Understanding WordPress core
At the heart of every WordPress site lies the WordPress core, the fundamental codebase that powers the entire platform. Understanding the WordPress core is essential for web developers aiming to build custom plugins and themes or troubleshoot complex issues.
The WordPress core is composed of several key directories: wp-admin, wp-includes, and wp-content. The wp-admin directory contains the files that run the WordPress admin dashboard, providing the interface for site management. The wp-includes directory houses the core functionality files, including essential PHP scripts and libraries that make WordPress work. The wp-content directory is where your site’s content lives, including themes, plugins, and uploaded media.
In addition to these directories, the WordPress core includes a robust database that stores all your site’s content and settings. This database is organized into tables that hold different types of data, such as posts, pages, and user information. For web developers, understanding how to interact with this database is crucial for creating custom plugins and themes that extend WordPress’s capabilities.
Moreover, WordPress core settings play a vital role in configuring your site. These settings include fundamental aspects like the site title, tagline, and timezone, as well as specific configurations for plugins and themes. Mastering these settings allows web developers to fine-tune their WordPress sites for optimal performance and functionality.
By gaining a deep understanding of WordPress core and its components, web developers can create more efficient, powerful, and customized WordPress sites. This knowledge is the foundation for building innovative solutions and ensuring your WordPress projects run smoothly.
Tools to support your project
Here are some useful apps, tools, and WordPress web design resources for creating high-quality WordPress websites.
Design tools
Visuals are very important for web design. Use these WordPress design tools to help create quality work, without breaking the bank.
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Inspiration - Browse SiteInspire for web design inspiration from some of the best looking sites available. It featuresr over 2,500 websites, searchable by subject, style, and type.
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Themes - Underscores is for advanced users wanting to create their own theme. Template Monster, on the other hand, includes the biggest collection of templates online. Choose an existing template to transform the look and feel of your pages instantly.
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Icons - Add icons to your pages with DryIcons. There’s a wide range available and are free to use with attribution. Flaticon is another excellent icon resource, offering free and premium vector packs from as little as $7.50 a month.
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Fonts - Typography is an important part of web design, resources such as Font Squirrel offer free fonts for commercial use.
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Images - Skitterphoto is a public domain with stunning photos you can use for anything, including commercial purposes. There are plenty of free photos to use and edit as you like.
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Unsplash is a free stock photo library offering vast collections of images covering many different topics. You’re bound to find something useful here.
Marketing tools
These are great resources to market your website:
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WordPress Briefing is one of a few awesome WordPress podcasts for digital business owners, entrepreneurs, and freelancers. Listen live or download free podcasts with words of wisdom from experts in the field of WordPress and web marketing.
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For actionable marketing advice, hit Smart Insights. Find smart guides covering best practices and handy free templates to structure your strategy. We recommend signing up for alerts on the latest developments to keep up to date.
Coding & UI
Expert level tools for experienced coders and UI designers:
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Generate WP is a user-friendly tool for WordPress developers, designed to reduce development time and generate high-quality code. This is a great resource for making your web development experience faster using the latest WordPress coding standards and API’s.
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If you’re interested in user experience, check out UI Parade. It’s an online catalog providing inspirational content for UI designers.
With the tools and resources on this page, you’re sure to be making better WordPress websites in less time.