The Difference Between Using It and Developing with It
It was around 2011 when I first came across WordPress—well, first used it at length, anyway. The agency I was working for at the time used it primarily, and I’ll admit, my first impression was… frustration.
Even though I was coming from a background in Linux, where everything is modular and customisable, my experience with WordPress felt lacking by default. It seemed like you needed a plugin for everything—a basic feature required one plugin, then you needed another plugin to enhance that first one, and maybe even a third to tweak something else. It just didn’t seem logical. The core features were too bare, and trusting plugins developed by people I didn’t know? That felt like a gamble.
Changing My Mind About WordPress
Over time, though, my view shifted. It wasn’t until I started working on one of my own websites that I really saw the potential of WordPress. I stripped the theme down to a single index.php file and built everything up from scratch. That process opened my eyes to just how flexible the theming system can be.
Plus, WordPress has proven to be a secure platform—something I’ve experienced firsthand. A few years ago, one of my sites was the target of persistent attacks, including brute force attempts, denial of service, and even negative SEO attacks. I still have no idea why someone was so determined to take it down, but nothing they tried worked. WordPress held strong, and that really cemented my respect for it as a reliable platform, including e-commerce.
The Misunderstanding: Using WordPress vs. Developing with WordPress
These days, I have a lot more respect for WordPress when it’s used in the right way, especially for custom development. But there’s something I’ve noticed that’s becoming a bigger problem, and that’s the difference between using WordPress and developing with WordPress.
More and more, people are claiming to offer “professional” services, but what they’re really doing is just installing WordPress with a one-click setup, throwing in a $59 theme, and calling it a day. That’s not development. It’s not custom, and frankly, it’s misleading. Just installing some plugins and themes isn’t the same thing as building a tailored solution for a website’s unique needs.
Why It Matters
Sites built like that—by people who don’t really understand the platform—can create serious problems, especially around security. Just like you wouldn’t take your car to a car wash to get the engine fixed, you shouldn’t trust someone who only knows how to install WordPress to build and secure your website.
Before you hire anyone for WordPress work, it’s important to know what kind of service they’re actually offering. Are they truly developing custom solutions, or just setting up pre-made components? That difference matters, especially in terms of performance, security, and long-term success.
Final Thoughts
WordPress is a powerful tool when used right, but there’s a big difference between knowing how to use it and knowing how to develop with it. For anyone looking to build a website, make sure you’re working with someone who understands that difference—because the right developer can make all the difference for your experience with WordPress.