How to Become a Wordpress Developer

If you’re an aspiring writer or content creator, then you’ve probably heard about a mysterious and magical thing called “WordPress.” WordPress is a fantastic open-source platform that allows people to create impressive and attractive web pages without spending time in a coding bootcamp. . If you want to dip your toes into web development and polish your technical skills, a WordPress course is a dynamite option.

We recognize that there are dozens of well-known website building platforms around, and each has its own set of advantages and unique features. But, what makes WordPress different from its competitors?

In this article, we’ll go over the essential functions of WordPress, along with the benefits it holds over other platforms. We have also curated a list of the best courses to learn WordPress, and the best resources to keep your skills sharp. We have even included some excellent reads on the subject that will help you become a WordPress master.

What Is WordPress?

You can trace the origins of WordPress back to the early days of the Internet. Back in 2001, the Internet came through a phone line, laptops were thicker than textbooks, and WordPress was born. In its earlier days, WordPress was simply meant to help people publish their thoughts online. Over the years, WordPress evolved into a popular blogging platform that gained international acclaim.

Through the early 2000s, WordPress pioneered many web formatting features such as in-line images and previews, which contributed to its reputation for ease-of-use. As the blogging craze arrived, so did a hoard of new features. Soon enough, the popularity and functionality of the site increased. Fast forward to today and WordPress is a go-to for virtually all website building activities.

WordPress Features

The site features multiple free and paid plans, domain hosting, and other useful tools. These tools help non-coders and busy professionals build attractive and modern websites. WordPress users have access to dozens of themes for their sites, through which they can customize widgets and organize content however they like. Plugins, such as the Yoast SEO Plugin, allow seamless third-party feature integration for vital tasks such as search engine optimization.

WordPress allows site builders to monitor their day-to-day website stats. It features excellent analytical tools to help users understand their traffic. Also, WordPress is known for its easy-to-use interface.

Features are laid out logically throughout the site-building tool and it’s possible to preview the site and new themes before publishing. Compared to its competitors, WordPress shines for its straightforward layout—especially given the vast array of modern web features it offers.

What Is WordPress Used For?

WordPress is a fantastic modern tool that allows creators of all content to create attractive site pages without any need for software development training. WordPress is an open-source platform and easy to pick up, which makes it perfect for millions of users.

That also makes it a prime source of developer jobs. Nowadays, it’s a fantastic career move to learn WordPress development and become an expert in the field. Supporting and developing WordPress is a lucrative and fulfilling career path.

Users with coding experience have plenty of options, too. The site allows users to produce custom HTML sections and move them about the site, which adds to the overall degree of customization available.

Additionally, WordPress offers pre-programmed shopping and e-commerce tools, allowing people to create professionally-designed online stores with ease. As you increase your membership status, your access to features improves too. In short, it’s entirely reasonable to develop a high-end business website on WordPress alone.

Learning WordPress

When you first start on a new subject, you’ll do best working on simple, quick lessons that you can complete in no time. The primary reason people get discouraged and give up when they begin training is subject overload.

Folks get ambitious and lose the patience needed to get through training, so they give themselves too much to do in too short a time. If you want to succeed, start by tackling quick and easily completed lessons, and then move on to more complex subjects.

The Internet is lousy with online training for newbies of all stripes, luckily. You can find sites designed to train fledgling coders while also encountering fast and fun WordPress training lessons.

How Long Does It Take to Learn WordPress?

You won’t need to spend much time learning the ropes before you can take WordPress out for a spin. That’s not a big surprise—WordPress’s appeal comes from how easy it is for people to pick up and begin using. However, if you don’t mind taking a little more time, you can learn extra tricks that can make your pages much more appealing.

You’ll find tons of courses to help you get advanced training in WordPress. Udemy is an excellent option, for example, and can get you four hours of quality WordPress training for about 20 bucks.
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⁠If you have deeper ambitions and want to pick up as much WordPress training as you can, though, you should check out Treehouse. It offers both basic and advanced WordPress training that can get you as educated in the subject as your beady little heart desires.
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⁠You can also try WP Apprentice for your first lesson. You will get your first WordPress lesson under your belt in under an hour. If you don’t mind a slightly longer lesson, give BitDegree’s Beginner WordPress User course a shot. You can finish it in less time than it takes to sit through an extended cut of a Lord of the Rings movie.

