6 Things you need to learn to become a WordPress developer
Being a WordPress developer is not easy or hard. Hardness or easiness both depends on your mentality like how you will present the stuff. So, proper mindset or target can play an important role when you are trying to learn something new. And, when you are trying to learn something like WordPress development or coding by yourself without any help of others but using Google or YouTube, you need very strong mindset. And I believe this is the most important thing that you have to make sure it’s all clear. I’m going to suggest you six things that I followed when I was a learner.
1. Learn or know a lot about internet world
Not only for WordPress development, If someone wants to become a web developer, freelancer or IT-Expert, S/He must need huge knowledge about the Internet. Always remember that you are a beginner and there are millions of people who have minimum 4-5-10 even 15 years of working experience. You have to commit yourself as a competitor and need to learn as much as possible about the internet. Otherwise, you’ll be dropped and can’t become success. So, try to gain good knowledge specially about the website like how it works, how a website build, who build it, what have to learn to create a website and many more. Moreover, when you will visit a website you should have the ability to detect the website purpose, try to achieve such knowledge.
2. Learn how to use Google & YouTube properly
This two platform is always ready to help you like a teacher. While working or while learning, you will find many questions and confusions. If you get the right answer of these things, learning or working process will be easier. That’s why you need to know how to use them properly. Think about your work, find out questions, and ask those questions to Google or YouTube. Follow this method to become an expert, trust me it’s going to help you a lot. I’m working on Fiverr freelance marketplace as a WordPress developer. Sometimes few clients come to me with a unique issues and I don’t have any experience about it like how to fix it. In this type of situation I have only two ways 1/ Let that client go 2/ Find out the problem solution using Google YouTube by doing some research. And then completing the order successfully.
3. Learn primary coding languages – HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript and jQuery
WordPress is a CMS (Content Management System) it’s a software that going to make a website building process easier. Most of the cases, you don’t need to write any codes to build a WordPress website. But still you have to learn HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JavaScript and jQuery. You have to learn these languages because a website built with these languages. Without understanding coding, you can’t be a WordPress developer. That’s why you must, need good knowledge about coding. W3schools.com is a website from where you can learn almost every programming or web development languages for totally free. It is one of the best source of codes. And if you need any help about coding, Stackoverflow.com will be the best solution according to my opinion.
What is HTML?
HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a markup language that used to build a website structure. We can compare it with human skeleton.
What is CSS?
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a style sheet language that used to make a website beautiful. We can compare it with human hair, dress, eyes, skin, shoes etc.
What is Bootstrap?
Bootstrap is a free & open-source CSS framework that used to make a website responsive. For example, a website you are visiting with desktop screen, will you get the same to same preview on tablet or mobile screen? No because, all screen size is not the same and that’s why to make a web page perfect in preview in all devices, in all types of screen, developers use bootstrap to make the web page responsive.
What is JavaScript & jQuery?
JavaScript or JS is a client-side programming language. It used to make dynamic and interactive web pages. To add any functionality on a website, JavaScript can help a lot. We can compare it with human brain, vein. And jQuery is a library of JavaScript.
4. Learn WordPress and DevTools
Understanding WordPress dashboard means understanding WordPress. The most important thing of WordPress is Its dashboard. So, learn it at first properly, as well as there are so many things you have to know about WordPress. How to install WordPress on hosting server, how to install a theme & plugin, how to customize a theme, change elements, plugin setup process, speed optimization, how to use page builders like Elementor / WP Bakery, how to debug an issue, use of WooCommerce plugin for e-commerce website and many more things you have to learn.
What is DevTools?
DevTools or developer tools are a browser functionality that allows web developers to test and debug their code. To become a web developer you must, should have good knowledge how to use DevTools. It will increase your coding experience and make your working process easier.
Here is an example of DevTools – Inspect Element
5. Learn about server/Domain/Hosting
When someone thinks about to build a website, S/he must need domain & hosting. Domain is the name of a website for example facebook.com and hosting is a server from where website files load. After purchasing domain & hosting, the domain needs to connected with the hosting server by pointing NS (NameServer), otherwise the website not will work. You have to know how to install WordPress to the server, how to work with file manager, how to install SSL certificate etc. Moreover, there are so many things you have to know about the server to become an expert.
6. Learn advanced programming and database language – PHP / MySQL
It’s time to make your skill more deep. Once you have learned previous 5 things properly, now you can go for PHP & MySQL.
What is PHP?
PHP (Personal Home Page) is a server-side scripting programming language that used to make dynamic website. WordPress is an open-source software, it builds with PHP programming language. So, to become a pro WordPress developer, you have to learn PHP. After learning PHP, other work skill automatically will add to your skill list, Theme and plugin development is one of them.
What is MySQL?
MySQL is a relational database language based on SQL (Structured Query Language) People use it for wide range of purpose, website database is one of the best use of MySQL. To become a web developer you must, should learn minimum one database language. And I’ll highly suggest MySQL because it’s comfortable, easy to to understand, and so much helpful.
This was the six things that you need to know and learn to become a WordPress developer. Maybe you can think that how to learn these coding languages or other stuff. The answer is YouTube & Google, Search on YouTube by typing “HTML tutorial” you’ll find lots of videos, watch them and practice it. I believe this will be enough and better than online paid course.