Sometimes we take the simplest things for granted, when this is not always the case. And precisely the WordPress user roles are one of those things, which seems that everyone is clear about, but sometimes it can generate some confusion, or at least that’s what I’ve perceived from experience.
So, we see that WordPress comes by default with 5 user roles, namely:
Types of User Roles
- Subscriber: This can only read public posts, usually the same as someone who is not subscribed or identified, but simply differs because it has an account.
- Contributor: The fun of this one is that he/she can send us entries that we decide whether to publish. Very useful to offer the user the possibility of participating as a guest writer.
- Author: This person is already allowed to publish their entries without the administrator having to validate them. Be careful, because an author can now publish, edit and delete their entries, which will be publicly visible on the website. Obviously, he/she is allowed to upload files, since in many entries he/she will have to upload images.
- Editor: This one goes a step further, as apart from having all the capabilities of an author, you also have the power to edit and delete the entries of any author. Imagine if it were a magazine, the author would be a journalist, and the editor would be the “boss” of journalists, i.e. the “editor-in-chief”, who can edit the content of others. In addition, he or she can also manage tags, categories and comments. Although the editor can also publish his own entries, he usually has more of a “moderator” role.
- Administrator: This is God. He can do whatever he wants related to the administration of both the content and the website itself: Edit and configure the desktop (the home page of the control panel), update WordPress, themes and plugins, install, edit, change and even delete themes and plugins, and of course add, edit or delete users.
Therefore, it is always advisable to give the minimum necessary role to each user of our WordPress. If, for example, we hire someone to write articles (articles, posts), it is not necessary to give them the role of administrator.
In our WordPress category you can find more explanations on how to make a website.
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