Code readability may be defined as the convenience with which the source code is understood and modified. Code readability is of vital importance when maintaining larger legacy codebase and working in teams. If the code is easy to read, it would be easy to debug, refactor, enhance and maintain, thereby reducing the lifecycle cost of software product. As readability directly impacts software quality, researchers have proposed adding a separate phase during development focused on improving code readability. Although, code readability is subjective to human judgement, static analysis tools can provide a fair estimate on various factors impacting readability such as indenting, naming and commenting. As a programmer, follow the tips provided below to create self-documenting software program, which can be understood conveniently by other programmers during it's lifetime.
If you are planning to start your blog, there are plenty of blogging websites and platforms to choose from. Each platform has its pros and cons, and choosing the right platform is crucial for your success. If you have little computer skills, you may prefer a platform which is convenient to setup and use. However, it is beneficial to choose a blogging platform which offers plenty of features and options, so that you have the room to expand and monetize later. In this post, I will explain the capabilities of 10 best blogging websites and platforms and their key features.
- WordPress.com
- WordPress.org
- Blogger
- Drupal
- Joomla
- Wix
- Weebly
- Medium
- Tumblr
- Squarespace
1. WordPress.com
WordPress.com is one of the most powerful and best websites for blogging, which is a hosted version of WordPress.org. It has a free trial option, which can be upgraded to one of several premium plans. If you are a beginner with little computer skills, and you plan to start a blog, free and personal plans are suitable for you.
The free plan has limited features, only 3GB storage space, and the blog name will be a subdomain like blogname.wordpress.com. This is a good starting point to try the software before deciding to upgrade for premium plans. The premium plans allow to set up a custom domain and provide many advanced features. Most of the features such as plugins, themes, email / live chat support and monetization options are only available for paid plans.
Wordpress.com Premium Plans and Pricing
2. WordPress.org
WordPress.org is a free and open-source website with powerful features to create a website or blog. From simple personal blog to a powerful business website, you can launch your website in minutes using huge range of plugins.
To setup WordPress.org, you need to select a reliable web hosting and domain registration provider such as bluehost.com, install WordPress, and start building the website. There is no price for WordPress and you only need to pay for domain registration and content hosting to the service of your choice. You can select from a wide range of free themes and templates to customize the layout and look of your website. WordPress has a nice looking Dashboard for blog maintenance, content publishing and an overview of your blog.
WordPress.org Features
3. Blogger
Blogger is a free blogging platform that offers a convenient way to create a blog. To get started, you only need to login using your Google account and within few clicks you have a Google hosted fully functional blog with a subdomain like yourblog.blogspot.com. Blogger platform requires little technical knowledge or coding experience as the platform is quite easy to use. You can also register a custom domain using Google Domains, GoDaddy or Bluehost and connect it with Blogger. The best thing about Blogger is that it provides easy integration with variety of Google services like Google Domains, Google AdSense, Google Search and Google Analytics. Moreover, Blogger offers unlimited storage space for free, unlike WordPress. The downside is that Google has strict content policy and the blog may be removed if it fails to abide by the rules. Is is, without doubt, one of the best blogging websites and a perfect option for No 3 spot.
4. Drupal
Drupal is a free and open-source content management system (CMS), which can be installed with popular web hosting services like Bluehost. Drupal is used by a lot of individuals and organizations around the world to develop and maintain their websites. You probably use Drupal every day when you use the web portals of the Government of Australia, Red Cross, Harvard, The Economist, BBC, NBC News, Cisco, Twitter, and many others.
Drupal is open source software released under GNU GPL, which means anyone can customize and extend the platform. It provides intuitive UI which allows users to create and publish awesome content easily. The platform includes plethora of web technologies, content types, tools, themes and modules. The basic functionality of Drupal can be extended through a robust assortment of add-ons in the form of modules and themes.
5. Joomla
Joomla is also an open source platform to build wide range of websites, blogs and web applications. It can be used in two ways: 1. As a CMS installed with popular web hosting services, 2. As a hosted subdomain (yourblog.joomla.com) with 500MB storage and complete FTP / PHPMyAdmin access. The limitations of disk space and subdomain can be removed by various premium plans. Joomla is a intuitive and convenient way for developers across the globe to build anything from basic websites to advanced web applications. Joomla is supported by a large and active developer community. With thousands of useful extensions and templates, it is presently one of the best blogging websites and platforms available.
6. Wix
Wix is a powerful all in one solution to build and host your blogs. It has a free and plenty of premium plans to suit your personal and business requirements. The free package includes limited storage space, limited features, Wix ads and a subdomain i.e. username.wixsite.com/siteaddress. The premium plans offer plenty of features, custom domain with hosting and sufficient storage space. You don’t need any prior coding experience or web development expertise to build a blog with Wix.
Wix Premium Plans
In addition to awesome templates, Wix offers these amazing features:
- Customizable Templates
- Mobile-Responsive Blogs
- SEO Optimization
- Freedom to Design
- Third-Party Integrations
- Comprehensive Site Builder
7. Weebly
Weebly is a simple website and blog builder via an easy drag and drop editor. Their primary focus is around eCommerce and simple business sites, however, the platform also offers blogging services. Weebly has a free built-in hosting provider that ensures fast loading time for the website.
Weebly Plans
Weebly offers following amazing features:
- Drag-and-drop Builder
- Media Management
- Free Personalized Templates
- Search Engine Optimization
- App Collection
- Social Media Sharing
8. Medium
Medium is a wonderful blogging platform as it allows writers to share their ideas for free without having to worry about coding, design, domain or similar issues. You can post content to be read and appreciated by the big community of millions of readers and connect with them. You can also get paid for your writings when members read your posts.
To get started with Medium as a writer, sign up, and share your posts with the editorial team who review your posts according to their standards. If your post adheres to their guidelines, it is published to your page, and you can then start earning money by getting subscribers.
9. Tumblr
Tumblr is a microblogging and a social media site with primary focus on multimedia and short content. You can add a variety of multimedia to your blog including photos, videos, audio files, GIFS, stickers and text. You can design your Tumblr blog with customizable themes, fonts, layouts and other design choices. Tumblr is a popular platform which is followed by millions of people across the world. You can use Tumblr for free as a subdomain i.e. yourblogname.tumblr.com. You can also connect your own custom domain.
10. Squarespace
Squarespace is a complete website and blog builder that provides a large set of tools to create, design, promote and track your blog. Squarespace also gives an option to create and manage a blog. It offers various marketing tools for bloggers to grow the network of readers. Squarespace has top quality templates and minimal layout which can give a unique look to the blog. To create a blog with Squarespace, you need to select a template from its wonderful collection and customize it accordingly.
Squarespace Plans and Pricing
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