There are many ways to build a website nowadays.
The best way to build a website depends on who you ask.
To me, that is WordPress.
Sometimes it’s not about the technology, but the person building with it.
I could build a website with other CMSs like Drupal, but I am too invested in WordPress.
WordPress is so big, if I can’t build something specific, there’s a plugin for that.
But to be honest, I have been using fewer and fewer plugins.
So using fewer plugins is better for me.
Let’s explore further. WordPress is so extensive that there are many reliable builders to choose from!
Which one is the best?
To me, Gutenberg. That’s the builder included inside WordPress.
I’m no longer trying to persuade people about what to use.
Instead, I mainly stick to the Core, and that’s pretty much it. I just let WordPress generate the code.
But that’s boring, isn’t it? Where’s the custom code? The staging? The versioning code? The pushing to production? Working locally? Where are the custom post types? The custom fields?
I mainly create brochure sites using default custom post types and no extra fields. But I’ve managed to create more complex sites with a few plugins.
I enjoy the GUI for adding custom responsive fonts and images, as well as modifying global styles, patterns, and other visual static content.
I enjoy using WordPress. I’m one of those people.
Limited? Yes. But I am truly grateful for what’s possible now, even the small things like not having to install anything for the favicon.
It has been a good investment to learn the system. I always use the latest default theme to access the new, stable Gutenberg features.
I’m more focused on content, modern image formats, accessibility, and simplicity than on coding.
I know the Site Editor is still confusing to use. Still, back in my days, the enormous amount of CSS and custom PHP functions I had to add to make a design pixel-perfect and compatible with other browsers made me realize there’s no point in spending so much time on trends.
All the builders, whether open or closed, follow the same direction, utilizing blocks and a way to define a consistent global style.
The best way to build a website is one that allows you to do more with less, and is integrated into the Core of what you use.
It’s for others to continue focusing on extreme performance and defining highly specific user roles and personalization, even if it leads to unnecessary additional costs.
There are easier ways if we don’t underestimate our clients. They can pick up WordPress quickly if we set things up nicely for them.
Jos Velasco.
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