Is WordPress Open Source? This Is What You Need to Know

WordPress is a powerful content management system (CMS) that anyone can work on. It’s user-friendly and highly customizable. However, if you’re new to the platform, you might be wondering – is WordPress open source?

To put it simply – yes. 🤩 WordPress is free and open source software. That means when you create a website using the CMS, you can easily change its code, install third-party plugins, and more. Plus, you’ll be able to take advantage of other flexible aspects of WordPress and tap into its thriving open source community.

In this post, we’ll provide a brief introduction to open source software. 💾 Then, we’ll talk about the benefits of using it. Finally, we’ll dive deeper into the question – is WordPress open source? Let’s get to it!

📚 Table of contents:

• An introduction to open source software
• The benefits of open source software
• Is WordPress open source?

An introduction to open source software

Before we answer the question “is WordPress open source” more in depth, let’s talk about this type of software more broadly.

To put it simply, open source software gives users the explicit right to utilize it as they please. Meaning, once you download or install open source software, you can view and edit it however you like.

Furthermore, you’re even able to use open source software to build upon and create other tools. One of the most popular open source tools of them all is Linux. Linux is actually an operating system (similar to Windows or MacOS) built under the open source model.

The open source model is rooted in transparency. And, as a result, it encourages collaboration.

Additionally, many popular open source tools use the General Public License (GPL). This gives users certain permissions, including the right to use, change, and distribute it for any purpose. 🧑🏻‍💻

The benefits of open source software

Now, let’s consider the benefits of using open source software like WordPress:

In addition to a culture of transparency and collaboration, open source software is highly flexible. As we mentioned, anyone can modify or build upon it.

When it comes to WordPress, that means that you can edit your website’s code without issue. Meaning, you’re able to customize it as much as you want.

Furthermore, the open source nature of WordPress has allowed for the development of WordPress plugins, which can extend the functionality of a website in almost every way imaginable:

For instance, WooCommerce can transform a WordPress site into an online store. Then, a plugin like Sparks for WooCommerce lets you further expand WooCommerce with advanced ecommerce features including wishlists, product comparisons, variation swatches, and more.

As you can see, open source software can be continually built upon, leading to impressive results.

Similarly, users can also modify their core installation by installing a WordPress theme, which dictates the look and feel of a site. A theme is like a website template with different page layouts.

Since developers can study WordPress code, they can develop new and compatible WordPress themes and plugins as the core software evolves. As an example, WordPress 5.9 introduced full site editing and the first block theme.

After that, WordPress theme developers could study the code behind this new framework. And now, there are tons of free and premium block themes to choose from. 👨‍💻

Is WordPress open source?

So – is WordPress open source? As you already know, the short answer is yes. 👍

By now, you also know the benefits of the open source model. It leads to collaboration and endless opportunities for innovation. What this means for WordPress specifically is that the platform allows users to contribute to its development, build custom functionalities, change the code, and much more.

Additionally, since WordPress is also licensed under the GPL, its developers believe strongly in the four freedoms that it provides:

Furthermore, WordPress developers also emphasize, accessibility, performance, security, and ease of use ^[1]. They also encourage collaboration via events like WordCamps, meetups, and more. 📢

Conclusion 🧐

To put it simply, open source software is available to the public. Users can study its code, edit it, and even build new software using it. When it comes to WordPress, the open source model has encouraged a thriving community of collaborators and a strong dedication to the mission of democratizing publishing. Plus, it has led to constantly evolving plugins and themes.

Do you have any questions about the open source nature of WordPress? Let us know in the comments section below!