What Is WordPress Documentation?

WordPress documentation is the official collection of written guides, code references, and tutorials published at wordpress.org/documentation that explains how to install, configure, and extend WordPress.

Quick answer: WordPress documentation is the official knowledge base at wordpress.org covering everything from first install to plugin development. As of 2026, it includes the End User Documentation handbook, the Developer Resources reference, and the Block Editor handbook—three separate hubs depending on what you’re building.

Who This Is For

If you’re a small business owner or freelancer setting up your first WordPress site on shared hosting, this guide explains what “the docs” are, where they live, and which section to start with. You don’t need to read every page—you need to know where to look when something breaks.

What Does WordPress Documentation Cover?

WordPress documentation covers three audiences: end users, theme and plugin developers, and contributors. The end-user section handles WordPress dashboard basics, plugin installation, media uploads, and account settings. We see this section most often bookmarked on client sites we manage, because it answers questions like “how do I add a user?” without requiring a support ticket.

The developer section covers REST API endpoints, hooks, filters, and coding standards. It’s not aimed at the audience of this site—if you’re building a business site rather than writing PHP, you’ll rarely need it.

Where to Find Official WordPress Documentation

The primary URL is wordpress.org/documentation. Avoid third-party “WordPress docs” sites that surface in search—they’re often outdated. The official docs were migrated to a new platform in 2023, replacing the older Codex wiki that had served WordPress since version 1.0.

There’s also a separate Block Editor handbook for Gutenberg-specific content, and the Theme Developer handbook for template work.

How We Use It on Client Sites

In our experience managing WordPress installs across dozens of client projects, the docs most frequently needed by non-developers are:

First steps with WordPress — covers hosting requirements and the famous 5-minute install
The Roles and Capabilities reference — explains what an Editor vs. Administrator can do before you hand off login credentials to a client
The Site Health screen article — the first place to check when something behaves unexpectedly

One gotcha we encounter regularly: new users search “WordPress documentation” and land on the old Codex at codex.wordpress.org, which still resolves but is no longer maintained. The Codex still contains useful pre-Gutenberg information, but anything related to the block editor is stale there. Always check the date at the bottom of any Codex page before following its instructions.

Additional Reading

Last verified: April 2026