The Mystery of Identifying WordPress

WordPress, the widely-used Content Management System (CMS), is notorious for its ease of use, flexibility and customization. The adaptability of WordPress is amazing that anyone can create a website within minutes with just a few clicks. However, how do you identify whether a website is built using WordPress or not?

Source Code is Your Savior

One of the fastest ways to identify whether a website is using WordPress is through viewing the source code. By right-clicking on the website and selecting “View Page Source” or “View Source,” you can easily identify whether a website uses WordPress or not. After opening the source code, locate “wp-content” in the code using the Ctrl + F shortcut. If the URL contains “wp-content” in the code, it’s a good indication that the site runs on WordPress. This folder is where the CSS, plugins and the theme files are stored, which are crucial for the website to function efficiently.

What’s in a Directory?

The next way to identify whether a website uses WordPress is to check the directory of the source. Simply type the website URL followed by “/wp-admin” and if it directs you to the WordPress admin panel, it means the website is built with WordPress. But, be cautious when a website does not have such a URL since website admins may change their default login URL to prevent unauthorized access.

Content in the URL

On most occasions, WordPress websites follow a specific URL structure that identifies them. WordPress URLs generally follow this format: https://example.com/?page_id=X. If you notice an URL containing a “question mark” and a “string of numbers” at the end, then the site is powered by WordPress. However, this approach may not be entirely reliable since some websites may use custom URL structures.

Inspect Files with Vigor

The WordPress platform comprises thousands of themes and plugins that make it unique. Most WordPress themes are made with CSS and JavaScript files. By inspecting the CSS and JavaScript files, you can easily identify whether the site uses WordPress or not. Right-click on the webpage and select “Inspect” or use the shortcut key combination, Ctrl + Shift + I, to view a website’s CSS and JavaScript files. If there are multiple CSS files with the prefix “wp-,” it indicates that the website is using WordPress.

Online Tools to Scrutinize

Several online tools are available to assist in determining whether a website is built using WordPress or not. These tools employ multiple sources and methods to identify the CMS of a website. Look at some of the most popular online tools:

• What CMS: This online tool scrutinizes the source code, determines the CMS and identifies the installed themes and plugins.
• BuiltWith Technology Lookup: This tool offers information about a website’s CMS, hosting, and other technologies.

Conclusively, determining whether a website is built on WordPress or not is a fundamental step for developers, designers, and website users alike. Although none of these methods are 100% reliable, they are very efficient in identifying the WordPress. Additionally, some website owners conceal their website’s CMS, making it unidentifiable to the website visitors. However, you can be confident by using a combination of these methods to know the truth about the CMS powering the site.