For the majority of organizations today, websites are hugely valuable assets. So, to successfully manage a WordPress site, they need highly skilled experts. The ease of setting up and editing, user-friendliness, and free websites are the main factors why WordPress is so popular among website owners.
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It is so because WordPress covers a wide range of topics, from site upkeep to marketing and optimization. To take full advantage of this popular platform, website owners must work with WordPress experts.
It’s critical to comprehend the most important skills for a WordPress developer whether you are looking for your next hiring or just wish to advance as a technical recruiter.
So, here, in this article, we will go through all the necessary skills in WordPress developer that you should look for before choosing the right one.
Skills You Should Look For In A WordPress Developer
To fulfill the many needs and dynamic problems of website owners or WordPress users, developers should acquire some of the top abilities. A professional developer must have a working knowledge of WordPress and the ability to create one and make changes to obtain any desired design for the client.
Here are some of the top skills you should seek in a WordPress developer.
Programming Skills
Basic and high-level programming skills are essential for a WordPress developer. Some of the programming skills in WordPress developer are as follows.
HTML
Perhaps the absolute minimal competency required for WordPress is HTML. HTML, short for Hypertext Markup Language, describes the layout of a WordPress website. It is a fundamental language for web development in general. So, proficiency in it ensures knowledge of the structure of a web page.
Anyone may use the user-friendly cPanel interface to download and install a WordPress configuration. However, the developer must know HTML elements and codes to make modifications.
Knowing HTML is a necessary ability because it provides developers control over their work. In addition, it offers a systematic method for designing web pages.
CSS
Cascading Style Sheets, or CSS, are another pillar of web content. It determines your website’s aesthetic appeal and describes how a WordPress website looks visually. Thus, your WordPress developer must have proficiency in it as well.
If your web developer lacks the necessary CSS knowledge, it might affect your website’s design. Therefore, it’s more important for front-end web developers to comprehend it. However, if you work on the back end, it’s less important.
JavaScript
JavaScript is becoming more and more prevalent on the WordPress platform and throughout the Internet. It manages the interactive components of a webpage. Knowledge of JavaScript shows how adept the developer is with WordPress.
It provides them with far more control over the website’s front end. It also enables them to add advanced functionality, animations, and many other features.
This language excels in front-end development and works well with HTML and CSS. Developers mostly use it as the basic building block of web applications for adding dynamic interactive behavior. Back-end development can also use many of the frameworks and libraries of JavaScript.
PHP
The language PHP is particularly suitable for web development. It is used to build WordPress and other well-known systems. In addition, PHP is a crucial component of a web application because it enables developers to link the user interface and database components.
PHP highlights the developer’s technical knowledge of WordPress. It is the back-end backbone of the platform and the modern web. It is easy enough to learn for someone with no prior development experience, but it also has a lot to offer an experienced expert.
MySQL
Structured Query Language or SQL handles database connectivity for web applications. A backend developer must comprehend this fundamental idea. MySQL is a database that only highly skilled WordPress backend developers have a working grasp of MySQL.
It is preferable if the developer can modify the MySQL database and address compatibility issues between PHP and MySQL. Any professional WordPress developer must have a fundamental understanding of MySQL. They should know how to alter it and the limits of using it.
WordPress Platform
The creation of a WordPress website involves more than merely installing and activating plugins and themes. A developer must know how to create a website from scratch utilizing tools like WordPress themes and plugins. This way, they can provide attractive and individualized solutions for clients.
Sometimes a plugin’s built-in functionality won’t work for a particular company’s needs. So, the developer will need to know how to modify the plugin. Your WordPress developer must have the ability to code to make the adjustments required to get the desired result.
Business Skills
A developer must possess a sufficient understanding of market trends and industry standards to work as a WordPress developer. To excel, some understandings and development of the hack mindset are usually beneficial.
In addition, they must have the ability to address problems and further enhance the current website. Therefore, you need to look for the following business skills in WordPress developer.
SEO
SEO (search engine optimization) is regarded as one of the most effective but inexpensive channels to increase relevant traffic. Therefore, you should seek developers who are familiar with SEO best practices.
To maximize a website’s exposure on search engines, the developer must know how web crawlers, indexing, meta tags, and sitemaps operate. With SEO, you can rest assured that your company will stand out in a sea of rival websites and businesses.
Make sure the developer knows about backlinks and optimizing content for SEO. The goal of creating any website is to drive visitors to it.
A well-optimized website is thought to make SEO efforts more successful. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to investigate your potential WordPress developer’s SEO expertise before employing them.
Cyber Security
Taking care of security is crucial, especially when using a well-known content management system like WordPress. Business websites are frequently the target of hackers and cybercriminals. Therefore, every WordPress developer must know the issues with online security and how to fix them.
Avoiding any possible security issues becomes easier by being aware of the top ten security threats identified by OWASP. The developer must also know how to test programs for vulnerabilities.
They should have the ability to change the standard procedure for specifying the username and admin login URL and choose the plugins with care.
Mobile Optimization
Your WordPress site has to support as many different devices as it can to provide the greatest level of accessibility. All modern WordPress themes should have a responsive design on screens of all sizes and shapes.
So, a developer must have the capability to optimize their layouts for mobile devices. Then, the developer must comprehend the responsive design and create apps using it.
Mobile-friendliness enhances the quality of the user experience, which also enhances how visitors engage with the information on your sites.
Therefore, skills in WordPress developer must include the know-how of the procedure to create a website optimized for mobile devices. Moreover, only the mobile versions of websites are now eligible for search result pages according to Google’s mobile-first indexing change.
Other Essential Skills
In addition to all the above qualities, a developer must also possess interpersonal skills. To finish a project on schedule and budget, they must regularly communicate and collaborate closely. You should seek out candidates who are receptive to new technology.
Developers must follow the latest trends in contemporary web design and know how to apply them successfully. You may immensely benefit if the developer knows about common project management tools, version control systems, and software development processes to organize and plan in the best way possible.
Winding Up
Using WordPress themes and specialized plugins, WordPress has expanded its reach into solutions for ERP, eCommerce, and website analytics.
As there are plenty of WordPress developers, it makes it simple and inexpensive to hire them. However, it’s equally crucial to evaluate both their technical and interpersonal qualities before moving further.
The key programming and markup languages used in web design, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and SQL, are some of the crucial skills in WordPress developer. This technical understanding will form the basis of any work a WordPress developer undertakes.
Hire dedicted WordPress developer faster and easier
Sonnal 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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