Posts and Plugins

Run your own WordPress site with confidence

You can download WordPress for free and put it on a web host you choose.[1] Then the site is yours to run.

This handbook explains each part in plain words. Every page starts with a short summary and uses lots of pictures.

Start at the beginning →Check a plugin before I install it →

WordPress at the top, joined to three boxes: posts, themes and plugins.
The main parts of a WordPress site.

Three ideas that make WordPress simple

  1. 1
    Four boxes joined by arrows, from top to bottom: your domain, your web host, PHP and a database, and WordPress.
    A self-hosted site stands on four pieces.

    You host it yourself

    The software is free to download. You pay for the host and the domain.[1]

  2. 2
    A page drawn as a stack of five blocks: a heading, a paragraph, an image, a list and a button.
    A page is a stack of blocks.

    Everything you write is a block

    A paragraph is a block. So is an image. You can change one block without touching the rest.[2]

  3. 3
    Two columns. A theme controls how your content looks. A plugin controls what your site can do.
    Themes change the look. Plugins add features.

    Themes and plugins do different jobs

    A theme controls how your content looks. A plugin controls what your site can do.[3]

Every page, by job

Worth reading before you install anything

How to judge a plugin before you install it

A plugin is extra code on your site. This page shows which facts to check first and which warning signs to watch for.

Read it →

The details list on a plugin page in the WordPress plugin directory, showing the version, last updated time, active installations and the tested up to version.
A plugin page shows its version, when it was last updated and what it was tested with. Screenshot: WordPress Plugin Directory, captured 2026-10-18.

Quick answers

Is WordPress free?

The software is free. A web host and a domain are not.[1]

What is a block?

Each piece of content in the editor is a block.[2]

What is a plugin?

A plugin is a PHP script that extends what WordPress can do.[4]

Should I update?

Yes. You should always update WordPress to the latest version.[5]

Recently added and reviewed

How this handbook is made

  • Every page is checked against the official WordPress documentation.
  • Each page shows its sources at the bottom.
  • No ads, no sponsors and no paid recommendations.

Sources

  1. WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org: What's the difference?, WordPress.com Support (accessed 2026-10-18)
  2. Work with blocks, WordPress.org Documentation (accessed 2026-10-18)
  3. What Is a Theme?, WordPress Theme Handbook (accessed 2026-10-18)
  4. Manage Plugins, WordPress.org Documentation (accessed 2026-10-18)
  5. Updating WordPress, WordPress.org Documentation (accessed 2026-10-18)