WordPress basics
The basics & first steps

First, .com vs .org
- Self-hosted
- Open - customizable
- Any theme
- Do whatever you want
- Free & open source


- Automattic-hosted
- Closed - tweakable
- A few hundred themes
- Pay for whatever you want
- Keeps WordPress free & open source
How the web works
- Send a request - "facebook.com"
- DNS converts the request
- Facebook receives the request
- Facebook sends the website



"facebook.com"
Your Computer
DNS
"Domain Name Server"
Components we need
- A domain name "yourname.com"
- A web host
- A WordPress installation
- A pre-built "theme"

##.###.###.#
A web host

"whatever.com"
Your Computer

A domain name
Files / Theme
Cost
- Domain name
- $10-$15 a year
- always buy privacy protection
- A web host
- $0, or $1-$10 a month
- be careful with free
- Themes
- $0-$60

##.###.###.#
$1-$10

"whatever.com"
Your Computer

$10-$15
$0
WordPress is a powerhouse
Cost
Time commit

high
low
low
high

HTML/CSS




>20% of the web
1) Find a theme you like
- Theme Directory
- Themeforest
- Creative Market
- Google
- "Minimal WordPress theme"
- "Minimal" is cliché but helps avoid feature bloat
- Spend a lot of time searching
- Stay away from flashy effects
- Always view the demo
- The more you have to tweak or change, the longer it'll take to finish
2) Choose a Web host
- Big names $10+
- GoDaddy
- Bluehost
- Dreamhost
- Hostgator
- Cheaper ~$3-$5
- Higher-end $5-$10
- Geeky but cheap <$5
3) Choose a domain name
Trying out WordPress
- Windows
- Mac
Customizing a theme
- NEVER edit the theme's files directly
- A royal pain to re-add your tweaks after a theme update
- Use a child theme instead
WordPress basics The basics & first steps http://bit.ly/makewp
WordPress basics
By abraren
WordPress basics
An introduction to WordPress, what it's capable of, when you should use it, and a few recommendations and best practices to get you started.
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