How to Work on a WordPress Website Build with Bootstrap
While WordPress is a fantastic open-source CMS, it’s definitely not the only game in town when it comes to building web sites. Especially since its popularity has soared, there are now thousands of sleek, attractive, and functional WordPress-based web sites dotted around the internet.
If you’re looking to build a new site or improve an existing one, but don’t want to get tied down by WordPress’s restrictive licensing, there are plenty of other content management systems out there that you might want to consider.
Bootstrap
Often described as the “most popular front-end framework”, Bootstrap is one of the most popular HTML, CSS, and JavaScript templates out there. With Bootstrap, building a new site or improving an existing one doesn’t require any specialized skills – you can literally click buttons and have a functional web site within minutes.
Bootstrap is completely free, so you have nothing to lose by trying it out. All you need is a web browser and an internet connection.
Features
Apart from being quick and easy to use, the other major draw of Bootstrap is that it comes with a ton of features built in. For instance, you can add a range of stylish fonts, custom design elements, and even videos to your website. For a more detailed look at the features included with Bootstrap, check out the comparison table that follows.
To get started, simply visit Bootstrap Customizer in your web browser. You’ll see a splash screen with a silhouette of a person. To the right of the screen, you’ll see an area where you can enter a website URL. Once you’ve entered your URL, press Enter to continue.
You’ll see a box pop up with your website’s template inside. From there, you can proceed to the next step by clicking on the yellow button that’s labeled Use Bootstrap Template.
From the next screen, you can enter a name for your new website and choose a location for it on the internet. Once you’ve done that, you can click on the blue button labeled Create Website.
Comparison Table
The following table is a comparison of some of the key features of Bootstrap and WordPress. Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, but rather an overview of the main differences between the two software packages.
Features
Bootstrap:
- Fully customizable
- Responsive
- Cross-browser compatibility
- Search engine optimized
- Easy to use
- Sleek design
- Lightweight
- Free
WordPress:
- Fully customizable
- Responsive
- Cross-browser compatibility
- Search engine optimized
- Secure
- Dedicated support
- Hundreds of plugins
- Plenty of themes
- Extensive documentation
- Included with purchase
Usability
Bootstrap is really easy to use – anyone can pick it up and start using it very quickly. With just a few clicks, you can have a fully functioning web site.
WordPress has a much more extensive interface, and even if you have some familiarity with building websites, you might want to take a little bit of time to learn how to use it properly. This is especially important if you’re not a tech-savvy person or if you’re looking to create a highly customized website where the design and functionality are both important.
Cost
The cost of using Bootstrap to build a new site is essentially nothing. You’ll need to purchase a theme for WordPress to get started, but you can get a fully functioning, elegant web site for around $20/month. From there, you can add additional costs for premium features like domain registration, pro-rated email marketing, etc.
WordPress has a free version that’s suitable for personal use. If you choose to install the Premium version, which is what you should do considering its more advanced features, the cost of using that particular version will mount up. Just to give you an idea of how much money you’ll save by using Bootstrap instead, the cost of using the Premium WordPress version is around $150/year. Not bad!
Where Can I Buy Bootstrap?
If you’re looking to buy Bootstrap, you’ll need to visit the official website and navigate to the section that deals with the software itself. From there, you can access a wide variety of licenses and purchase the software for $13.40. Alternatively, you can click on the button that’s labeled Buy Now to go directly to the payment page. When you make the payment, you’ll receive an email from the developers with a download link for the software.
Why Should I Buy Bootstrap?
The key reason why you should buy Bootstrap is because it’s incredibly easy to use and requires minimal training. While designing a website using Bootstrap might take you a bit longer than just building one with WordPress, you’ll be able to take advantage of the extra functionality that comes with this software.
WordPress is a fantastic tool for building websites, and it comes with a ton of features. However, if you’re looking for a tool that will make building websites easier, you should consider buying Bootstrap. Thanks to its extremely user-friendly interface, anyone can pick it up and start using it very quickly.
If you’re looking for a tool to build a functional website, I’d recommend you check out Bootstrap Customizer. Once you’ve downloaded and installed the software, you’ll see a splash screen with a silhouette of a person. To the right of the screen, you’ll see an area where you can enter a website URL. Once you’ve entered your URL, press Enter to continue.
From the next screen, you can proceed to the next step by clicking on the yellow button that’s labeled Use Bootstrap Template. Once you’ve done that, you can click on the blue button that’s labeled Create Website.
You’ll then be presented with a box where you can enter a name for your new website. You can add additional details like a description and category for the site, as well as select a location on the internet for your new web address. Once you’ve entered all of the information, click on the blue button labeled Create Website. You’ll then see a message that your website has been successfully created.
If you click on the My Sites link at the top of the page, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can manage all of your existing websites. From there, you can click on the name of the website you want to edit, and then click on the Edit button next to the website’s title.
You can then use the dropdown menu to select the tab that you want to edit. Once you’ve made your selection, click on the Edit button.
From the next screen, you can see the design of your website. Keep in mind that you’re limited by what’s already in the template. You can’t add any custom CSS code or change the colors directly from here. You can, however, click on the Preview button to see an example of what your website will look like.
There are also download links for all of the available themes and plugins that are compatible with your selected template. You can use these to make additional edits to your site’s appearance – they’re entirely theme-based, so you won’t need to worry about anything else.
Is There Any Additional Training Needed To Use Bootstrap?
While there is no specialized training needed to use Bootstrap, you do need to have a basic understanding of HTML and CSS. A helpful tic-tac-toe diagram will also come in handy – that way you can remember which element should go in which box.