How Do I Become a WordPress Developer?

How do i become a WordPress developer? This article explains how you can become one and lists all the possible ways to become a WP developer.

WordPress is a free and popular content management system online. WordPress can include developing a website for forums, e-commerce stores, mailing lists, media galleries and has millions of WebPages which are primarily using WordPress as a blogging platform.

WordPress is an open-source content management system and the unique thing about it is that even people with basic developing skills can create a website easily. WordPress allows and assist them in uploading themes, configuring the WordPress site, and adding plugins to create their website.

There are millions of developers who use WordPress every day for different projects and making it a massive content management system. If one has computer programming and software development skills which are essential for customization then WordPress is an incredibly user-friendly system.

become a WordPress developer

But if one does not have the adequate skill then there comes a demand of a WordPress developer.

WordPress Developers

WordPress development
An adequate understanding of programming languages and the ability to work with JavaScript, CSS, GIT, HTML, SQL, and others make an individual be recognized as a WordPress developer. These developers can also make modules for WordPress along with custom plugins.

To become a WordPress developer one requires an in-depth understanding of WordPress Core, vast knowledge of WordPress products, and good PHP skills which are essential to make sure that plugins and themes work together cohesively.

Types of WordPress developers

WordPress developer is a broad term and includes many segments of website development. There are multiple sections of a website that are functioning together and hence different types of developers with an upper hand in respective sections work together.

  • Plugin Developer

    Applications that enhance and add functionality to a WordPress site are plugins. WordPress plugins for a website are developed by Plugin developers.

  • Core Developer

    Developers that work and configure the WordPress core software are designated as Core Developers. These developers make a set of changes by coding or modifying the WordPress core which is then reflected in the entire website.

  • Theme Developer

    Themes are the apparels for any website and the developers that create themes are Theme Developers. Users are allowed to customize their WordPress website with style, colors, layout, feel, specific look & alignment, and patterns of all their WordPress pages and posts through themes.

Why become a developer?

WordPress developer
No plugins or themes would exist, update, or modify unless there is a WordPress developer. If coding fascinates you and you have the potential to learn, adapt, and understand the customization process of a website only then opt to become a WordPress developer.

Because unless you love the process of being in a WordPress platform and seeing things come to life from your visualization you will not succeed.

Aesthetically pleasing and functional WordPress websites are not miracles that have occurred overnight. It is the dedication of time and energy in various technical aspects of WordPress by the developers.

Millions of websites are already live on WordPress and many more being launched each passing day making room for fresh developers to step in and conquer the growing market.

Even the salary of WordPress developers are fascinating and competitive because no company want to lose a gem that is experienced and technical sound at what he/she intends to do.

Micro and small organizations require websites to survive in this competitive market which has created tremendous opportunities for freelance WordPress developers. Freelancing helps individuals setting up their schedule and accepting the type of work they can easily do without relocating.

When there is a considerable amount of money and freedom of work one should aspire to become a WordPress developer by learning necessary skills.

Opportunities for WordPress developers

developer opportunity
People’s life today is gravitating towards internet and new startups are popping up each day creating opportunities for developers to create and update websites. Plugins, themes, and core functionalities are updated constantly to enable users a world-class experience.

For every single task, there is an opportunity for a developer. All that is required is a relevant skill set and the dedication for work.

What it takes to become a WordPress developer?

The common and usually the most obstructive question that people are stuck with is where to start form? Approximately eight million websites are live on the WordPress platforms and the number is increasing constantly. People who already own a WordPress site are also looking for developers to modify, customize, and maintain their website.

In total there are six simple steps which are to be followed along with learning the fundamentals and applying those skills to become a WordPress developer. You should also be prepared to face the challenges in your selected section of developing. We recommend joining the WordPress community forums for more help and advice.

  • Skills

    To ensure that you have an unlimited potential on the content management platform you need to master the fundamental of WordPress. Aspiring WordPress developers can accomplish this by learning MYSQL, CSS, PHP, HTML, and others. Knowing at least one of these programming languages in and out is mandatory to become a WordPress developer.

  • Understanding the Platform

    There are dozens of WordPress courses online amongst which many are free of cost and can be taken up at any time from any corner of the world. Such courses include procedures of customizing and uploading plugins and themes. They also teach you about small and big technicalities of working on the platform.

    It is mandatory to know about how different sections of WordPress are correlated with each other so that you have an exact idea about the impact of your actions.

  • Deciding your area of development

    It is necessary to decide your area of development so that you can take adequate steps on becoming an advanced level developer in that area. Every website project will demand best and advanced developers and you will have to toil hard to prove your mettle.

    WordPress is a versatile platform because development includes a lot of technical knowledge. We highly recommend not being an average all-rounder developer but being an advanced WordPress developer for a specific area.

    It will be convenient for you to tackle various odds for a particular section rather than messing up an entire WordPress website.

  • Tackling Challenges

    To become a WordPress developer you must be always ready to face challenges because it is always tricky to work with software. In almost every instance you are bound to face situations where the display and functionality of the webpage are at stake.

    Such issues will lead to a major system crash, website downtime, and even bugs in the coding structure. By keeping in mind the security cover you must learn to tackle such issues and methods to easily resolve them.

    A lapse in security cover leads to the hacking of website and data theft which is amongst the major concerns of a website developer. For every situation, there are preventive measures but they should be well executed. The importance of backing up data must be realized and practised to avoid data loss situations.

  • Establishing a suitable environment

    Practising is the most preferred option for achieving suitable results. And it is only through practice that one will end up gaining suitable experience. All the learned techniques relating to plugin and themes must be tested to achieve desired results.

    Applying learned knowledge without experience on live websites can lead to bad outputs. Hence a controlled environment must be created to achieve specific results.

  • WordPress Community

    You must not miss out on the most important part of connecting with the WordPress community. It is super important and helps in achieving the desired results.

    Millions of WordPress websites are designed, created, and launched by millions of developers around the world and connecting with them to resolve technical queries of your project is the best help you can ever get. The community provides all possible supports and also keeps one updated on technological advancements of the platform.

    It is one of its kinds of networking opportunity where everyone is a winner. Hence it is inevitable for you to join a WordPress community to become a WordPress developer.

The six simple steps listed above are mandatory for your transition from an aspiring WordPress developer to an advanced WordPress developer.

The user-friendly content management system WordPress requires developers to achieve success. Unless there are individuals who dedicatedly develop websites, use and create themes & plugins the platform cannot unleash its true potential to the world.

You will either create themes and plugins or use themes and plugins created by a developer. In any manner, you will contribute to the upliftment of the platform which will also end up being beneficial to you as a career option.

Programming Language and software development are an acquired skill that people learn. Some learn it in the college becoming engineers while many others learn it online from the internet. All you need is sufficient practices and a safe environment to apply those skills.

Choose your path of becoming a developer and depending upon that learn the required skills. The internet today is an open forum to explore and there is no deficiency of work for skilled developers.

About Sonnal S Sinha

Sonnal S SinhaSonnal S Sinha is a passionate writer as well as WordPress and WooCommerce rockstar who loves to share insights on various topics through his engaging blog posts. He runs a successful website design and digital marketing company. With 15+ years of experience in WordPress theme development, he strives to inform and inspire readers with his thought-provoking content. He helps thousands of small and medium businesses and startups create a unique online presence. Follow Sonnal S Sinha for your regular dose of knowledge and inspiration.

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