How to Learn WordPress: Step-by-Step

Learning WordPress is not as hard as you may think. As with everything in life, there is a process that, if followed, will allow you to master this skill faster. Below is the process we recommend:

• Choose a project.
  ⁠What are you itching to write about? Is there something you can’t wait to share with the world? The first step is to choose a project to work on.

• Register in WordPress.
  ⁠There’s really no other way to get started. First, you need to go to Wordpress.com and register. You will be asked to create a username and password. You will also create a web address, choose a plan, and set up a profile. Adding a title for your site is also recommended.

• Explore the possibilities WordPress has to offer.
  ⁠Once your profile is set up, have some fun exploring. Visit the Reader to find some great reads and go to My Sites menu. This menu allows you to create pages and blog posts. Let your curiosity show you the way.

• Check out the available themes.
  ⁠There are hundreds of themes you can use for your blog. With so many options, you are bound to find something that blows you away (and your readers).

• Customize your theme.
  ⁠At this point, you can upload a custom header, add widgets, and customize fonts and colors.

• Choose a WordPress course or training program.
  ⁠Now that you’ve had some fun learning the basics of WordPress, it’s time to dig a little deeper. Choose a course that matches your goals, expectations, and availability. Look for a class that allows you to learn, whichever is most convenient for you (in-person, online, or hybrid). You will find plenty of recommendations in the section that follows.

• Continue working on your project.
  ⁠Even before finishing the course, you can apply the skills you’ve picked up to your blog or website.

• Start writing and get published.
  ⁠Put the skills you’ve picked up to the test by creating amazing posts or pages for the world to see.

The Best WordPress Courses and Training

We’ve put together this guide to help you find the best places where you can learn the ins and outs of WordPress development. In our guide, you’ll find out which free sites can help you train to work with WordPress for a living. We also give you a rundown on the best paid options for WordPress training on the web today. Before long, WordPress will be your middle name.

Paid WordPress Courses

WordPress is such a popular platform because of how it empowers novices to build entire web pages. Its popularity also means that there are some top-notch paid training programs to get you all learned up.

Paid programs generally offer more detailed and involved education than free options, and you will usually have access to lots more resources. Any of the following options will give you a top-of-the-line WordPress education and prepare you for your new career.

1. WordPress 101

• Provider: WP 101
• Estimated time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
• Difficulty level: Beginner
• Cost: You can watch the first 8 videos for free. If you want to continue, you’ll have to buy an All-access Pass for $19 a month

At WP101, you’ll find tailor-made teaching approaches and coursework. You’ll have plenty to learn with WP101’s tutorial library, including plugins such as Yoast and JetPack. WordPress 101 is the easiest way to learn how to use the Gutenberg Block Editor in WordPress to build your own beautiful website.

2. Your First WordPress Plugin

• Provider: WPSessions
• Estimated time: 2 hours, 17 minutes
• Difficulty level: Intermediate
• Cost: You need a membership to access this course ($6 per month

You can’t go wrong with WPSessions, which offers both free and premium content. With Your First WordPress Plugin, you’ll learn what makes WordPress plugins tick and how you can build your own.

Free WordPress Courses

As my old man always said, “Free is good.” What a poet that man was. You already pony up way too much cash for streaming services, gas for your car, and blimp polish. Why should you pay for training if you have a free alternative available?

If you can find training that will add a killer bullet point to your resume for free, you should give it a try. Fortunately, you have your choice of several excellent free training options for WordPress development.

A Beginner’s Guide to Using WordPress

• Provider: Envato
• Estimated time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
• Difficulty level: Beginner

One of my personal favorites, Envato has a fantastic and deep section on WordPress. You will learn WordPress from start to finish in this free tutorial for beginners. It's the only WordPress beginner's guide you'll ever need.

How to Start a WordPress Blog the RIGHT WAY in 7 Easy Steps (2020)

• Provider: WPBeginner
• Estimated time: Not specified
• Difficulty level: Beginner

WPBeginner is another excellent free resource and will help you get your WordPress education without harming your wallet. This option is definitely worth a shot; what do you have to lose?

WordPress Books

There are plenty of blogs and Youtube tutorials to hone your WordPress skills. However, for some, including yours truly, nothing beats the feeling of holding a book in your hands. Many choose to read a book because the experience of holding a tome puts them in the right mindset to learn.

Whatever your motivation to pick up a book, we’ve put together a list of the best titles to learn WordPress. Below, you'll find great reads to level up your WordPress knowledge, no matter where you’re starting from.

