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WordPress Basics for Beginners

What Is WordPress?

A minimalist hand-drawn sketch-style illustration representing WordPress as a content management system (CMS), showcasing a website interface, customization options, and key features like themes, plugins, and SEO tools.

WordPress is a powerful, user-friendly platform that simplifies creating websites and blogs. It is the most popular content management system (CMS) globally, powering over 43.6% of all websites on the internet.

As an open-source platform, WordPress is free to use, modify, and distribute under the GPLv2 license. This accessibility allows users to build and manage websites without needing advanced programming knowledge. WordPress’s intuitive interface makes it easy to manage website content, enabling even non-developers to create and maintain professional websites (Kinsta, 2024).

Why WordPress?

A minimalist hand-drawn sketch-style illustration highlighting the benefits of WordPress, including ease of use, customization, SEO-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and scalability.
  • 👌 Ease of Use: No coding knowledge required; accessible to beginners.
  • 🛠️ Customizability: Thousands of themes and plugins to fit any need.
  • 🚀 SEO-Friendly: Built-in tools and plugins improve site visibility.
  • 💸 Cost-Effective: Offers free and affordable plans suitable for all budgets.
  • ⚖️ Scalable: Accommodates everything from personal blogs to large corporate websites (King, 2023).

Who Uses WordPress?

A minimalist hand-drawn sketch-style illustration representing different types of WordPress users, including bloggers, businesses, freelancers, artists, writers, and government entities.
  • 👨🏻‍💻 Bloggers: Many bloggers, including long-time users like Wil Wheaton, rely on WordPress for content creation.
  • 👨🏻‍💼 Businesses: Small businesses, nonprofits, and major corporations use WordPress for scalability and flexibility.
  • 👷🏻‍♂️ Freelancers & Artists: Showcase portfolios and sell creative work online.
  • 👩🏻‍🎨 Artists & Writers: Promote their art, music, or books with dedicated pages.
  • 👨‍⚖️ Government Entities: Secure and flexible enough for official sites like The White House.

How to use WordPress?

A minimalist hand-drawn sketch-style illustration representing different methods of installing WordPress, including one-click installation via hosting providers, cPanel autoinstallers, manual setup with FTP and database configuration, and local installation using LocalWP.

Installing WordPress is an essential first step for creating a website, and there are various methods to accomplish it based on your needs and technical expertise. Here’s a streamlined guide to get you started:

👨🏽‍🔧 Key Methods to Install WordPress

  1. ☁️ Use a Hosting Provider with Pre-Installed WordPress
    Many hosting providers, such as Hostinger, Bluehost or SiteGround, offer WordPress pre-installed, allowing users to skip manual installation and dive straight into building their site. This method is the easiest for beginners.

  2. 🎛️ Install WordPress via cPanel Autoinstallers
    cPanel is a web-based control panel that simplifies website and server management, offering tools for tasks like file management, email setup, and software installation.
    Hosting services often include cPanel, which features autoinstallers like Softaculous or Fantastico. These tools simplify the process by automating tasks like setting up databases and configuring WordPress.

    • Access cPanel and locate the WordPress autoinstaller.
    • Fill in details like your domain name, protocol (HTTP or HTTPS), and site settings.
    • Click “Install,” and the autoinstaller will set up WordPress for you.
  3. 👩🏻‍💻 Manual Installation of WordPress
    For those seeking a hands-on experience:

    • Download the WordPress files from WordPress.org and upload them to the public_html directory via an FTP client like FileZilla.
    • Create a MySQL database and user in cPanel.
    • Configure the wp-config.php file with database credentials.
    • Run the WordPress installation wizard by visiting your domain.
    • Enter site details and admin credentials to finalize the setup.
  4. 💻 Install WordPress Locally
    For testing or learning purposes, install WordPress on your local computer using tools like WAMP, XAMPP, or Local by Flywheel. This setup creates a private “localhost” environment not accessible to others (Colin, 2024).

Once WordPress is installed, you can explore themes, install plugins, and add content to customize your website .

Where to Install WordPress?

A minimalist hand-drawn sketch-style illustration representing different WordPress installation options, including local installation using LocalWP, web hosting with pre-installed WordPress, and manual setup via cPanel or FTP

Installing WordPress locally is recommended for beginners as an excellent way to familiarize yourself with its interface and functionality. It allows you to practice without risking mistakes on a live website. I highly recommend using a locally installed WordPress setup during this course to develop your skills in a risk-free environment.

I recommend LocalWP, a powerful yet user-friendly tool for setting up WordPress locally. It’s relatively new but incredibly straightforward to use, making it ideal for developers and beginners alike. Here are its key features:

🗝️⋆ Key Features of LocalWP:

  1. 🦾 Automatic WordPress Installation:
    LocalWP sets up WordPress for you with a single click, including SSL integration, so your site is ready instantly.

  2. ⚙️ Advanced Development Tools:
    Access root SSH, WP-CLI, and hot-swap PHP environments effortlessly, allowing for seamless testing and debugging.

  3. 🖥️ Local Connect:
    Push and pull sites directly with Flywheel or WP Engine, enabling a streamlined offline editing and go-live process.

  4. 🔂 MagicSync Technology:
    Intelligent differential deployment suggests which files to update and gives you control over syncing specific files.

  5. 📎 Live Links:
    Share persistent URLs for your local WordPress sites with clients and collaborators without deploying live.

  6. 🖱️ One-Click Admin Access:
    Skip managing multiple usernames and passwords—log in to your WordPress site with a single click.

  7. 🔧 Pre-Launch Tools:
    Prepare your site confidently using tools like Link Checker, Image Optimizer, and Instant Reload.

  8. ☁️ Cloud Backups:
    Safeguard your files and keep your workspace tidy with easy site backups to Google Drive or Dropbox.

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