmer Michel Valdrighi. It was launched in early 2001 as a personal publishing system.
Development of b2/cafelog stalled in late 2002 to early 2003. Users who wanted to keep blogging needed a way forward. Matt Mullenweg, then a young and active blogger, said he planned to create an alternative. Mike Little responded to that post, and the two developed a modified version of the code into a usable platform.
The first public release was WordPress 0.70, on 27 May 2003. It was aimed at blogging, and it included the features that made it easy to publish posts and manage them in a browser.
Key milestones in the WordPress timeline
WordPress has grown through a series of numbered releases. Each one adds features, fixes problems and improves security. Release names follow a tradition of honouring jazz musicians, starting with WordPress 1.0.
| Period | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 2003 | First public release, WordPress 0.70 |
| 2004 to 2005 | Early releases added themes and plugin support, which turned WordPress into a platform that others could extend |
| 2018 | The block editor (known as Gutenberg) arrived, changing how posts and pages are built |
| May 2026 | WordPress 7.0 “Armstrong” was released, after a delay from its original target date |
| August 2026 | WordPress 7.1 was released as the latest major release |
| October 2026 | WordPress 7.1.4 was released as the latest stable update |
A “block” is a single piece of content, such as a paragraph, image or button. The block editor lets you arrange these pieces on a page, rather than editing one long text box.
How popular is WordPress now?
WordPress is the most widely used CMS in the world. Market share figures show how many websites use a particular system. They change over time, and different surveys give different results.
The figure most often cited comes from W3Techs, a site that tracks web technologies. As of 1 October 2026, W3Techs reported that WordPress runs about 40.2% of all websites. Among sites where it can detect a CMS, the share is about 58.7%.
Be careful with older figures. Many articles still quote “43%” or “over 40%”. Those numbers come from older data. WordPress’s share peaked at 43.6% in early 2025, according to W3Techs, and has declined since then. Other surveys, such as HTTP Archive, report lower figures. When you quote a number, name the source and the date.
The WordPress community: who builds it
WordPress is built by volunteers and paid staff working together in the open. The community includes developers, designers, translators, writers, testers, teachers and website owners. Most of the work happens in public, through the wordpress.org website, in forums, and in meetings.
Make WordPress teams
Work on WordPress is organised into teams, called “Make WordPress” teams. Each team focuses on one area. Examples include:
- Community, which helps people meet and learn from each other
- Accessibility, which works to make WordPress usable for people with disabilities
- Documentation, which writes and updates the help pages
- Performance, which works to make WordPress faster and more efficient
You do not need to be a programmer to take part. Documentation, translation, testing and helping in the support forums are all useful roles.
Events and support
WordCamps are community-run events held in many cities. They include talks, workshops and networking, and they are open to beginners as well as experts. Local meetups are smaller, regular gatherings. The WordPress support forums on wordpress.org are another place to ask questions and to help others.
Why the community matters to website owners
Because WordPress is open source and widely used, many people are looking at the same code. That helps find and fix problems. It also means there are many free and paid themes and plugins, and plenty of guides, tutorials and experienced people to ask for help.
The community is not a guarantee of quality, though. Plugins and themes vary in how well they are built and how often they are updated. Choose them carefully.
Is WordPress still safe to use?
WordPress itself is actively maintained, and security fixes are released as updates. Most security problems on WordPress sites come from out-of-date software, weak passwords, or poorly maintained plugins and themes rather than the core software alone.
Practical steps to keep your site secure
- Keep WordPress updated. Go to Dashboard > Updates in your site’s admin area and install the latest release.
- Update your themes and plugins too, and remove any you no longer use.
- Use a strong, unique password and turn on two-factor login if your plugin or host supports it.
- Make regular backups, and check that you can restore them.
- Only install themes and plugins from trusted sources, and check when they were last updated.
For more detail, read how to secure a WordPress website from hackers.
How to get involved or keep up with WordPress
You can follow WordPress without becoming a developer. Here are some simple next steps:
- Read the official release notes on wordpress.org after each update, so you know what has changed.
- Join a local meetup or watch recordings from a WordCamp.
- Ask a question in the support forums, or answer one if you know the answer.
- If you can translate or write, look at the Make WordPress teams to see where help is needed.
FAQ
Who created WordPress?
WordPress was created by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little. They started it in 2003 as a modified version of the b2/cafelog blogging tool.
Is WordPress free?
The WordPress software is free and open source. You may still pay for a domain name, web hosting, and some themes or plugins.
How many websites use WordPress?
According to W3Techs, WordPress was used by about 40.2% of all websites as of 1 October 2026. Figures change over time, so check the source for the latest number.
How do I know which WordPress version I am using?
Check the admin area of your site. Go to Dashboard > Updates to see whether a newer version is available and to install it.
Useful next steps
- Check your WordPress version and update if needed.
- Review your plugins and themes, and remove any you do not use.
- Read the most helpful WordPress support forums to find places to ask questions.
- Look at how to choose a WordPress theme for your website before adding a new design.
