Because WordPress is a website building program and does not belong to any platform, so if you want to build a WordPress website, you need to purchase two things: space, domain name, theme and plug-in. Among them, space and domain name are inevitable paid items, themes and plug-ins is an optional paid option, as there are many themes and plugins that are completely free.

Many novices don’t know what the relationship between WordPress, hosting, domain names, themes, and plug-ins is. This article will explain this point thoroughly.

If you want to understand something, the easiest way is to make an analogy. From the analogy of a familiar concept to an unfamiliar concept, everything will be clear.

For example, when we usually buy a mobile phone, in addition to the mobile phone itself, when we buy a mobile phone, we also need the following things:

1. phone card;
2. operating system in the mobile phone;
3. Various software in the operating system;
4. Appearance skins in the operating system.

If I am using Xiaomi’s Android phone, then I actually use the following combination:

1. My phone card, others can contact me through the number;
2. The hardware of my Xiaomi mobile phone, which I bought with money;
3. The operating system in Xiaomi mobile phones, MIUI, if I want, I can flash to any version of MIUI, and even through some means, I can flash to Huawei’s system;
4. QQ, WeChat and other APPs in Xiaomi mobile phones;
5. The default skin of Xiaomi mobile phone, if I want, I can change it to any appearance I like.

The analogy is very clear.

• Phone Card → Domain Name
• Mobile phone hardware → space
• OS → WordPress
• All kinds of software → plug-ins
• Skins → Themes

For ease of understanding, let me explain them one by one.

domain name

For example, the domain name of InquiryFree.com is xunpanziyou.com, and this string of letters is the domain name of the website. The domain name is very similar to the phone number, for example:

• A mobile phone can have multiple numbers, and a space can also have multiple domain names;
• The mobile phone number can be changed, and the space can also be changed to the domain name;
• The mobile phone can be used normally without a calling card, and the space can be used normally without a domain name;
• The easier it is to remember the mobile phone number, the more expensive it is, and the easier it is to remember the domain name, the more expensive it is;
• The mobile phone number must be renewed before it can be used, and the domain name must also be continuously renewed;
• If the mobile phone number is in arrears for a period of time, the system will take it back, and the domain name will also be taken back if the “arrears” are too long;
• A good mobile phone number can fetch a good price in an auction house, and the domain name is the same, there is an auction house;
• A string of good mobile phone numbers can make people think that the owner behind it is very powerful, and a good domain name can also make people feel that the company behind it is very powerful.

The domain name, to put it bluntly, is the nickname of the website IP. For example, the IP address behind xunpanziyou.com can be found in this linkI found out, 35.213.137.210, you can also directly access my website by entering this string of addresses in the address bar of your browser.

But this series of numbers is too difficult to remember. I plan to promote the website. This series of numbers is very difficult to promote, because its memory cost is particularly high. Based on this, the domain name came into being.

The invention of the mobile phone numberIt is very similar to a domain name. In the beginning, there was no concept of an end-to-end “number”. Anyone who wants to make a call must first connect to the bus and tell the operator, “I want to find Mr. Mark”, and then the operator will give you the number. Take it.

Because of the increasing number of users, a long list of phone numbers was born for easy dialing.

Therefore, the domain name is no different from the mobile phone number we usually contact. If you know what a mobile phone number is, you will know what a domain name is.

If you want to know more about what a good domain name is, I just wrote an article specifically about it. After all, an excellent domain name is too important for a website. Article portal: What kind of domain name is a good domain name ?

space

The function of the space is to carry the corresponding relationship between the materials and data of the website. Generally speaking, the space will be stored in the server, and the server will run quietly and stably in a certain computer room.

The reason why space is difficult to understand is that many noobs can’t figure out what space is. A large part of the reason is that they can’t observe it at close range. They have never seen or touched it in daily life.

Just like a mobile phone, the hardware devices of a mobile phone are visible and tangible, such as the screen, such as the metal frame, such as the camera, such as the rounded back cover, etc. We only need to buy a mobile phone and touch it in our hands Just know what’s going on.

