Are you looking to become a WordPress developer? You have come across on the right page, in this article, we will discuss the process of becoming a WordPress developer.
According to a web technology survey, 42% of the web pages are powered by WordPress. Consequently, it is safe to say that WordPress is the world’s most popularly used open-sourced CMS or content management system. Millions use it for the creation of blogs, e-commerce-centric stores, and other types of sites.
The particular reason for this is that users can build their WordPress sites without any knowledge of coding! The system is highly user-friendly, allowing just about anyone to come up with a professional-looking website after only following a few steps. This gives the impression that getting WordPress jobs for beginners would be a piece of cake.
However, having a few technical difficulties still is a possibility that could happen down the road. Despite being user-friendly, computer programming skills and software development are a necessity while customizing the site. This is where a WordPress developer enters the scene.
Who is a WordPress developer?
To put it simply, a WordPress developer is a professional whose focus area remains the infrastructure and functioning ecosystem of the WordPress world. WordPress developer jobs require the ability to perform tasks that include improving its software, creating new themes and plugins or other necessities for the platform to function smoothly.
Additionally, they are sometimes required to work with clients to customize, create, and manage a site made on WordPress.
What does a WordPress developer require to do?
WordPress developers are expected to understand programming languages and have the ability to use HTML, SQL, JavaScript, CSS, GIT, etc. Using a programming language, WordPress developers can create custom plugins and modules for the platform.
As a WordPress developer, an essential requirement is to have a deep understanding of the WordPress core, extensive knowledge of WordPress products, and good PHP skills to ensure plugins and themes can work closely together.
In addition to creating these resources, you can also hire a freelance WordPress developer to create sitemaps or wireframes for possible sites, transfer existing sites to the WordPress platform, or redesign to optimize their SEO and conversion rates.
WordPress developer jobs require the developers to use various network CMS platforms and marketing automation tools through WordPress to promote branding plan and front-end development and maintenance of our digital marketing assets.
They are expected to consider the principles of user experience, accessibility, and mobile-friendly design and manage the process of creating, updating, and maintaining websites, microsites, landing pages, and marketing materials.
In addition to front-end development responsibilities, will also need to coordinate and manage hosting and uptime for sites. Read on to know if a question like “should I learn WordPress in 2021″ often lingers in your head.
Below is a brief summary and steps to get WordPress development jobs:
Step 1: Mastering coding languages
When it comes to landing WordPress jobs for beginners, it is essential to be familiar with programming languages. As previously mentioned, WordPress is a widely used CMS that doesn’t require users to code or even know how to code.
However, as a developer, understanding the basics of HTML, CSS, Javascript, and PHP is essential to troubleshooting, and debugging the platform.
- PHP: The PHS is a language that forms the basic structure of how WordPress functions. It is necessary, especially for a large amount of behind-the-scenes work.
- HTML: how a site’s web pages look in the frame of the browser is determined by this markup language.
- CSS: The colors, fonts and other styling elements are added to the content of the site using this language.
- JavaScript: This dynamic programming language is used to create interactive elements on web pages. It will also become a more critical part of WordPress because the new Gutenberg editor is built with React.
Step 2: Gain as much insight as you can on everything about WordPress
An abundance of reading materials and courses are available on the internet to give a greater insight into everything one needs to know about WordPress inside out possibly. After the preliminary study for the programming languages and their work is understood, you may start reading WordPress-specific resources to expand your knowledge base.
An endless number of courses specific to WordPress are available online. One can take up to learn skills like customizing plugins and themes and how to upload them, including the different types of plugins.
It also shows how every part of a WordPress website functions altogether. Some resources are:
- The WordPress Codex. If you haven’t done it already, this is a website you will want to be very familiar with—this cover most of the basics of building a site to the more technical aspects of WordPress.
- Know the Code: If training videos are preferred, these three different learning paths are offered on this e-learning site, one for plugin developers and two for theme developers. This program is suitable for advanced developers since you will learn how to create plugins or themes from scratch.
