Most of the newly-developed websites you come across today will have some connection to WordPress. Famous for its free themes and simplicity, this content management system has taken the design world by storm and is consistently increasing in popularity. Part of the reason it's become so popular is the fact that it's both free and open source. This attracts plenty of young developers and designers to the platform, but it's not the only reason WordPress has become so ubiquitous. There's also the fact that it's easy to use and SEO friendly. Every business that wants to optimize its website will look to WordPress.
With all that said, this is only the tip of the iceberg for this content management system. There's enormous potential for growth within the platform. Whether it's with the help of compatibility or new functionalities, WordPress is quickly evolving into something even more impactful. The future is looking bright for the system, but what exactly can we expect from the updates that are still to come? If previous updates are anything to go by, our expectations will remain sky-high. Here are a few hints of what we can expect from the future of WordPress.
More than just content management
As of right now, many people consider WordPress to be nothing more than an effective content management system. However, it's poised to develop into something much more as it develops. On the WordPress app store, Freddy Muriuki suggested that the future of WordPress won't be limited to content management. Rather, it will be a framework to run many different kinds of applications.
The capabilities of WordPress are expanding at a rapid rate, which bodes well for this prediction. Thanks to REST API, there's even more potential for growth. Many wonders to which extent WordPress can evolve, but there's no way to gauge its full potential yet. However, other aspects of its further development are already shining through.
There will be fewer bugs
Every now and then, individuals that use WordPress will run into bugs and other issues with the system. Whether it's the infamous internal server error or the failed auto-upgrade problem, these bugs tend to weigh down on WordPress users. They aren't as common as with its many competitors, such as Wix and Umbraco, but they're still an issue. Hours or days can be added to the lifespan of a project when these bugs occur, which is why one of the most pressing matters for the development of WordPress is solving them.
The padding in the system can be considered a good place to investigate. Users are often stumped when they stumble upon it, and they're aware of the many arbitrary limitations of WordPress. In the future, WordPress will likely run much smoother and with less potential for bugs and errors. Right from the start, developers are aiming to provide users with a more reliable update system that will ensure that WordPress prospers with every new iteration.
This is especially important for updates, as they can often cause massive problems. Some of the most downloaded plugins, such as Contact Form 7, have had issues with WordPress updates. Concerned users can do nothing but wait until the issue is resolved. This also creates instability during update periods, as users don't know if there will be any major bugs. Quicker hotfixes and updates are just the beginning, as WordPress is poised to improve its development.
Plugins will be more compatible with one another
Speaking of bugs, it's not uncommon for WordPress to have glitches when there are multiple competing plugins on a system. When these plugins run at the same time, WordPress often fails to prioritize its function properly. This leads to numerous bugs and crashes for either or both of the plugins.
Getting the best out of two competing programs is the goal for WordPress developers. Experts suggest that the CMS will have a more comprehensive update that will help deal with this problem. Clashing apps will be a thing of the past, even if they serve similar functions and use similar resources. In the future, you can expect quick development that will allow you to start up and use these programs parallel with one another.
Building websites on different devices
When you imagine a WordPress developer working, what's the first thing that comes to mind? For one, you probably imagine that the developer is sitting in front of a desktop computer. It seems like a reasonable assumption, as you require a pretty fast computer to get things done on WordPress efficiently. However, this might not be the case in the future.
Did you know that WordPress already has a mobile application? If you've heard of it, you'd know that it's not currently capable of large-scale website creation projects. However, it's a good sign of things to come. As WordPress improves, designers will be able to create websites on various different platforms, including on their mobile phones.
At some point in the future, a designer or developer will be able to work on their website while lounging around on the couch or travelling on the bus. While this may seem far-fetched, it's a perfectly reasonable prediction based on how WordPress has evolved thus far.
Gutenberg editor changes
The Gutenberg editor is one of the more ambitious and complex projects within WordPress. Its current version is only the beginning when it comes to the functionalities it will offer eventually. The main editor for WordPress is likely to experience multiple updates in the future which will expand its reach.
Numerous add-ons have already been added to the Gutenberg repository in the past few years. There's plenty of competition in the Gutenberg show, and many of Gutenberg's most prominent addons have been in the spotlight for a while now. It's not difficult to imagine that this steady growth in popularity will increase as time goes on.
When it comes to website building, Gutenberg's plugins are getting even more prominence. Website developers and designers adore Gutenberg Pro for its functionalities, which have overhauled the way we see website building.
Open source and commercial WordPress will separate
There are many that enjoy the open-source element of WordPress for the diversity of options and the custom builds that are featured. However, it doesn't provide a cohesive experience for all of its elements and resources. Depending on the size of your projects and business, this may or may not affect you.
The commercial part of the WordPress ecosystem is becoming more and more attractive to larger businesses. It provides a more streamlined experience to website builders and designers. Whereas a smaller project doesn't require too much cohesion or cooperation, projects done on a larger scale require plenty of both.
As WordPress's commercial service evolves, we're seeing more and more small businesses and developers choose this option over the open-source one. It's not surprising, considering that the service only costs a couple of dollars per month, and it provides everything you need, whereas a custom build may vary.
With better access to WordPress resources, smaller businesses will produce more high-quality websites. It should come as no surprise that this is already happening in many cases. Companies enlist the help of web design experts to build their websites using the commercial version of WordPress. As a result, they receive the highest possible quality for their websites while not having to deal with complicated builds or enormous costs.
Page builders have peaked
With WordPress improving every year, the demand for new page builders is dwindling. Designers are comfortable with their choice of builders and editors. While plenty of niche page builders are still functional, their numbers aren't growing. The communities that surround these programs are getting smaller, as designers opt for the simplest and most straightforward options on the market.
In some ways, Gutenberg has made page builders obsolete. There's no reason to get an individual separate program when you can use WordPress's editor. It's more than good enough for customizing a blog layout. The applications that used to focus on this task are no longer relevant and using them isn't as convenient when you have built-in functions available.
Chances are, this is as much as we'll ever see when it comes to page builders. WordPress is improving constantly and forming multiple communities around itself, which makes it difficult for new applications to compete. As it matures, there will be less and less need for separate page building software options.
Conclusion
It's hard to imagine a system that has become so entrenched in website building that just about everyone has heard of it. This is the new reality for WordPress, and it's only getting better from here. The system is evolving consistently, and there are some telling signs that it will become even more useful as time goes on. While competitors may come and go, they aren't going to dethrone WordPress any time soon if the current pace of progress remains. Right now, we think we know everything there is to WordPress, but it's likely to surprise us with every update. As long as it provides a simple and streamlined way to build websites, the future looks bright for WordPress.