How to Create a WordPress Website from Scratch
WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) available today, and for good reason. The platform is incredibly flexible, allowing you to build exactly what you want with relatively little effort. It is also quite popular, with over 20 million downloads from its official marketplace alone. If you’re looking to create your own WordPress website from scratch, this article will teach you everything you need to know.
The Simple Review
Before we begin, it’s important to note that not all WordPress websites are created equal. Some websites are just barely holding together, while others are absolutely beautiful. The best way to determine whether your WordPress website will be any good is to simply review the source code. If you’re on Github, you can do this simply by clicking on the “Readme” tab and then clicking the “Show Source” button. From here, you can click through the various files to see exactly what’s going on. In addition to reviewing the code, you can also use tools like WP Super Cache to see how the website performs on your phone or laptop. Simply visit the site and then refresh the page a few times. If the load times are abnormally high, it could be an indication that something is wrong. To cut down on load times, consider using a service like Cloudflare to provide caching and optimization for your website. Doing this will also provide you with the benefits of free security monitoring as part of your Cloudflare plan.
The Basic Review
Even for experienced WordPress website developers, creating a functional WordPress website from scratch can be tricky. That’s primarily because there are so many moving parts that can go wrong even under the most ideal circumstances. For beginners, creating a custom WordPress website can be even more complicated because there are so many extra steps needed to ensure that everything goes smoothly. To save you the effort and ensure that you build a functional website, we have compiled a list of everything you need to know to get started.
Domain Names
From the very beginning, you will need to choose a domain name for your website. If you have developed a reputation as an expert in your industry, you might consider using your own name as a domain. Otherwise, you can use a free domain generator to find a suitable domain name. Having a unique and memorable domain name is one of the key elements to a successful website.
Coding Standards
Having standard coding practices and standards from the very beginning will make things much easier down the line. When developing a WordPress website, you can use plugins like HTML5 Strict or HTMLclean for HTML validation and code formatting. You may also consider using a plugin like WordPress SEO by Yoast to ensure that your content is easily searchable. When developing, you need to remember to take care of both aesthetics and functionality.
Content Management System
The most popular content management systems (CMS) available today are WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. Of these, WordPress is the most user-friendly. The platform is extremely flexible, allowing you to build almost anything you want with relative ease. Despite its popularity and convenience, if you’re brand new to web design or development, it might be a bit tricky to decide which tool to use. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best free content management systems so that you can easily decide which one is right for you.
Website Builder
If you’re looking to create a quick and easy to use website without needing to hire an expert, then you might consider using a website builder. These tools allow you to easily install WordPress onto a server, along with all the supporting themes and plugins you might need. Using a website builder is also a great way to gain experience as a WordPress developer without having to worry about all the complex technical details. Of course, this comes with its own set of challenges. For one, if you’re using a free tool, you’ll need to look for a host that supports php7 and has at least 1GB of RAM. Also, make sure the web developer you are working with has good reviews and is a WordPress recommended. You don’t want to end up with a buggy or unsatisfactory product.
Database
A database is a collection of data that is stored in a structured format. The most popular databases today are MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. Of these, MySQL is the most user-friendly, while PostgreSQL provides the most advanced features. If you’re looking for a quick and easy to use database that is also free, then you might consider using SQLite. It’s a standalone database that’s extremely compact and doesn’t require you to have a separate server to run it on.
Design
Design is an important factor in the success of any website. Making the right choice here can help you cut down on site load times and improve the user experience. Of course, the choice is completely up to you, but here are a few pointers: if you’re using a CMS like WordPress, you might want to consider using a free, premium, or semi-custom theme.
Choose a free theme first and see how it looks. There are hundreds of free themes out there, so you’re sure to find one that suits your needs. The great thing about free themes is that you can modify them as much as you want to suit your specific needs. If you decide that it isn’t the right theme for you, you can either choose to keep it or modify it to fit your needs. Some examples of popular free themes are Avada, Clean Blog, and Divi.
Where Do I Start?
Once you have your domain name, platform, and CMS ready, you can begin installing WordPress onto a server. Installing WordPress is pretty straightforward these days. There are a few different ways to do it, so you’ll need to find the easiest method for yourself. One place you can get started is WordPress.com. This is the official WordPress website, with easy to follow tutorials and a vibrant community. If you have a limited budget, you can also consider using a free hosted WordPress solution like Wix or SquareSpace. SquareSpace is one of the best and most popular self-hosted WordPress solutions available today, and it’s free.
Once installed, you can begin taking care of the basic editing of your site. You’ll need to go through a few tutorials to get started, but this is fairly easy to do. The best part about WordPress is that the platform is extremely flexible and can be modified to suit almost anyone’s needs. Despite its popularity and convenience, if you’re brand new to web design or development, it might be a bit tricky to decide which tool to use. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best free content management systems so that you can easily decide which one is right for you.