Since its conception, WordPress has ruled the digital world. As a preferred CMS, WordPress has a market share of roughly 64.8 percent, which is more than any other system, including Drupal and Joomla. So, if you want to be successful in the domain, you need to have WordPress development abilities before joining.
According to a survey done by W3Techs, WordPress currently powers about 400 million websites.
Users may edit or alter their websites without having any technical skills, which is one of the main reasons for WordPress’s rising popularity.
Through WordPress themes and customized plugins, WordPress has expanded its reach into eCommerce solutions, ERP systems, and website analytics solutions. To get the most out of this flourishing platform, website owners must engage WordPress experts. Developers, on the other hand, should master some of the best talents in order to fulfill the different needs and ever-changing issues that website owners or WordPress users face.
Let’s look at each one thoroughly.
Table of Contents
Top WordPress Developer Skills You Should Master In 2021
1. PHP Or Hypertext Preprocessor
It’s the most used server-side scripting language for creating websites all around the globe. The PHP programming language is used on about 78 percent of websites, according to data. PHP is a fantastic option for WordPress. This is because PHP designed with website requirements in mind. PHP is mostly used for website development, however, it has lately evolved into a general-purpose language. Web development is one of the uses of Ruby or Python, which are general-purpose programming languages designed with various applications in mind.
PHP can easily manage content and interact with the database while controlling plugins, third-party integrations, and other features. One of the most significant WordPress developer talents is a good understanding of PHP since it allows you to enable basic functionality on your client’s website. With the aid of PHP, you can quickly pick and apply any theme. In other words, PHP is responsible for the WordPress website’s backend. When it comes to changing the theme, though, you’ll need to be familiar with HTML and CSS.
2. HTML & CSS
HTML and CSS are essential skills for web developers. The backbone or foundation of the website is one thing, while the paint or design of the website is another. Even if you’re only interested in web programming, you’ve probably learned the basics of HTML and CSS. HTML is a markup language that allows all of the material on a webpage to displaye. It takes 15 to 25 days to become an HTML expert if you spend 7 hours a day on it. You may learn HTML by watching videos on YouTube or using other internet resources. For front-end developers, this is the most important talent.
To become a skilled WordPress developer, you’ll need to learn CSS or Cascading Style Sheets. CSS governs the appearance of all design components and other web-related elements on a webpage. It is required for WordPress developers to learn and takes up to 25 days at a rate of 7 hours each day.
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3. JavaScript
You’ll need JavaScript if you want your theme or plugin to be interactive. JavaScript, often known as a client-side scripting language, is one of the most widely used computer languages. It’s also the most crucial WordPress developer capability. Apart from this language, you should be familiar with one or two JS libraries and frameworks, such as Angular and Vue.JS.Learning JavaScript takes at least two to three months, while learning libraries and frameworks might take another two to three months.
4. Photoshop Basics
PSD files may be converted to HTML using Photoshop. The PSD file is converted using Photoshop’s Move tool. Furthermore, as a WordPress site developer, you must be familiar with Photoshop features such as auto select, photo trimming, and layer options. There are YouTube lessons available to help you understand Photoshop and how to use it for web building. In the year 2021, knowing Photoshop is an essential WordPress developer ability to have.
5. BootStrap And MySQL
A successful WordPress website relies heavily on coding. However, creating each website from the ground up takes a long time, and you may go behind schedule. As a result, you’ll need to know how to utilize Bootstrap, a framework that offers a set of common HTML components including the Navigation Bar, Breadcrumbs, Forms, Modals, and Carousel, among others. All of these components are now ready to use, and the code can be easily copied and pasted. However, just minor changes may be required to efficiently fulfill the client’s demands. W3.css is a WordPress developer’s alternative to Bootstrap.
MySQL is a database, as you may know. With a little MySQL know-how, you may establish yourself as a renowned WordPress backend developer. It’s preferable if you can configure the MySQL database and troubleshoot PHP and MySQL issues. Every senior WordPress developer should have a thorough understanding of MySQL, including how to alter it and what limits it has.
Learning RESTful APIs is another required skill. It can assist you with the creation of a black box for your website. This black box allows the website to connect with other websites. Many more goals of modern web development may be met using RESTful design. The RESTful design allows developers to quickly integrate numerous third-party services.
Apart from technical abilities, developers must also possess fundamental business skills in order to stay ahead of the competition.
6. Business Skills
You must have a sufficient understanding of market trends and industry needs to work as a WordPress developer. What if you spend a lot of time and work developing a website that fails to attract visitors? Some insights and the development of a hacking mindset are always beneficial to success. “How can I solve the client’s problems with a website?” you should ask yourself. “How can I use a website to help the client solve their problems?” and “How can I use a website to help the client solve their problems?” What more ways can I improve the current website?
Developers can shine and earn a nice hourly rate if they create a website that properly satisfies the client’s expectations. They can earn a senior position as a team leader in developing all of these talents if they work for a WordPress development firm.
