Since WordPress is such a popular and powerful blogging platform, you might be thinking that it’s a complicated system to master. Well, it really isn’t. In fact, the true beauty of the entire WordPress structure is how the various functions that make your blog work are separated out into several discreet files.
Once you learn the basics of what’s in each file, you can easily handle your own WordPress installation, configuration, maintenance and upgrade tasks without having to pay a professional to do them for you!
What are the WordPress files and what to they do?
This page on WordPress.com provides a detailed list of all the files that you will find in your WordPress installation. Although the explanations provided are short and somewhat generic, they will give you a good overview of which WordPress files perform which functions. This will help you learn and understand which file(s) you need to edit in order to accomplish whatever task may be at hand.
Working with themes
WordPress uses ‘themes’ to dictate how your posts and pages will be displayed on the web page and interacted with by your blog’s visitors. There are tons of themes available for free as well as plenty more available for a price (premium themes). But in most cases a theme will need to be edited a bit in order to make it “your own” in terms of look, feel and functionality. This page is a great resource for learning the nuts and bolts of working with WordPress themes.
Working with Widgets and Plugins
One of the most powerful aspects of WordPress is its extensive use of widgets and plugins to add functionality and features to your WordPress blog. This page and this page go into great detail about many of the common widgets available for use in your WordPress installation. Likewise, this page is your one-stop source for most any plugin you will ever need.
Keeping up with the latest WordPress news and information
There are a number of great resources available for keeping up with what’s happening in the world of WordPress. Here are just a few of the very best:
Conclusion
With just a little reading and a moderate amount of hands-on experimentation you can become your very own “WordPress Helpdesk”. What makes WordPress such a great platform for running a successful blog is its awesome power coupled with the way all of its functions are compartmentalized into various common-sense files, widgets and plugins. Spend some time studying the resources listed above and you can easily have the best WordPress blog on the digital “block”.
About the author: Jason Gallante is a professional blogger and self-described “Extreme WordPress Afficiando”.