How to become a WordPress developer?
This is one of the most asked questions by the students and professionals wanting to become a WP developer.
But, there is no easy way to answer this.
Reason? The role of a WordPress developer requires coding skills, communication, and an understanding of the entire CMS (content management system). This article will discuss a WordPress developer’s responsibilities and the languages commonly used to build websites.
Once you understand the responsibilities of a WordPress developer, you can begin to learn the languages and the various technologies involved in creating a website. So, shall we begin?
What Is WordPress? What Are CMS Systems?
CMS, or content management system, is a programming language that makes websites easy to manage and maintain. There are several popular CMS platforms today, but WordPress is by far the most popular.
In fact, WordPress powers 39.5% of all websites on the Internet. It is free, easy to use, and highly customizable. If you are considering using a CMS for your website, WordPress is definitely worth a look.
Content management systems allow users to manage, organize, and publish digital content without needing technical expertise. They are easy-to-use frameworks for editing and publishing content.
These systems translate offline content for an online environment, format it for users, and provide a venue for distributing content. A CMS also allows you to create, edit, and publish content without coding experience.
CMS systems are generally good if you want to manage your website’s content. While CMS systems are useful for various purposes, they can also be vulnerable to security issues.
While some CMS systems have been proven to be secure, others are not. You should know the security risks associated with CMS systems before using them.
WordPress is an excellent choice for websites that sell products or services online. Many businesses today benefit from having a website and a web presence.
It makes selling products or services easy and allows customers to contact business owners. Furthermore, a website can easily sell event tickets.
There’s a Great Scope!
- As you checked the stats, more than one-third of the websites today depend on WordPress. On top of that, there’s no other CMS even close to WordPress in terms of competition.
- WordPress is thriving day by day, and this is making WordPress a great choice.
- Most people believe in choosing WordPress over anything else, so the chances of getting clients are also very high.
- The salary payout is also decent for WordPress developers.
- As WordPress is a vast subject from a developer’s perspective, you’ll keep learning throughout your career.
Basic Requirements to Become a WordPress Developer
If you’d like to become a WordPress developer, you’ll need a solid grasp of coding. The WordPress scripting language, PHP, is essential for the back-end work that powers your website.
HTML determines the appearance of your web pages, CSS provides styling, and JavaScript creates interactive elements. The Gutenberg Editor was developed using React, another important language for WordPress developers.
It’s also helpful to have knowledge of popular development tools like Bitbucket, Git, and Jira. The next language to learn to become a WordPress developer is PHP.
This is the back-end scripting language of WordPress and is used by over 77% of websites. You’ll also need knowledge of JavaScript, the most popular programming language used by developers across the world.
PHP also helps developers create dynamic functionalities. It is essential to learn PHP, but you can learn other programming languages as you develop.
While WordPress is extremely user-friendly, custom plugins require computer programming knowledge.
A WordPress developer must have solid PHP skills and be able to create custom plugins for WordPress. He or she will need to be knowledgeable in both UI and UX design. This is vital for accessibility.
He or she will need to understand how to make a website accessible to everyone. In addition to having a strong understanding of PHP, you’ll also need excellent web design and digital marketing skills.
Where Do WordPress Developers Work?
Honestly, a WordPress developer is a great fit in many places!
A WordPress developer may work for a firm or be a freelancer. For those looking for freelance opportunities, various job-seeking websites exist.
These sites connect WordPress developers with potential clients, for instance, Codeable.io and WordPress Jobs. There are other options for you if you want to become a WordPress developer but aren’t keen on freelancing.
Examples of WordPress developers’ businesses are software development firms, SaaS management companies, or Digital marketing agencies.
WordPress Developer Job Outlook for the Future
Having the highest growth rate of any CMS over the past 12 years, WordPress has earned its spot in the marketplace. WordPress developers are part of the market for jobs and are also seeing rapid growth.
Based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of digital and web developer designers is predicted to grow by 13 percent between 2020 and 2030. This is the average number of job opportunities each year.
How to Find WordPress Developer Jobs?
What Exactly Does a WordPress Developer Do?
The typical responsibilities of a WordPress developer are:
- Writing, testing, deploying and debugging codes.
- Converting the client’s requirements into technical specifications.
- The development and design of new functions and features.
- Implementing and maintaining the design of the website.
