WordPress Definitions
WordPress-specific terminology covering plugins, themes, hooks, wp-config, REST API, and the WordPress ecosystem.
What is the WordPress Database (wp_options, wp_posts)?
The WordPress database is a MySQL or MariaDB relational database that stores all site content, settings, user data, and plugin configurations in a structured set of tables, with wp_options and wp_posts being two of the most critical and security-sensitive tables.
What is the WordPress REST API?
The WordPress REST API is a JSON-based interface that allows external applications and front-end frameworks to interact with WordPress data over HTTP, enabling headless architectures and third-party integrations.
What is WordPress Cron (WP-Cron)?
WordPress Cron (WP-Cron) is a pseudo-cron system that schedules and executes time-based tasks such as publishing scheduled posts, checking for updates, and sending email notifications, triggered by site visits rather than system-level timers.
What is WordPress Hooks (Actions and Filters)?
WordPress hooks are a system of actions and filters that allow developers to modify or extend WordPress core functionality without editing core files, forming the backbone of the plugin and theme architecture.
What is WordPress Multisite?
WordPress Multisite is a feature that allows administrators to run a network of multiple WordPress sites from a single WordPress installation, sharing the same codebase and database while introducing unique security considerations.
What is WordPress Nonces?
WordPress nonces are single-use security tokens that protect against cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks by verifying that a request originated from a legitimate user action within the WordPress admin interface.
What is WordPress Plugins?
WordPress plugins are software packages that extend and customize WordPress functionality, ranging from simple tweaks to complex features, and represent both the platform's greatest strength and its most significant security attack surface.
What is WordPress Themes?
WordPress themes are template packages that control the visual presentation and layout of a WordPress site, but they also execute PHP code and can introduce significant security vulnerabilities if poorly developed or maliciously crafted.
What is WordPress User Roles and Capabilities?
WordPress user roles and capabilities form a granular access control system that defines what actions each user can perform, from reading posts to managing the entire site, and is critical for enforcing the principle of least privilege.
What is wp-config.php?
wp-config.php is the most critical configuration file in a WordPress installation, containing database credentials, authentication keys, security salts, and other sensitive settings that control how WordPress operates.