WordPress is a free and open-source web publishing application. WordPress can be used to publish content on the Web. It allows you to create different types of content such as posts, pages, forms, and media posts such as images galleries. WordPress functionality can be extended with plugins. The design of your site can be change with themes.
Creating content and website with WordPress is very easy, highly customizable, and easy to learn.
Difference between WordPress, wordpress.org, and wordpress.com
WordPress is the software application. It is a free, open-source, web-publishing application.
wordpress.com is a website where you can download the WordPress application. It also hosts documentation, support forums, and much more. It is the official source of WordPress.
wordpress.com is a website. It offers WordPress as a SaaS. SaaS is acronym for software as a service. Essentially, it allows you to host your WordPress site on their server. You access everything you need through a web interface. It is a paid service.
- WordPress is a software application
- You can download WordPress from wordpress.org
- wordpress.com is a site built with WordPress
Changing Language in WordPress
- Login into admin panel
- Click on Settings > General
- Change the value of Site Languages
- Save Changes
To change values for specific user(s), Go to Users > choose the user and then make the necessary changes.
Three basic WordPress content types
WordPress has three basic content types:
- Posts
- Pages
- Media Elements
Posts is a blog post. It has published date and can be assigned tag and categories. When listed, posts are often listed in reverse chronological order i.e. newest first. Posts can also accept content.
Pages are suited for static content that is not time dependent. An “about us” page should be a page as opposed to a post.
Media elements can be any file such as image, video, graphic, pdf, etc. Media elements have custom properties based on their file type.
WordPress Plugins
WordPress has very limited content management features by design. But you can add rich functionality with plugins. Plugins are small WordPress applications that extend or change the features and functionality of WordPress. For example, WordPress on its own is decent blogging site. However, when you install the woocommerce plugin, it becomes a feature rich ecommerce site. Plugins are easy to install and activated. Once activated, the plugin code offer new functionality. When deactivated, it stops offering the functionality. There are thousands of plugins available online for free or for a fee. With such a wide selection, the chances are that you will find a plugin with the features you desire and would not have to code one yourself.
You can download plugins from free from http://wordpress.org/plugins/ or for a fee from third-party vendors.
To install plugin
- Login into WP admin
- Plugins > Add New
- Search or browse your plugin 4 When you see you plugin, click on Install button
To activate/decactivate plugin
- Login into WP admin
- Plugins
- Find you plugin and activate or deactivate it
Which Plugins to Install The more plugins you install, the complex and difficult to manage your site will become. Therefore, take the time to research your plugins and only install the plugins you will be using. More is not better. Prefer installing plugins with high ratings and built by better known programmers / companies. This helps ensure that the plugin will not go out of support in the near future.
WordPress Users
You can allow other people to use your WordPress admin features. You can allow users to register themselves. Each user will have a user account and a profile they can configure and edit. Each user is assigned a role. The role defines what a user can do on your website.
- Administrator: Has full control over the website.
- Subscriber: Can subscribe to content
- Contributor: Can contribute by posting content on the website but they cannot publish content.
- Author: Publish, edit, and delete your own published content.
- Editor: Author privileges on all content and ability to manage categories and moderate comments
WordPress Themes
Plugins provide new functionality. Themes provide new designs. Changing your design is as simple as choosing a new Themes. Hundreds of great themes are available for free can be installed with one click. Thousands more can be purchased for under $20. Some are more expensive.
To find and install a new theme:
- Go to your Dashboard
- Appearance Themes
- Click on Add New Theme
- Choose a Theme you like and click on Install
- Then click on Activate
Conclusion
This post should have given you a bird’s eye view of WordPress. It is easier than you think. Try it and you would be surprised by the results.