WordPresscom is open source, abandons PHP and uses JavaScript

WordPress.com today took the most significant step since its establishment. Automattic rewrote WordPress.com from the ground up, naming the project Calypso (Translator's Note: Calypso, the Greek goddess of the sea), and everything was brand new inside and out. The following is the detailed update content.

First of all, WordPress.com is now completely separated from the WordPress core code. Today's WordPress.com is a management interface that interacts with WordPress core code in the same way as other existing third-party interfaces and applications. The website uses REST API to complete tasks such as getting old logs, pushing new logs, uploading photos, etc.

Secondly, the WordPress.com team also carried out a drastic transformation. WordPress.com no longer uses PHP and MySQL, but instead uses JavaScript and API calls. That is, when you visit a website, you get a fully functional WordPress client from the server that runs in the browser.

The client is a single-page application, which means that when you operate on the interface, you will rarely see the loading interface appear. And the app works equally well on your phone and tablet - thanks to its responsive design. If you have managed WordPress through the backend in the past, you can still access the backend directly. But if you’re using managed WordPress, semi-managed WordPress with the Jetpack plugin, or a WordPress VIP like TechCrunch, Automattic also offers another login option on WordPress.com.

Finally, the above detailed or non-exhaustive code is hosted on GitHub and is open source. You can view the code, fork your own, and reuse it, as long as you follow the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2.

Also, the WordPress.com team isn’t content with this. Now, you can download the new Mac app to access WordPress.com. In many ways, this app is very close to Slack’s desktop app. It leverages web technology and desktop features to give you a consistent or similar experience to WordPress.com, while adding some useful features like notifications. Windows and Linux versions of the app are under development.

I downloaded the app and played with it for a few minutes. If you are familiar with the WordPress.com interface, you will feel right at home as they look exactly the same. But having an application icon on the Dock is always more convenient.

So why does Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, rewrite the code at all costs? WordPress.com now feels and works like a modern online application. This is an important step for it to get back into the fray and take on new challengers like Medium.

Although the editor still lacks many of the features commonly used by power users (including TechCrunch writers), WordPress.com is already a simple and efficient writing tool, which should attract a group of writers on Medium.

According to statistics, about 25% of the world’s websites today run WordPress. This is a great feat. WordPress is no longer a young, impatient startup company that always wants to fight against giants. It has become an online giant in its own right. Through today's move, Automattic has proven to people that it still has a clear judgment on the industry environment and potential threats. This is also an encouraging move for the future of WordPress.

Translation: Yu Shengchen

WordPress.com Goes Open Source And Gets A Desktop App

The above introduces WordPresscom open source, abandons PHP and uses JavaScript, including Git and entrepreneurial content. I hope it will be helpful to friends who are interested in PHP tutorials.