It has been about 3 years or so ago I first read a tutorial on WordPress web development. Since then I have learned a lot about WordPress, found new ways to do things, discovered easier shortcuts that makes development easier and faster, and developed my own premium plugins.
WordPress Development at a higher level
It all starts with understanding the templating structure and template tags used by WordPress. Instead of just building the best front-end for a WordPress website I started to find a deeper meaning in this development. That is a better end-user-experience (UX).
WordPress platform itself is not a full-fetched CMS, but you can make it to be. When I first started this game, I used ton of plugins to achieve this CMS capabilities. Plugins that clogged up so much bandwidth for uncountable number of database queries. Plugins that had redundant codes, half of which I needed for the matter at hand. And that is when I started to dive deep into the WordPress coding system to develop my own custom codes that allowed me to achieve the full CMS capabilities in WordPress without using plugins. Resulting in cleaner code that loads faster.
I started creating WordPress websites with custom themes that uses selective codes in functions.php file that enabled these CMS features. With overall intention of making a better user experience for the end user – my clients. WordPress itself offers a great User-Experience. But its the small things I add with my custom codes that makes it even better. For example, Overall website options page that can change general settings for a website or neatly arranged custom meta fields with styles that makes it look not so awful.
Adventures of WordPress Plugin Development
After I have been developing WordPress custom themes with better customization and end-user-experience, I started to wonder how difficult could it be to develop a plugin that uses the same codes. And I knew I could make better plugins than what is out there.
As you know my first plugin Furnine Under-construction Timer was a result of my WordPress plugin developments. (Which BTW, has received 5/5 stars in envato marketplace) Soon after, I released 2 other plugins. All of which can be purchased today at envato marketplace where I put them up for sale. Below is an image of how they are doing right now. (Most recent plugin first)
What’s next with WordPress
WordPress itself has evolved greatly overtime with an ever growing community behind it and the things you can do with this platform has become endless. As for me, I always enjoy when a new client comes to me with an interesting concept for a business that need a solid web platform. Majority of which will be with WordPress if not a custom built system. When it’s WordPress, I love the challenges posed by WordPress – to do something that I have never done before, and to make my clients’ vision come true.
