If you’re running a blog or building websites, you might be curious about how WordPress has evolved and what major features have been introduced in each version. This post summarizes the history of WordPress from its beginnings to the latest versions, and presents a table of key features by release. Whether you’re interested in multilingual content management, site building, or leveraging the latest tools, this guide will help you get up to speed1.
The History of WordPress
WordPress was first released on May 27, 2003, by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little as an open-source content management system (CMS). The project started as a fork of the discontinued b2/cafelog blogging software, with the goal of making it easy for anyone to create a website or blog.
Thanks to its plugin and theme system, user-friendly interface, and vibrant open-source community, WordPress quickly gained popularity. In 2018, the Gutenberg block editor revolutionized content creation, and recent years have seen the addition of full site editing, enhanced design tools, and continual improvements in security and performance.
As of 2025, WordPress powers over 43% of all websites worldwide, making it the most widely used CMS2.
Key Features by WordPress Version
| Version | Release Date | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 2018-12-06 | Introduction of Gutenberg block editor, new default theme (Twenty Nineteen) |
| 5.9 | 2022-01-25 | Full Site Editing, Twenty Twenty-Two theme, navigation block |
| 6.0 | 2022-05-24 | Webfonts API, editor performance improvements, expanded block editor features |
| 6.1 | 2022-11-01 | Enhanced full site editing, expanded templates and patterns, Twenty Twenty-Three theme |
| 6.2 | 2023-03-29 | Stabilized site editor, color labels, Openverse integration |
| 6.3 | 2023-08-08 | Unified site editor, block theme preview, command palette |
| 6.4 | 2023-11-07 | Site editor improvements, block hooks, Twenty Twenty-Four theme |
| 6.5 | 2024-04-02 | Interactivity API, integration of blocks and custom fields, enhanced design tools |
| 6.6 | 2024-07-16 | Color palette, plugin rollback, pattern management |
| 6.7 | 2024-11-12 | New default theme, improved automation, experimental inline comments |
| 6.8 | 2025-04-15 | Enhanced style book, editor improvements, speculative loading, bcrypt encryption |
Highlights of Each Version
- 5.0 (2018):
The Gutenberg block editor transformed how content is created, introducing a more visual and flexible editing experience. The Twenty Nineteen default theme was also launched. - 5.9 (2022):
Full Site Editing enabled users to customize nearly every part of their theme with blocks. The Twenty Twenty-Two theme was introduced. - 6.0 (2022):
The Webfonts API was added, along with significant improvements to editor performance and block features. - 6.1 (2022):
Full site editing was further enhanced, with expanded templates and patterns. The Twenty Twenty-Three theme was released. - 6.2 (2023):
The site editor became more stable, with new features like color labels and Openverse integration for media searching. - 6.3 (2023):
The site editor and block theme preview were unified, and the command palette improved workflow efficiency. - 6.4 (2023):
Site editor improvements continued, with the addition of block hooks and the Twenty Twenty-Four theme. - 6.5 (2024):
The Interactivity API, tighter integration of blocks and custom fields, and new design tools made site building more powerful. - 6.6 (2024):
New color palette options, plugin rollback for safer updates, and improved pattern management enhanced site design and maintenance. - 6.7 (2024):
A new default theme, improved automation, and experimental inline comments were introduced for a better user experience. - 6.8 (2025):
The style book saw major improvements, the editor was further refined, speculative loading was added for speed, and bcrypt encryption improved security.