WordPress For Dummies

Lisa Sabin-Wilson

WordPress For Dummies is an easy-to-read compendium of all the information you need to be successful in the world of WordPress. This book will help you master the art of blogging or running a website, whether you are a newcomer or already have some experience.

Sabin-Wilson’s title will help you understand the platform upon which you're building your blog. With this understanding, you can take advantage of the features and capabilities that will ultimately help your voice be heard.

Professional WordPress: Design and Development

Brad Williams

Packed full of advanced content, Williams’s book uses real-world examples to bring your WordPress game to the next level. The book covers HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, custom post types, custom taxonomies, and much more.

Professional WordPress: Design and Development is an excellent resource to master WordPress. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better book to aid you in your WordPress journey.

WordPress for Beginners 2020: A Visual Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering WordPress (Kindle)

Dr. Andy Williams

This title provides the reader with a step-by-step visual approach to boosting their WordPress skills. As a major new release for 2020, this book covers the latest version of WordPress. With this new title, veteran WordPress expert Andy Williams aims to turn anyone into a WordPress "hero" in a few short hours.

This book is also about visual learning. It contains over 340 screenshots to show you exactly what you will see on your screen. Because this is a Kindle title, if major changes occur to WordPress, you can update your copy for free.

WordPress Certifications

Getting a certificate is always a good idea if you seek to increase your chances of finding a good job. So, is there an official WordPress certification? Sadly, there isn’t. As a non-profit organization, the WordPress Foundation does not offer any certifications. But don’t be discouraged. There are some companies out there that do allow you to earn certificates that can really make your resume shine.

1. WPacademy

This school is an excellent option for those looking to get certified at a reasonable cost. For only $147, you get unlimited access to all their courses and certifications. Their courses include WordPress Success Course, Design Layouts Faster, and Google Analytics for Beginners, among others.

2. WP Training Courses

With an offer that includes plenty of class formats and schedules, this is an amazing option for busy professionals or career changers. The WP Training Courses platform has more than 10 years of experience.

With an offer that includes plenty of class formats and schedules, this is an amazing option for busy professionals or career changers. The WP Training Courses platform has more than 10 years of experience.

WP Training Courses offers three certifications: WordPress Manager ($399), WordPress Administrator ($799), and WordPress Front-end Developer ($1,487).

Online WordPress Resources

Want to continue expanding your knowledge and skills after the course you have just completed? Luckily, there is no shortage of excellent resources to continue honing your abilities. Here are some excellent online WordPress resources to consider:

WordPress.org

You can always start with the horse’s mouth and get your training at the WordPress.org codex. You’ll find great training here. A bonus: it won’t cost a thing.

Lynda.com

This is one of the biggest learning platforms on the Internet and, as such, WordPress-related courses abound. The WordPress Essential Training is an excellent option for beginners. This website charges a monthly fee, upon which you can enter a basic or premium membership. It also has a seven-day free trial period. Once you sign up, you’ll have access not just to WordPress materials but everything else you may want to learn, from business to photography.

WP Project Manager

Once you learn the basics and begin working on different projects, you want to make sure you are working efficiently. A great way to do this is through WP Project Manager. This is an incredibly useful tool to ensure the best use of your time and resources. Some of its features include Gantt charts to get an illustrated view of your progress and an interactive calendar with drag-and-drop features.

ThemeForest

Here, you’ll find over 10,000 themes and templates to create a website that your competition will envy. ThemeForest’s themes are top-quality, e-commerce ready, and optimized for all devices. It has a large community of designers and developers working to create some of the most astounding themes that WordPress can handle.

Should You Study WordPress?

Many potential website builders often wonder if they should learn to code a site instead of using WordPress. And while you might expect us to say, ‘absolutely,’ we recognize that sites like WordPress play an absolutely essential role. Instead of choosing one over the other, we think you should do both.

While coding is an important skil , you can’t learn it overnight and WordPress offers a spectacular array of features without any necessary coding. If you need a website, go ahead and create it on a site-building platform. Then, apply your coding skills as you go along. Eventually, you’ll have the ability to code an entire site by yourself or just use your skills to improve the one you already have.

So, that’s the long and short of it. WordPress is the go-to for millions of casual bloggers, and it can be the key to a satisfying career. Our guide shows you the best sites to learn WordPress development. It gives you a rundown of the top free and paid sites for training. With our help, you’ll be ready to start making bank in WordPress development and support.