Is WordPress Dead? (Living Post)
Every few months somebody declares WordPress dead. I build on it every week, so I figured I’d keep one honest post and update it whenever the noise changes.
This isn’t a one-and-done article. When the conversation shifts, I add a new update card below and change my current take at the top. Simple.
How my take has moved
Newest card is on the right. When something changes, I just add another card.
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Round 1 · The noise
“WordPress is dead”
New site builders and AI tools show up, and the hot take goes around again: nobody needs WordPress anymore. Drama adds fuel too, like the WP Engine vs. Automattic legal fight, now headed for a jury trial set for Oct 2027.
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Round 2 · What I found
It’s still doing the work
Working on real client sites, WordPress is still the easiest place for owners to edit pages, write posts, and keep plugins they rely on. The weak spot is usually a heavy, slow front end.
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Oct 2026 · Update
Headless WordPress + Next.js
Keep WordPress as the content back end, serve the site with Next.js. You get the familiar editor plus a front end that can be faster and more flexible.
Swipe for more updates →
The claims I keep hearing
“WordPress is dead.”
It’s still everywhere (about 4 in 10 websites run WordPress, per W3Techs, Oct 2026) and still getting updates. What’s changing is how people use it.
“WordPress sites are always slow.”
Slow usually comes from bloated themes and too many plugins, not WordPress itself. Going headless swaps in a lighter front end, but it can still be slow if it’s built badly.
“AI builders replace all of this.”
AI is great for speeding up the work (I use it on this site). You still need a solid place to keep and manage your content.
“Headless is only for big companies.”
It used to feel that way. With modern tools it’s realistic for a small business site when speed and flexibility matter. The catch: it means two systems to host and maintain, usually a developer, and SEO has to be wired up by hand.
What “headless WordPress + Next.js” means
Think of a normal WordPress site as one machine doing two jobs: storing your content and building every page a visitor sees. Headless splits those jobs up.
You keep the easy editing. Your customers get the speed. That’s the whole idea.
What this means for you
Don’t panic-rebuild
If your WordPress site works and brings in calls, it isn’t “dead.” Fix what’s slow or confusing first.
Speed matters on phones
A lot of local customers find you on a phone. A faster front end is where headless really helps.
Pick the right fit
Not every shop needs headless. Sometimes a cleaner theme is enough. It depends on your goals.
Let’s figure out the right setup.
Answer a few quick questions and I’ll point you to what actually makes sense for your business: regular WordPress, headless, or just a tune-up.
Find My Solution →Why I’m keeping this post alive
Honestly, “X is dead” posts are mostly noise. They get clicks, then they get stale. I’d rather keep one page that says what I actually see building sites for New Jersey businesses, and change it when the facts change.
Right now that’s simple: WordPress is a great back end, and pairing it with a fast front end like Next.js is where I’m headed. If that changes, you’ll see a new card up top.
