WordPress has come a long way since its 2003 release. A constantly growing community supports and maintains WordPress, and it powers more than 30 percent of the world wide web. It has grown significantly over the years, and below you’ll find 7 amazing WordPress milestones.

2003 – WordPress was Created

You may be wondering – when was wordpress created? According to Nexcess, Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little officially launched WordPress in 2003. They did this by releasing a blog post containing a downloadable link and a changelog as a fork of b2/cafelog. However, they didn’t want such a robust platform to die, so they gave it new life.

Over two decades later, It is a powerful platform that supports other sites such as Beyonce, Sony, and Disney. While It was initially a blogging website, it has grown exponentially. It’s now a platform that companies can use to create a unique digital experience for their customers.

2004 – The Plugin System Was Created

The main reason people use It is because of their plugins, and so in 2004, Ryan Boren created the WordPress plugin. You can basically add any functions to your website using the over 50,000 plugins in WordPress’ repository.

If you can imagine adding anything, whether usual or unusual, there is a plugin to match it. Adding plugins allowed It to move away from blogging to becoming a CMS platform by supporting other platforms.

2004 – First Update and GMU License

One of the defining features of this CMS is that it will always be open-sourced because of the GMU license. A GMU license is a free software license that allows people to modify and share the platform. It also allows users to use It free of charge forever.

Using this license, WordPress will never change and will continue to improve its software. They do this because there are many volunteers who work on its security, core, and other areas. 2004 was also the year when It did its first update.

2005 – Logo Creation

All new companies must have branding tactics planned out, and in 2005, six developers came together, and WordPress’ first logo was created. In the first instance, the community members made their versions of the WordPress logo and used them for their celebration.

The logo went through many iterations before they chose an official one. The logo allowed It to become more recognized.

2006 – First Word Camp

WordCamps gives developers opportunities to meet with attendees face-to-face. In addition, it is an excellent opportunity for Its users to meet each other and learn more about the platform. The first WordCamp was held in 2006 in San Francisco, US.

2010 – The Creation of the WordPress Foundation

In 2006 Automattic registered the WordPress trademark; this was done to help keep the CMS open and available to all. In addition, doing the registration allowed Automattic to set up a different entity altogether, birthing the Foundation.

2015 – The Plugin Directory passed one Billion Downloads

The plugin directory allows users to expand their functions on their websites. This is where WordPress is set apart from its competitors. In 2015 It surpassed the one billion download mark.

Read Also: Simple Ways to Speed up WordPress

Conclusion

It has been a distinctive journey for WordPress. It has made an indelible mark on the web and will continue to do so for many more years to come.