Learn the WordPress basics, from themes to plugins to widgets.

1. WordPress for Beginners
with Kathryn Presner
February 25, 2013
YES Montreal
Monday, 25 February, 13

2. Kathryn Presner
Automattic Happiness Engineer
Web Designer
@zoonini
Monday, 25 February, 13

3. What We’ll Cover
Welcome
Intro to WordPress
Resources
Hands-on WordPress
Monday, 25 February, 13

4. Intro to WordPress
Monday, 25 February, 13

5. Blog
http://julienchung.com/blog/
Monday, 25 February, 13

6. CMS+Blog
http://www.boxofcrayons.biz/
Monday, 25 February, 13

7. CMS
http://www.thewittyoffice.com
Monday, 25 February, 13

8. Magazine
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9. Photo Portfolio
http://www.silviaphotography.com/
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10. Video Portfolio
http://www.presner.com
Monday, 25 February, 13

11. Diving into WordPress
What is WordPress?
WordPress.com vs.
WordPress.org
What is it used for?
http://en.support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/
Monday, 25 February, 13

12. Some WordPress Basics
Structure Presentation
Markup
Language ➜
Database vs. files
PHP vs. HTML Dynamic Functions
Scripting
Do I need to know
Language ➜
PHP?
Data
Database ➜
Monday, 25 February, 13

13. Posts vs. Pages
Page
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14. Posts vs. Pages
Post
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15. Posts vs. Pages
Posts
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16. Introduction to Themes
A WP Theme is a collection of Template files -
(X)HTML + PHP + CSS
The CSS (aka stylesheet) usually controls the
layout and design
Only two template files are required: index.php,
style.css
Some are optional: sidebar.php, comments.php,
etc.
http://codex.wordpress.org/Stepping_Into_Templates
http://codex.wordpress.org/Template_Hierarchy
Monday, 25 February, 13

17. Monday, 25 February, 13

18. http://www.lonelythebook.com/emily-white-author/
Monday, 25 February, 13

19. Get Started With Blank Themes
Starkers
http://viewportindustries.com/products/starkers/
DIW Blank Theme
http://themeclubhouse.digwp.com/
Whiteboard
http://whiteboardframework.com/
Roots
http://www.rootstheme.com/
_s (underscores)
http://www.underscores.me
Bluelime Media
http://www.bluelimemedia.com/2012/07/14/bluelime-media-stater-theme-
now-in-3-flavours/
HTML5 Boilerplate
https://github.com/iamamused/wp-theme-html5-boilerplate
Monday, 25 February, 13

20. Get Started With
A Pre-made Theme
WordPress.org Directory
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
WooThemes
http://www.woothemes.com/
elegantthemes
http://www.elegantthemes.com/
Press75
http://www.press75.com/
WPswitch
http://wpswitch.com/
Smashing Magazine - Free WordPress Themes: 2011 Edition
http://wp.smashingmagazine.com/2011/07/05/free-wordpress-themes-2011-edition/
Monday, 25 February, 13

21. Introduction to Plugins
What is a plug-in?
Where do you get plug-ins?
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/
Monday, 25 February, 13

22. Managing Plug-ins
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23. Introduction to Widgets
What is a
widget?
What is a
widget area?
http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Widgets
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24. WordPress Resources
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25. Official
wordpress.org
The Codex (.org)
http://codex.wordpress.org/
Support Forum (.org)
http://wordpress.org/support
Support (.com)
http://en.support.wordpress.com
wordpress.tv
http://wordpress.tv/
Monday, 25 February, 13

26. Development Resources
Official Theme Development Checklist & Sample Data
http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development_Checklist
Book: Digging Into WordPress
http://digwp.com/
Online Resources Compilation
http://zoonini.wordpress.com/wordpress-resources/
In-Person Resources Compilation
http://zoonini.wordpress.com/wordpress-in-person/
Monday, 25 February, 13

27. WordPress Inspiration
WP Showcase
http://wordpress.org/showcase/
We Love WP
http://welovewp.com/
WPInspiration
http://wpinspiration.com/
WP Float
http://wpfloat.com/
Monday, 25 February, 13

28. Recommended Plugins
WordPress SEO by DirtySuds - Embed
Yoast or All in One YouTube
SEO Pack
Bad Behavior
FeedBurner
WordPress Database
FeedSmith Extend
Backup
Subscribe to
Secure WordPress
Comments Reloaded
WordPress File
Obfuscate Email
Monitor Plus
Contact Form 7
Jetpack
Akismet
Monday, 25 February, 13

29. Questions?
Get the presentation at Slideshare
http://www.slideshare.net/zoonini
Find me
http://www.zoonini.com
Twitter @zoonini
Thanks to Shannon Smith at Café Noir Design for work on the original
version of this presentation: http://www.cafenoirdesign.com
Monday, 25 February, 13

30. Let’s go Spelunking!
Monday, 25 February, 13