How Much Can a WordPress Developer Earn?
The salary for a WordPress developer varies greatly depending on their experience, skill set, and experience. It varies between freelancers and direct employers.
In June 2022, Glassdoor stated that the average WordPress developer’s salary is $64,245 annually. Additional pay like profits and commissions are estimated to be $23,504 annually.
When you combine the median salary and the average additional salary, the total salary of WordPress designers is up to $87,749 annually.
Responsibilities of a WordPress Developer
The first responsibility of a WordPress developer is to learn the CMS (content management system) that WordPress uses. WordPress is a CMS that offers a user-friendly interface.
An average person can create a professional-looking website with the help of WordPress. However, WordPress is also an application framework and requires specialized knowledge of the WordPress development platform.
The job description for a WordPress developer is not difficult to guess. They must understand web development concepts and design to create beautiful websites.
- They must master four main programming languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP. They should also be fluent in a text editor.
- A WordPress developer must know how to apply SEO techniques to a site to increase its traffic. The best developer should have experience in both areas.
- WordPress developers are responsible for designing and implementing websites with the CMS. While you are not likely to have the time to learn every aspect of web development, they will have enough experience to troubleshoot and implement changes to a website.
- They must have the skills to expand functionality and customize the design with plugins. Although there are many free themes and designs for WordPress, some may not suit your needs. It’s important to be open to customizing the site’s design if that’s the case. Large businesses, for example, may have specific requirements and want them to look more professional.
- WordPress developers build websites for clients. They take the user’s requirements and create an architecture and design that is appealing to the user. They will also test the website to make sure it performs properly.
- WordPress developers also perform front-end tasks such as writing code that enables the website to be optimized for search engines.
- WordPress developers contribute to developing core software, creating themes, and working with stakeholders and project teams.
Become a WordPress Developer
Step 1: Learn the Intricacies of Coding
There is usually confusion over codes and WordPress. Many people believe it’s a well-known CMS because it lets you build and design websites without needing to learn code. This is a valid assumption.
But, to become the best WordPress developer, you will need to understand the basics of programming and write it.
Being aware and knowledgeable regarding HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and PHP will be crucial for debugging and working with the platform and developing the themes or plugins.
Because WordPress relies on PHP, it is essential to master the code thoroughly. Knowing the fundamentals of other languages can also be helpful. Remember that the more you are educated, the more WordPress specialist you’ll be.
Step 2: Acquire the Necessary Abilities
WordPress is very popular, largely because it only requires minimal technical expertise. However, professional WordPress developers need to have web development and design abilities.
Below is a list of a handful of the essential areas for an experienced WordPress web developer who wants to be proficient.
Languages for programming. As a WordPress developer, there are majorly four main languages that you must master.
- The first step is to use Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), which allows you to organize a website by organizing content into sidebars, headers, and footers.
- Cascading style sheets (CSS) let you add stylistic elements such as border thickness, text color, and alignment of images to the HTML design.
- PHP hypertext preprocessor (PHP) is the language you need to master if you want to be a WordPress developer. It is the scripting backend language used by WordPres.77.9% of the websites are written in PHP.
- JavaScript isn’t just essential for WordPress developers but is also the most well-known programming language used by developers worldwide. It is the most widely used programming language worldwide. It is extensively used for WordPress development to develop flexible functions.
You can master CSS, HTML, and JavaScript in one go when you earn a certificate from a reputable university.
The Skills to Master
Management of databases. Database management allows users to manage, store, and access relevant information. WordPress uses MySQL database management system.
Plugin development. Plugins are extensions packaged into code that improve the features and functions of WordPress. WP developers develop custom plugins based on customer specifications.
Website design and development. Because WordPress developers are heavily involved in UX and UI, they require exceptional web design and development abilities.
A WordPress developer’s role is to ensure that the website they create is user-friendly and attractive, responsive, and accessible to all users.
Digital marketing. WordPress developers typically employ SEO (search engine optimization) (SEO) along with other digital marketing methods to increase site traffic and quality.
Being familiar with the most well-known development tools can be beneficial regardless of what kind of developer you’d like to become. The most popular tools developers use worldwide include Bitbucket, Git, and Jira.
