This opinion might not apply to most WP designers, but i would like to share my experience developing a simple landing page for a client.
I decided for WordPress since it was supposed to be a quick and easy way to develop a simple landing page for a client that did not require too many features and should look at least half decent.
I have used WP in the past, for an even simpler website that used the default theme, as well as for personal stuff and a little tinkering.
But OMG, finding any plugin or theme is a nightmare. I got ripped off on Envato because i purchased a theme and found out afterwards that they did not support the most recent WordPress version, which rendered it useless. I might be able to get my money back but i will probably waste my time.
Why is everything a subscription? You hit some stupid paywall, like not being able to create more than 2 languages in TranslatePress or a sticky header in Astra and either you have to hack something together (like custom CSS/JS for the sticky header) or you need to pay. I have nothing against paying for a quality piece of software and its ongoing support but if i add up hosting and the pro versions of Astra, TranslatePress, WP Mail SMTP etc. etc. i end up with hundreds per year. For a simple website?
As a Programmer, i am rather used to finding an open source repository that solves my problem, so maybe i'm a bit too hard on the whole paid plugins thing, they solve a lot of problems that you would have to do manually with a website in plain HTML/CSS/JS and maybe their pricing structure is rather optimized for web designers who do this on a daily basis rather than people like me who do small projects on the side.
Nevertheless, it feels like, coding this thing instead of using WordPress would have taken the same time and be less of a headache.
Maybe it's just that i underestimated the amount of work it takes to learn the features of WP, because i had no experience, which i now have and i feel less in control compared to coding it myself, which comes naturally for a CMS that is aimed towards user friendlyness and it's after all a good compromise.
Your argument is it’s not good for ‘programmers’ or ‘developers’ but the methods you are using to create the site are not methods a developer would use.
If you’re relying on third-party code for everything then yes WordPress can be annoying. If you can build your own custom theme or child-theme, create simple functions to do what you need then WordPress is generally pretty amazing.
Have you read any of WP [documentation] (https://wordpress.org/documentation/) before you started?
Or at least [About](https://wordpress.org/about/)
You can build perfect [site](https://learn.wordpress.org/course/creating-a-4-page-business-website/) with “out of the box WP”, and free plugins. In your case: default WP theme (2024), PostSMTP (https://wordpress.org/plugins/post-smtp/) and Polylang (https://wordpress.org/plugins/polylang/).
I highly recommend to follow some WP lessons:
* https://learn.wordpress.org/course/beginner-wordpress-user/
* https://learn.wordpress.org/course/intermediate-wordpress-user/
Success.
Your problem seems to be you’re just not good at anything. Finding themes and plug-ins has never been easier.
Never met a programmer who can’t use Google, can’t read, and only uses 3rd party scripts.
Sucks to be you but that’s not a WP problem, that’s a you problem. I mean that…. search this sub. There are people with room temp IQs who have managed to do better.
You are not a WordPress developer if you are fully relying on themes and plugins. I have been working with WordPress for more than 7 years now and never had to rely on some specific themes and plugins and have built small to large scale websites. Yes plugin and themes helps but if you know what you are doing you don’t rely on Themes and plugins.
Ah, found the guy that gives me work. 99 plugins and he didn’t need 1.
I think most of your arguments are valid but completely mitigated if you use something like Brock or oxygen
From my point of view, WordPress is easier and approachable now than ever if you’re a developer.
You can literally code your own template, plugins, blocks or widgets from scratch. Documentation and free examples are enormous.
What exactly do you need?