WordPress is a powerful and versatile Content Management System (CMS) that powers over 43% of all websites on the internet. It was first created as a blogging platform and WordPress has since evolved into a robust website builder and CMS, supporting various websites, including e-commerce stores, membership sites, learning management systems, and more. At IronGlove Studio, we utilize WordPress in a unique way – as a framework for building custom web applications.
One of the key reasons for WordPress’s popularity is its open-source nature, which means it is free to download, install, use, and modify according to your needs. WordPress also offers vast customization options through its plugin architecture, allowing users to extend its functionality and tailor it to their specific requirements. Rather than relying on third-party plugins and templates, our developers use WordPress core as a foundation and write custom PHP code to create tailored solutions for each client. This flexibility allows us to leverage the benefits of WordPress, like its SEO-friendly structure, without being limited by off-the-shelf plugins.
Using a custom development approach, we avoid common pitfalls like plugins breaking sites during updates. We have complete control of the codebase and can modify it to suit each client’s specific needs. The end result is a fast, secure, and robust web application that provides all the required functionality. Under the hood, it’s powered by WordPress, but the front end is a custom-built user interface designed for that particular business or purpose.
This hybrid method allows us to deliver enterprise-grade web apps at a fraction of the cost compared to other PHP frameworks like Laravel or Symfony; however, that’s not a rationale for avoiding the right tool for the right job. The flexibility of WordPress, combined with our expertise in custom programming, makes it an extremely cost-effective platform when content management features take priority over custom functionality.
WordPress can be a cost-effective, user-friendly, and highly customizable platform for small to mid-sized businesses catering to a wide range of operational needs. Its popularity among developers and users alike is a testament to its versatility and effectiveness in delivering high-quality websites for various purposes.
WordPress is an open-source content management system, widely revered for its ease-of-use and extensive customization potential. Powering over 35% of all websites, its suitability spans from small blogs to large eCommerce sites. WordPress has a unique architecture allowing the addition of advanced functionalities via plugins and custom programming, enabling sophisticated customization to align with your specific business needs.
Yes, WordPress is exceptionally scalable and equipped to manage large data hierarchies. With its robust foundation, WordPress is adept at accommodating websites of all sizes—from small blogs to high-traffic enterprise sites. When supported by the right hosting infrastructure and optimized settings, WordPress can smoothly manage increasing traffic and scale on demand. However, for complex data hierarchies, custom programming may be required for optimal management and performance. While WordPress is inherently versatile and scalable, ensuring its excellent performance under extensive data loads and high traffic conditions may call for tailored architecture and continuous optimization.
WordPress optimally functions on a hosting environment with NGINX or Apache servers. While entry-level, consumer-grade hosting might be suitable for smaller, non-critical WordPress sites, business-oriented or high-traffic websites require a more robust solution. Business-grade hosting not only offers increased resources, superior support, and improved security measures, but it also provides advanced data caching. This enhances the site’s load speed and overall performance, especially important for high-traffic websites. So for businesses using WordPress, it’s often advisable to opt for business-grade hosting over consumer-level options.
Their communication and attention to detail were exceptionally strong. Every fine detail was taken care of in a timely manner. We were never waiting for anything. They went above and beyond by including UX functions that we didn’t ask for but will greatly improve the quality of the site. The overall functionality and speed of the website are strong as well.
-Director of Outreach, Mental Health Advocates of WNY
IronGlove Studio was very reasonable and accommodating to our needs as a veteran-run organization. The site has already received very positive feedback from the Department of Veterans Affairs — the group we’re working with and one of the organizations that provided us with the grant for the site itself. They’ve said our site is polished, clean, relevant, and easy to navigate. Derek has done a great job managing the project.
-Executive Director, NW Veterans in Technology
We’ve had 700% more engagement on this new website; it’s unbelievable. We get daily updates and can read the analytics, so it’s been a massive improvement. We’re now working on a marketing campaign for website awareness. Project management is spectacular. The process has been smooth, and the communication is excellent. IronGlove Studio puts their knowledge, wisdom, and team behind to build something that exceeds our expectations.
-Executive Director, West Linn Chamber of Commerce
Our website wasn’t built with the best practices, so we were experiencing problems with the functionality and performance. In a nutshell, it was a mess. It had over 60 WordPress plug-ins along with a bloated database. IronGlove Studio stabilized our previous website and then helped us build a brand new, custom-coded site to suit our business needs better. First, they did a complete website audit of our previous product to understand how to stabilize it. They did some development repair work just to get the website back to a good state so it could serve us while we developed the new one. The process involved strategizing our business needs and understanding how to optimize our sales funnels. We partnered with them to optimize the design and streamline the customer experience.
-Director of Staffing Technology & Operations, VanderHouwen
Whether you’re looking for end-to-end development or need a trusted partner to take things across the finish line, we’re here to help.