Step 3: Choose an Area to Focus On
WordPress has a lot of diverse areas you can explore. Out of the many areas of expertise for WordPress developers, we pulled out three main categories:
- Plugin Development
- Theme Development
- Core Development
It’s not hard to determine the tasks you’d be working on the most if you decided to go with the options above. The Core development will mean that you’re working on the Core, Editing, creating the core, and much more.
The theme development process is where you could choose to focus on creating distinctive WordPress themes that you could offer to other developers to build websites.
Developers of plugins are specialists in the development of all the various kinds of plugins involved in the process of making WordPress websites.
You can work on any aspect of WordPress development that you would like. But the focus on one specific area can help you get more advanced.
Step 4: Get in Touch With the WordPress Community
As you can imagine, WordPress is a huge community. The WordPress community is vast. There are many ways to connect with it and explore it.
You can use message boards, forums, and blogs and join communities through software programs such as Slack.
Going out and being involved is crucial since the more information you can access and participate in, the more you’ll be educated over time.
Get in touch with various WordPress users involved in all WordPress-related activities.
Participating in these activities helps get your name known and gives you the chance to understand and learn about what other people are doing and discussing.
Step 5: Build a Portfolio
You should begin building your portfolio. Portfolios are essential for any person involved in graphic work, such as graphic design or development.
They allow you to display to the world what work you’re involved in, what tasks you’ve completed, and the kinds of final products you’ve created.
Your portfolio may comprise expertise, projects, and development information, including personal information and any other information you think would be relevant to potential clients.
You could also post your work on a website or use it to look at the latest jobs from freelance sites such as upwork.com.
What Are the Possible Similar Roles?
WordPress developers include web designers that are experts in WordPress infrastructure and technology. Many jobs exist which are comparable to WordPress developers. A few examples of these tasks are:
- Software developers: Like web developers, software developers are programmers in addition to the web, these developers design computer software, and programs.
- User experience (UX) designers: UX design is the method of coordinating the interaction between users and websites or various software applications. UX developers are programmers who concentrate on the UX of a site or app.
- Full-stack developers: A programmer (irrespective of their specialization) is a full-stack developer in case he/she can develop an adequate product by themselves. Full-stack developers can spot mistakes between the front and back end and then fix these issues through both disciplines.
- UI developers: UI developers mix creativity and technical abilities to create the visual elements of a site or an application.
FAQ
What Educational Background Is a WordPress Developer Supposed to Have?
WordPress developers have diverse educational backgrounds, from high school diplomas to a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science.
While higher education may enhance your skills, it is not the only requirement. The best developers know how to combine coding knowledge with business sense and an understanding of best practices.
Is Being a WordPress Developer a Good Career Option for You?
Today, it’s a fantastic option to study WordPress development and become the best in this area. Assisting and developing WordPress is an attractive and lucrative career option. People with experience in coding have numerous options.
Is Investing Time to Learn WordPress Worthwhile in 2022?
WordPress is definitely worth learning by 2022.. Actually, WordPress is more popular than ever before! In January 2022, WordPress had a presence on almost 40% of all websites that are accessible on the internet. It’s also increased by 5percent since the same time last year.
What’s the Importance of PHP in WordPress Development?
WordPress uses various popular programming languages to develop a website. PHP is a server-side language that promotes the creation of dynamic web pages and is the foundation of many popular platforms and applications.
PHP is a highly sought-after skill for software developers, so learning it is a smart choice. It is also easy to learn and suitable for beginners and small businesses. Then again, once you have acquired some experience with it, you’ll be on your way to a great career!
What’s the Importance of HTML in WordPress Development?
HTML is the language of choice for developing the front end of a WordPress page. It defines the content of a website and the appearance of its pages.
CSS is a more flexible language for creating complex web applications, and a talented developer can manipulate CSS code to control the look and feel of any page.
HTML and CSS make up the front end of a WordPress webpage, but it still needs additional code for functionality. If you have experience with HTML, you should be able to learn the new language, as well.
Conclusion
The process of becoming a WordPress developer might seem impossible initially. But when you’ve set out a course and know the steps you need to follow, the process is not as daunting as you believed.
Many things must be learned in your quest to become a WordPress developer. Be patient, get lost in the WordPress world, and get the most you can from the people who have already become developers.
In a matter of days (and sometimes hours), you’ll be creating WordPress themes and plug-ins that others can take advantage of and use.
Have a great time on your journey.