But the space is different, we can’t see it, we can only understand it abstractly.

Let’s put it this way… When we bought a space, we actually bought a thing that can be seen and touched. This thing is called a server, but it is more difficult to observe the server, because the servers we bought are placed In fixed computer rooms, such as Hong Kong computer room, American computer room, Singapore computer room, etc.

So, if you really want to take a closer look at the space you bought, there is no way out, just buy a ticket, fly to the corresponding computer room, and you will be able to see the server you bought.

Of course, this server does not belong to you, because a server may load thousands of websites and applications at the same time, its hard disk is divided into many parts, and the space you buy is only one-thousandth of this server one.

If you are rich enough, you can also buy a server and run it yourself at home, or, if you are geek enough, you can also turn your own computer into a server and run your website on your computer for 24 hours Just leave it on.

The hardware facilities of web space and mobile phone have many similarities:

• We can change the mobile phone, and correspondingly, we can also change the space;
• There are high and low levels of mobile phones, and there are high and low levels of space;
• In theory, any system can be installed on the mobile phone, Android system, iOS system, Huawei system, windowPhone system, the space is the same, and different systems can be installed;
• The most important thing about a mobile phone is the storage function, and the most important thing about space is also the storage function.

So, if you want to understand space, you only need to imagine space as a mobile phone that can be remotely controlled from afar.

WordPress

When we buy a mobile phone, the hardware alone is not enough. The screen, battery, CPU, etc., without the software inside, the mobile phone is just a brick. Of course, when we buy a mobile phone now, the mobile phone company will install the mobile phone system for you for free. Many People have never experienced what it feels like “there is no system in the mobile phone”.

But I haven’t experienced it on my mobile phone, but I have always experienced it on my computer, right? In particular, when you mistakenly delete something in the C drive of the computer, press the power button frantically, and the computer does not respond at all, your understanding will be particularly profound.

The same is true for mobile phones. If your mobile phone is jailbroken and you accidentally delete a crucial file in the system files, your mobile phone will instantly black screen, and there is nothing you can do except to send it for repair.

Therefore, for a mobile phone, the operating system installed in the hardware device is as important as the mobile phone itself.

Corresponding to the relationship of the website, WordPress is the operating system in the space; we purchased the space for the website, and if we plan to build a website, the first thing to do is to install an operating system for building the website in the space.

As long as WordPress is installed, the space will have the most basic functions of the website.

Speaking of which, the website building program and the mobile phone operating system are also very similar:

• There are good and bad mobile phone systems. Some mobile phone systems are inherently easy to use, and website building programs are no exception. WordPress is naturally easy to use;
• The mobile phone system determines the software ecology. For example, the installed software is completely different from the iOS software, and the same is true for the website building program;
• There is a difference between closed and open-source mobile phone systems. For example, the Apple system is closed and the Android system is open-source. It is also the most popular in the world. The status of WordPress in the website building program is equivalent to that installed in the mobile phone system;
• With some technical means, a mobile phone can install multiple mobile phone systems, and the space is the same, and multiple website building systems can be installed;
• Some system files in the mobile phone system cannot be moved, and the website building system is the same, and accidents will occur if they are moved.

So if you want to understand WordPress, you just need to think of it as an Android system, and why use WordPress to build a website? In this article, I have used a lot of space to detail the advantages of WordPress, so I won’t go into details here.

plug-in

The various plugins in WordPress are very similar to the various APPs in mobile phones.

To see whether the ecology of a system is strong or not, just look at how many developers there are and how many applications there are on the system.

A while ago, the United States clamored to block Huawei and not allow Huawei to use the Android system. Why did there be such a big commotion, and even forced Huawei to a dead end? (PS: In order not to cause jihad, add that all remarks about Huawei are only my personal opinions)

The most important point is that once Huawei cannot use the installation system, Huawei will not be able to use any of the millions of applications based on the installation system, such as QQ and WeChat.

If you are a Huawei user, your mobile phone can’t use any Android APP except system applications, and your mobile phone has no functions except calling and sending text messages, what would you think?

