Learning Wordpress

[theeldergeek]

I'm getting started with Wordpress - have a hosting provider (CS New Media) who uses an 'auto install' solution (but will progress, I hope, to manually installing it!). I use CS New Media for a small commercial web site I support, and as they give you 2 domains with the package I'm on, I thought it was a good idea to utilise such for practise

 

I'm looking for free tutorials which will teach me Wordpress. Unfortunately, most of the Google searches return paid for tuition! Does anyone have any good, free resources that can help me please?

 

The aim is to become proficient enough in Wordpress to be able to support users in updating department web sites, adding content, and so on.

[jamesfed]

In all honesty there isn't much to it - if you do a manual install its a matter of copy over the files setup a MySQL database (only need to create a user with permission to it which is pretty simple through something like PHPmyadmin) and then go to the setup page - the rest is automated.

 

As far as the interesting bits go look up things like conditional tags and plugins like GD Star Ratings - just have a trawl through the plugin directory as well so when someone comes to you and asks 'hey Id like to do this with my site' you have an idea of where to go.

 

For layouts take a look at this - Artisteer - web design software and joomla template maker its a rapid design program that to me is worth its weight in gold!

[Netman]

I've always got by with the stuff on their support site here: Home — Support — WordPress.com and a little googling...

 

Or here http://wordpress.org/support/

Edited December 6, 2012 by Netman

[theeldergeek]

For layouts take a look at this - Artisteer - web design software and joomla template maker its a rapid design program that to me is worth its weight in gold!

 

I have Artiseer, V4.* which I purchased ages ago (and have just kept upgrading) for Joomla. I've never used it since! :-(

But for the design aspect, certainly worth it!

[soveryapt]

If you want really good templates for WordPress check out WooThemes (WooThemes | Premium WordPress Themes & Plugins) - these are who I use for my clients websites. For a lot they can be used straight out of the tin (so to speak) others you might need to play about with the PHP/CSS etc, but they produce really nice results and they are VERY helpful if you have little things you need sorting, and have a lot of user based support etc too.

 

ThemeForrest (Premium WordPress Themes, Web Templates, Mobile Themes | ThemeForest) is one that I've not personally used, but a fellow WordPress developer swears by that alongside WooThemes, so they're both worth looking into.

[padilla]

Lynda tut's is perfect - but paid.

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If you have problems with WP only google this How to + problem + wordopress

[irsWorkshop]

Check out csstricks.com: The Leading CSS Trick Site on the Net for some WordPress tutorials.

 

A lot of schools have had WordPress/Joomla pushed in their direction with the result that they have a website that they can use but don't really understand - when things go wrong!

 

I've written a WordPress site from the ground up at Upton Primary School | Our School Website, it took a little longer but at least I understand how it works, and what is happening when things go wrong.

[matt40k]

Check out the WordPress Codex - Main Page « WordPress Codex. Also Smashing WordPress