7. Use Github And Bitbucket
You have a growth hacking perspective as a WordPress developer. True! You’ll have to think outside the box to do this. Let me give you an example: writing code from scratch is not always practical. You may save your projects in the form of snippets, for example. After that, you may use this ready-made code for another project to improve your speed.
You may also learn about internet services like Github and Bitbucket. You won’t lose your work progress if you use these tools, and you’ll be able to store them properly. Moreover, Millions of developers and businesses is using github to create, ship, and manage their software. It is the world’s most advanced and biggest development. Bitbucket, on the other hand, is more like a Git repository. Bitbucket, on the other hand, is more like a Git repository. It uses code review to create high-quality software.
8. SEO Knowledge
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a method of enhancing website traffic through natural search results. It is always beneficial for any website to reach out to more people. There are a number of elements that influence a website’s search engine ranking, including site content and the creation of a distinctive and relevant web page title with a suitable meta description.
9. Command Line Tools
The WP-CLI is a powerful tool for running WordPress commands from the console. It gives you a command-line interface for a lot of the things you can do in the WordPress admin. To search across folders, you don’t need to log into WordPress or use Filezilla. You must enter a command into the command line. For example, on the comment line, type wp plugin install –activate, which allows you to install and activate plugins on your website.
As a WordPress developer, you must build a workflow that is as efficient as feasible. You’ll never want to go back after you’ve learned how to utilize WP-CLI. More information may be found in the installation instructions.
10. Version Control
Version control is a mechanism for keeping track of every change you make in your project, as well as additional details like when the changes were made and who made them. With a simple click, you may easily return to the version before the alterations. You won’t have to seek for and change the code because the tools will take care of it.
In web development projects, version management is a critical step. There are current solutions, such as VersionPress and Gitium, that make integrating Git Version Control into WordPress deployments quite simple.
As a developer, you’re expected to complete projects quickly, so you’ll need to make the most of every minute you have. Most development teams do this with Git, which includes all of the tools you’ll need to make the development process more enjoyable. It’s lightweight, adaptable, open-source, and simple to use.
11. Build Tools
Web development takes a long time; even simple operations like code compilation and optimization take a long time. As a result, provide technologies that allow you to bypass these time-consuming chores and focus on more vital responsibilities.
The rising knowledge among business owners is another reason why you should learn to use construction tools. People are seeking experts with project management skills and experience so that the development project doesn’t take an eternity and the quality remains consistent.
Learn to use build tools like CodeKit, which is perhaps one of the finest. It facilitates code compression, optimization, and compilation.
It is compatible with all browsers and mobile devices. And also works with npm and lets you import commonly used front-end frameworks.
Gulp and Grunt are JavaScript Task Runners that automate common tasks. But don’t mistake them for merely working with JS; they’re also capable of working with other languages, making them adaptable.
12. Gutenberg Block Building
Custom blocks are one of the most typical requests for WordPress developers. It’s undoubtedly a talent you’ll require in the future. Other platforms will soon use custom-made blocks.
Gutenberg may be used to create ReactJS websites. It was impossible before Gutenberg. Gutenberg is a powerful tool that uses in any aspect of WordPress development. Block plugins, theme development, and template integration are all options for plugin creators. This is undoubtedly a talent that will set you apart from the competition.
13. Web Frameworks
WordPress requires you to write code from scratch. Web frameworks may be used to speed up the web development process. You can develop websites that are both high-performing and code-free. The frameworks HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP are all extremely compatible. Bootstrap, React, Laravel, Foundation, Semantic UI, and UIKit are some of the front-end frameworks you may employ.
As previously stated, Gutenberg blocks are based on React, making JavaScript more vital than ever. There were frameworks that could be used to quickly create WordPress themes. Genesis Framework, Thesis, Cherry Framework, Divi, Gantry, and Headway are web frameworks that give you a foundation to build on and templates that you can reuse. These tools will enable you to express your creativity and experiment with various integrations.
14. Time Management
Time management is essential. Nobody wants a developer who has no sense of time and will cause the project to delay excessively. If you’re a freelancer or have recently started working from home, it’s critical to improve your communication and time management abilities.
You can utilize apps like RescueTime to manage your time and enhance your communication using Slack, Trello, and Focusmate. These tools have proven to be effective in increasing productivity and decision-making, resulting in speedier development.
What Is the Process of Developing a WordPress Website?
If you want to create a basic WordPress website but don’t have much technical knowledge or coding experience, you may follow the instructions below with ease:
- Decide a website theme.
- Choose a name that is both hip and striking.
- Choose the correct theme from the WordPress theme store.
- Make sub-pages for your website.
- Add content
You’ll be astonished to learn that a simple WordPress website with basic functionality can be up and running in about 15 minutes!
Making a user-friendly, competitive, and feature-rich website continues to be a challenge.
Conclusion
Technology advances at a quick pace, and WordPress application development adapts to keep up. You should always learn new things as a WordPress site developer and stay up to speed on the newest upgrades. There are a plethora of free and paid WordPress tutorials available online, and you can quickly master any new method. After acquiring new skills and staying current, you may become a growth hacker. The thriving WordPress community can help you resolve any queries.
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