- Dedicated WordPress courses. Sometimes, the most optimum way to learn is to let an expert walk you through the basics. You can find free and advanced WordPress courses on general topics, development details.
Envato Tuts+: This website includes how-to tutorials and has courses on eBooks on WordPress and a lot more. This tutorial on how to use WordPress covers a wide range of topics similar to WordPress Codex but provides images and videos for visual learners.
Step 3: Start networking and choose an area to focus on
It is important to choose the developers you want to follow and gain expertise in the area. Due to the various types of WordPress developers, doing this becomes a necessity.
WordPress has one of the most significant communities in the world that is dedicated to making new connections and improving the platform. You can solve software or other website problems, improve your knowledge, and learn new skills by actively joining and participating.
Moreover, please spend some time reading successful developer blogs, participating in events (physical or virtual), following bloggers on social media, sharing your comments and thoughts on their posts, and listening to speeches.
Networking with other developers will allow you to stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends, new releases, and announcements. There are three areas that you could specialize in for doing WordPress development, namely- core development, theme development, and plug.
- Core development– The WordPress core is created and edited by Developers in this. On the official WordPress site, the software that is available for download is the WordPress core. Just about anyone can analyze and review the codes, contribute to the codes or even report security bugs and vulnerabilities despite the existence of an official WordPress core team that is headed by Matt Mullenweg. He is also the co-founder of the platform. A handbook is also available for core developers to read.
- Theme development- Developers in this field develop custom themes for individual clients or publish them through the WordPress theme directory (free or paid). The themes can also be sold through third-party websites. Theme developers also have another handbook assigned to them.
- Plugin development- In this area of development, developers have the task of creating custom plugins. They can either develop a plugin for an individual client, make it a free release on WordPress, or put it on sale in a third-party site or marketplace, similar to theme development. For plugin developers as well, there is an official handbook available.
It should, however, be kept in mind that these are only a few of the types of development opportunities available—the most popular ones, to be exact. When looking through and analyzing these different areas, try to choose the area that best suits your skills, interests, and salary range.
Step 4: Practice, practice, and practice!
There goes a saying that practice makes perfect. To be a successful WordPress developer, practicing and using all the knowledge you have gained is extremely important.
Take up various projects voluntarily at the very start of your career to build a great portfolio. Creating an environment for development is extremely necessary for a developer from any department.
Along with speeding up the entire development process, it also lends a hand in resulting in a better product. You shall be able to store all your WordPress theme and plugin files along with the WordPress core files when you set a remote or local environment up.
This will allow you to view changes in a browser and test them with immediacy. Although it looks the same as when you visit any other site on the internet, the files are actually called from your computer, not from the hosting server for your site.
However, it is also essential to know your worth. It is recommended not to work for free for a longer duration than what is necessary. Soon, with experience, you will be able to create a client base wherein you shall develop better skills, expertise, and knowledge.
On a general note, WordPress developer salary ranges from $45,000 to $150,000 per year for their work in development.
Step 5: Make an attractive portfolio and resume
Include as many abilities and skillsets as possible while giving a job application. This applies to almost any profession, but in this case, especially the WordPress development profession.
The best kind of portfolio is where you display your portfolio of development work and include multiple valuable elements that can increase your chances of being hired as a full-time employee of a company or as a freelancer. A resume is also critical while applying for a job.
A technical overview consists of several essential parts, including necessary skills, professional experience, education, and projects.
If your professional experience has little or no information available for your professional expertise because you are just starting, that’s completely fine. A lot of companies do hire employees with a clean slate.
Conclusion
Although WordPress is a very easy-to-use CMS, WordPress developers are critical to the success of WordPress. Sometimes you will add a plugin to your WordPress site, which the plugin developer creates.
You will add a theme to a WordPress site made by a theme developer. Becoming a WordPress developer requires programming and software development skills. An acquired skill that people learn is how to do programming and study its various languages.
Few people earn a college degree in computer science to become developers, while others learn all the internet skills. Additionally, we also provide easy web hosting and domain registration facilities. To know more, click here.
