Rewrite source · existing systems

# WordPress

A WordPress site or application. WordPress remains a supported system; source coverage does not classify it as obsolete or recommend replacing it. Its real behavior can extend well beyond core through themes, plugins and custom code.

Reviewed 2026-10-23 · documentation-reviewed · Source coverage does not recommend this as a new-project target.

## Application role

**Language:** PHP / JavaScript · **Components:** web

**Roles:** Browser interface, Server runtime, Publishing, Plugins and custom behavior

**UI:** Public theme/site pages plus WordPress administration and editor interfaces; block editor, classic editor or custom editorial interfaces depend on installation.

**Host:** A PHP runtime, database and web server or managed WordPress host, with files/media and operational services. Hosting, cache, search, email, backups and CDN may be external; inventory the actual topology.

## Responsibilities to inventory

- Browser interface: Public theme/site pages plus WordPress administration and editor interfaces; block editor, classic editor or custom editorial interfaces depend on installation.

- Pages, posts, taxonomies, custom post types, metadata, revisions, media and permalink behavior

- Administrator/editor/author/contributor roles, login, sessions and editorial permissions

- Theme templates, blocks, widgets, menus, styles and custom theme code

- Plugins, must-use plugins, custom plugins, hooks, shortcodes and integrations

- PHP and WordPress core versions, database, uploads, cron, cache, search, email and hosting/deployment

- SEO metadata, redirects, forms, analytics, consent, accessibility and public URL behavior

- Server runtime: inventory the actual API, identity, data, job, integration and hosting owners; the installed platform and its extensions own server-side behavior; inspect their actual configuration and owners.

## Lifecycle and version check

Supported platform; status of a particular installation depends on its core, PHP, theme and plugin versions No end-of-life claim; inspect official release and support information for the installed versions at planning time

- Record WordPress core version, PHP version, database/server details, multisite status and hosting provider/runtime.

- Export the active and installed plugin/theme list with versions; identify premium, custom and must-use extensions and their owners.

- Check current WordPress, PHP, plugin and theme compatibility/support information directly with their maintainers; no broad platform label establishes the support state of this site.

- Check update/backup procedures and test recovery before changing or replacing the installation.

## Inventory before rewrite

Inventory the actual application before choosing a target. For every responsibility, record its owner and interface, then mark it kept, replaced or retired. A target match is not compatibility evidence.

- Export database and files/media; map URL/permalink structure, redirects, canonical URLs, robots/sitemap and public page templates.

- Inventory users, roles, capabilities, editorial review, scheduled publishing, revisions and account recovery.

- For each plugin/theme/customization record purpose, data touched, hooks/APIs, owner, licensing, support and replacement decision.

- Identify forms, search, comments, localization, analytics, SEO, caching, email, backups, cron and external integrations.

- Record accessibility and content behavior checks; preserve content IDs/URLs or define redirects and migration mappings.

## Change options

- Retain WordPress and update or replace specific themes/plugins when that continues to meet product requirements.

- Refresh the presentation layer while WordPress remains the content/editorial owner; specify API, preview, authentication and cache boundaries.

- Partially replace a bounded capability while preserving WordPress content and administrative workflow.

- Fully replace WordPress only after assigning every retained publishing, identity, content, media, integration and operations responsibility to a named target or explicitly retiring it.

## Target research

Select a target from actual responsibilities: content model, editing workflow, permissions, integrations, media, URL/SEO behavior and hosting. A frontend framework alone does not supply WordPress publishing or plugin behavior. Do not infer PHP expertise or a Laravel fit from WordPress ownership.

## Caution

WordPress core documentation cannot enumerate this site's plugin/theme behavior. A frontend-only rewrite can silently lose content editing, roles, search, forms, SEO, redirects or integrations. Require an installed system inventory and assign each capability kept, replaced or retired before migration design.

## Sources

- [WordPress Features](https://wordpress.org/about/features/): WordPress describes publishing, user management, media, themes, plugins, custom content types and REST API capabilities; plugins can substantially extend core.

- [Updating WordPress](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/updating-wordpress/): Official update guidance describes backups, core updates and the fact that custom core-file modifications can be overwritten.

- [Manage Plugins](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/manage-plugins/): Official plugin guidance describes installed plugin management and recommends a current backup before updates.

Source guidance based on public documentation. It does not certify compatibility or establish what is installed in a particular application. Inventory the actual source, versions, extensions, data and operational owners before planning a rewrite.

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