WordPress is a content management system that uses database technology (MySQL) and a coding language called PHP to create elegant personal web logs or blogs. Now that you have the technical definition I am going to tell you how WordPress really works.
WordPress really is a content management system. What it does is take all the programming code and work that usually goes into creating a website and puts it into a graphic, simple to use, interface that virtually anyone can start using in a very short time. In some cases you can build a complete website or blog site in under two hours from start to finish.
First Websites
In the early days of the internet the only way to create a website was to learn how to write computer programs that interacted with your web browser. Those programs essentially told the browser what to show people when they surfed the internet. If you weren't a computer programmer chances are you couldn't build a website.
It didn't take long for people to realize that if you didn't know how to create programs using HTML, or use databases like MySQL then you had to rely on others to build your websites. Before long people started creating programs that would simplify the business of creating websites.
Then Came Blogs
Then came web logs. People started creating online journals that detailed their lives, their hobbies, their passions, and more. Web logs eventually started being called blogs. The challenge was that traditional software or website programming codes didn't always lend themselves to creating these blogs.
WordPress created a simple, intuitive graphic user interface that lets you create an online journal or blog without needing to know any programming code at all. If you wanted to upload and embed a picture into your blog all you needed to know was how to upload a file and "Bingo!" your picture was on the World Wide Web for all the world to see.
If you wanted to engage your audience by having a conversation with them just allow "commenting" and people could engage with you and each other and have a conversation on the internet. Traditional websites couldn't do that.
If that was all WordPress did it would be a pretty good tool for creating and adding content to your blog. But, WordPress doesn't stop at being a good way to create a blog. WordPress also has the ability to add features and functions to your blog. The interface (Dashboard) includes the ability to add capabilities to your blog as you require them. With a few clicks of your mouse you can install software additions called "plugins".
Do you need a "contact me" form? How about a spam filter? Do you need a way for people to share pictures on your blog or website? There is a plugin for that.
How WordPress works is by creating an open environment that allows programmers to create plugins, themes, and widgets that improve or enhance WordPress. This ability to create new software when there is a need for it has allowed WordPress to become more than just a blogging platform. It is now a blogging, website, ecommerce, internet marketing, video, and media publishing platform.
In conclusion, the answer to "how does WordPress Work?" is that it works by allowing the user to focus on creating great content by being a great content management system.
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