The Development Velocity Gap: WordPress vs. Modern Frameworks

2025-04-08 by Dan

There's a profound but rarely discussed difference in web development - the stark contrast between development velocity and feedback loops in WordPress versus modern frameworks like Django or Rails.

The Multiple Loop Problem

Modern frameworks have fragmented the development process into separate concerns, each with its own lifecycle and feedback mechanism:

1. The Schema Loop

class Product(models.Model):
    name = models.CharField(max_length=100)
    # Adding a new field requires:
    # 1. Add the field here
    # 2. Run makemigrations
    # 3. Run migrate 
    # 4. Restart the server
    description = models.TextField()  # New field

2. The Test Loop

def test_product_creation():
    product = Product.objects.create(name="Test")
    assert product.id is not None
    # Change, run tests, fix, repeat

3. The Code/Git Loop

# Version control adds steps
git add .
git commit -m "Add product description field"
git push
# Deploy or pull request process

WordPress's Unified Loop

WordPress collapses these into a single feedback loop:

1. Edit in admin
2. Save
3. See changes immediately

No migrations, no separate testing phase, no git workflow for many changes. This simple loop enables rapid iteration and immediate feedback.

The Hidden Cost of "Sophistication"

The "sophistication" of modern frameworks comes with hidden costs:

• Each separated loop adds cognitive overhead
• Longer feedback cycles slow iteration
• The separation demands more developer expertise
• Simple changes require complex processes

Why This Matters

This friction explains several phenomena in the web development ecosystem:

• WordPress powers 43% of the web despite technical criticisms
• Small businesses prefer simpler tools to "better" frameworks
• Non-developer stakeholders get frustrated with modern development processes
• Development velocity is often slower despite better tooling

The Tradeoffs Are Real

This isn't to say modern frameworks don't offer tremendous benefits:

• Team Development: Multiple loops create clear boundaries for teams
• Code Quality: Testing loops improve reliability
• Security: Structured changes reduce vulnerability risks
• Scalability: Schema changes can be carefully managed

But these benefits come at the cost of development velocity and accessibility to non-specialists.

Bridging The Gap

Some newer approaches try to address this velocity gap:

Laravel Livewire & Alpine.js

Provides a more unified approach to PHP web development with minimal JavaScript.

Phoenix LiveView

Elixir's solution for interactive, real-time UIs without complex JavaScript frameworks.

Next.js with Vercel

Automates deployment to reduce the deployment loop friction.

Low-Code Platforms

Tools like Retool and Bubble aim to compress development loops with visual builders.

The Future of Web Development

The ideal approach would combine:

• The unified, rapid feedback loop of WordPress
• The structure and team scalability of modern frameworks
• Separation of concerns without separation of workflows
• Faster iteration without sacrificing code quality

Conclusion

Understanding this development velocity gap helps explain the enduring popularity of supposedly "inferior" technologies. The market often values velocity over theoretical purity.

The next great web framework might be the one that successfully bridges this gap – maintaining the benefits of modern architecture while collapsing the multiple loops into a more unified, immediate feedback cycle.

For now, choosing between WordPress and modern frameworks means choosing between velocity and structure. The right choice depends on your team, scale, and business priorities.