How to Easily Move a Website from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
You’ve probably heard of WordPress.com. And, if you’re reading this, then it’s a good guess that you’re also familiar with WordPress.org. The former is the preferred choice for bloggers, website owners, and anyone else who wants to regularly post content to the web. And, as the name would suggest, WordPress.org is the home of WordPress, the leading content management system (CMS) on the entire planet.
Both WordPress.com and WordPress.org offer the same basic functionality. And, since 2015, they’re both completely free. However, as great as these platforms are, there are some key differences between them that you should know about.
The Key Differences Between WordPress.org and WordPress.com
As previously stated, both WordPress.com and WordPress.org offer the same basic functionality. So what makes the latter so special?
Well, for one thing, WordPress.org is considered the “official” repository for WordPress. This is because it was originally created and is still maintained by the WordPress open source community. What this essentially means is that any issues that you encounter while using WordPress.org are likely to be fixed immediately by the development team.
On top of this, the WordPress.org infrastructure is immensely robust. The team literally monitors and manages the entire network, keeping it secure and up-to-date at all times. This is in stark contrast to the much smaller WordPress.com network, which the company oversees and administers.
But perhaps the most significant difference between the two is that, unlike WordPress.com, WordPress.org is a public repository. This means that anyone can access and download the code freely, without needing to register or login.
Why Should You Try WordPress.org?
If you’re looking for a blogging platform or a simple way to publish content online, then WordPress.org is the clear choice. Not only is it completely free, but it also has a vibrant and bustling community, ensuring that you’ll always find people to help you out, if you need it.
On top of this, the code behind WordPress.org is extremely flexible. This means that you can customize almost anything about the way the platform functions, or develop additional features, should you so desire. The only real constraint is that you can’t change the core code of WordPress.org, yourself. But apart from that, the barrier to entry is very low. Anyone with basic computer skills and an interest in software development can get started with WordPress.org in under an hour.
The Advantages Of Hosting Your Own Blog With WordPress.org
Let’s say that you decide to host your own blog. In doing so, you can take advantage of all the features available to you on WordPress.org. Not only will this make your life much easier, but it will also give you full control over the look and feel of your blog.
This is important, because, as we’ve established above, WordPress.org is a completely open source project. Which means that you can literally modify anything about the platform, to suit your needs. This includes colors, layout, and even the content, should you choose to write about a particular topic.
On top of this, when you self-host your blog with WordPress.org, you’re also enabling yourself to use all the plug-ins that the site offers. These are small applications that extend the functionality of WordPress.org, itself. So, if you want to create an e-commerce store, or develop a plug-in to generate affiliate income, you can do so with relative ease. Since these plug-ins are developed by third parties and released under an open source license, you can download and inspect the code, completely free of charge.
But perhaps the greatest advantage of self-hosting a WordPress blog is that you can take advantage of all the features available on the platform. Should you decide to do so, you can use WordPress to create a beautiful, fully functional website. You can even use it to produce a digital magazine, with just a few plugins and a little bit of effort.
How To Install WordPress.org On Your Own Server
The above paragraphs have outlined the many advantages of self-hosting a WordPress blog or website. Now, let’s dive into how to actually achieve this.
As mentioned above, WordPress.org is extremely flexible. This means that you can use it to build a fully functioning website, with all the bells and whistles. But if you decide that you want to host your own blog or company website, you have several options. The first and simplest option is to use a free web host, such as Bluehost. You can download the WordPress installer from wordpress.org/download/, and install the software, manually, on your server.
However, if you’re looking to take things a step further, and learn how to code, you have several options. You can hire a developer to set up a custom theme and install the WordPress platform for you. Or, you can do it yourself, by following the simple instructions below.
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Of Both WordPress.com And WordPress.org
With all the advantages and disadvantages of both WordPress.com and WordPress.org, it is difficult to pick a clear winner. But if you must have a tool to quickly and easily publish content online, without needing a development team, then go for it. But if you’re looking for a robust and flexible blogging platform that gives you full control over the look and feel of your site, then WordPress.org is the clear choice.