WordPress has evolved from a basic blogging tool in 2003 into a dominant Content Management System (CMS) that powers over 43% of the internet including this https://mark-whitfield.com website. Its history is defined by major version releases, often named after jazz musicians, and shifts toward “Full Site Editing”. 

The Early Years (2001–2005)

• 2001: French developer Michel Valdrighi launches b2/cafelog, the PHP/MySQL-based blogging software that served as the foundation for WordPress.
• 2003 (May 27): Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little release WordPress Version 0.7, a fork of b2/cafelog.
• 2004: Version 1.0 (“Miles Davis”) introduces SEO-friendly permalinks and comment moderation. Version 1.2 (“Mingus”) debuts the plugin architecture, allowing for external extensibility.
• 2005: Version 1.5 (“Strayhorn”) introduces the Themes system and static Pages, moving WordPress beyond just chronological blog posts. Automattic is founded by Matt Mullenweg in August. 

Expansion and Ecosystem Growth (2006–2010)

• 2006: The first WordCamp is held in San Francisco. Automattic registers the WordPress trademark.
• 2007: Version 2.1 (“Ella”) adds autosave and spell-check. Version 2.2 (“Getz”) introduces Widgets.
• 2008: Version 2.7 (“Coltrane”) revamps the dashboard, moving the menu to the sidebar where it remains today.
• 2010: Version 3.0 (“Thelonious”) is a major milestone, introducing Custom Post Types and Multisite capabilities. The WordPress trademark is transferred to the non-profit WordPress Foundation. 

The “Modern” Dashboard & Visual Improvements (2011–2017)

• 2011: WooCommerce is released (later acquired by Automattic in 2015), revolutionising WordPress e-commerce.
• 2013: Version 3.7 (“Basie”) introduces automatic background updates for security patches. Version 3.8 (“Parker”) gives the admin dashboard the modern, flat design used today.
• 2014: Version 4.0 (“Benny”) focuses on media management with a new grid view.
• 2016: The REST API is integrated into core (v4.4), allowing WordPress to interact with other web applications. 

The Gutenberg & Site Editing Era (2018–Present)

• 2018 (Dec 6): Version 5.0 (“Bebo”) launches the Gutenberg block-based editor, fundamentally changing content creation from text-heavy to visual blocks.
• 2022: Version 6.0 introduces Full Site Editing (FSE), enabling users to edit headers, footers, and templates visually without code.
• 2024: WordPress continues to refine the site editing experience with Version 6.7 (“Rollins”). In late 2024, a public legal conflict began between Automattic and WP Engine over trademark usage and contributions.
• 2025–2026: Version 6.8 (April 2025) and future Version 7.0 roadmap focus on real-time collaboration (Phase 3 of Gutenberg) and AI integration.

WordPress Content Management System (CMS) Timeline Overview