If it were me, no matter how useful Huawei’s system is, or whether I am patriotic or not, I would immediately throw away Huawei phones and invest in Xiaomi or Apple.

Therefore, a large part of the reason why a system is powerful lies in how many high-quality applications are based on this system.

The same is true of mobile phone systems, and so is WordPress. It is precisely because there are countless useful plugins on WordPress that WordPress is really powerful. A website building program, there will be no regrets.

Speaking of which, the plug-in is very similar to the APP in the mobile phone:

• The basic functions will not be affected if the APP is not installed on the mobile phone, and the basic functions will not be affected if the plugin is not installed on WordPress;
• You can install as many apps as you like on your mobile phone, and you can also install as many plugins as you want on WordPress;
• The app can be uninstalled after the mobile phone is installed, and the plugin can also be uninstalled after the WordPress is installed;
• Some APPs on mobile phones need to be paid to use, and some plugins of WordPress also need to be paid;
• Installing an APP on the mobile phone is equivalent to adding an additional function to the mobile phone, and installing a certain plug-in in WordPress is equivalent to adding an additional function;
• Mobile apps are usually not officially developed, and WordPress plugins are not officially developed;
• The reason why a programmer develops a mobile app is because it can make money, traffic or fame, and the same is true for people who develop WordPress plugins;

So if we want to understand plugins, we just need to compare them to various apps on mobile phones. What features do apps in mobile phones have, and so do WordPress plugins.

Theme

The mobile phone has the concept of “skin”. If you change the skin frequently, you know that the entire appearance of the mobile phone system will be different after changing the skin.

For example, if you change to a girly skin, the phone system will look pink and tender, very cute. If you change to a mechanical skin, the phone system will look tough, manly, and very cool dazzle.

If you have never changed the skin of your phone and have always used the default skin of the official system (such as me), then you should have at least used the dark mode.

In the dark mode, the icons in the phone will be darkened, the background of the phone will be darkened, and everything in appearance will be changed.

But does changing the skin affect things at the content level? For example, if you received a text message with a verification code of 1234, will it program 2333 because you changed to a girly skin? Of course not.

The WordPress theme (Theme) is very similar to the skin of the mobile phone. How do you usually understand the skin? Then you can understand the theme of WordPress:

• Whether we care about it or not, we are born to use a certain set of skins on mobile phones, and WordPress is the same. After installation, a set of themes will be enabled by default;
• The gap between the skin and the skin is very different. A good skin will make the mobile phone look very individual, and the WordPress theme will also make the website look different;
• You have to pay for a good skin, and you have to pay for a good theme;
• Skins are usually not officially developed, but by programmers, and themes are the same, usually developed by programmers.

Although skins and themes are similar, they are also different; the biggest difference is that skins do not affect the functions of the phone, but themes do. Skins usually do not play the role of APPs, but most themes (especially powerful ones) Paid themes) will act as plugins.

Based on this, skins and themes are still slightly different:

• The mobile phone can switch the skin at any time, but the website cannot switch the theme at any time, because once the theme is switched, all the functions of the old theme cannot be inherited to the new theme, causing problems on the website;
• The skin of the mobile phone will only affect the appearance of the mobile phone system and make the mobile phone system look better, but the theme of the website will not only affect the appearance of the mobile phone, but also affect the function of the mobile phone, making the website more beautiful and easy to use at the same time;
• Most of the time, the skin of the mobile phone is only shown to oneself, but the theme of the website is mostly shown to others.

Therefore, when we understand the theme of WordPress, we can regard it as a combination of “mobile skin + mobile APP”. A good theme will make the website look and use completely different.

Summarize

Many people think that building a website is difficult to get started. The difficulty lies in understanding the corresponding relationship between space, domain name, WordPress, plug-ins and themes. But if you use a familiar mobile phone to make an analogy, it will be much easier to understand.

The domain name is the phone number of the mobile phone, the space is the hardware device of the mobile phone, WordPress is the operating system of the mobile phone, the plug-in is the APP of the mobile phone, and the theme is the skin of the mobile phone.

It will be very helpful for us to build a website later by figuring out these concepts.