WordPress is a free and open source blogging tool and content management system based on PHP and MySQL which runs on a web hosting server.

The following is a quote from wordpress.org.

“WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

“The core software is built by hundreds of community volunteers, and when you’re ready for more there are thousands of plugins and themes available to transform your site into almost anything you can imagine. Over 60 million people have chosen WordPress to power the place on the web they call “home” — we’d love you to join the family.”

To present the webpage content to the user WordPress uses HTML, PHP, CSS as the language base.  The more familiar you are with these languages, the easier it will be to modify websites to meet your needs.  However you can create very presentable websites without knowing any HTML, PHP, or CSS. In the following lessons, no knowledge of these languages will be needed but you should be familiar with the terms.

When WordPress is first installed, it comes with a very basic framework from which to get started.  Then you start adding the customization to meet your needs. It is sorta like ordering a new car.  You start with the basic car and then  start adding the options; bigger engine, heated seats, fancy radio, etc.  You get the idea…  The same goes true with WordPress with the exception that we are not ordering but changing and adding.  We start adding and/or changing themes, plugins, features, etc.  It is through these additions and changes that you end up with the website that you desire.

Now let’s started…