While WordPress is known for making content management rather simple, the depth of this CMS is surprisingly vast. There are multiple facets to discover, but you can learn about them on an as-needed basis.
For example, if you’re goal is to just input and edit content, you probably won’t need to learn about theme development. And theme developers don’t necessarily need to know much about writing plugins.
We’ve compiled a collection of cheatsheets and reference guides to help you along your journey with WordPress. They should come in handy – regardless of how you use the software.
Introduction to WordPress
Looking to learn some of the basics? This is a great place to start! Here are some resources aimed at those who have little-to-no experience with WordPress.
What Exactly is WordPress? (Speckyboy) | View |
A Beginner’s Guide To Creating A WordPress Website (Smashing Magazine) | View |
How to Start a WordPress Blog (Step by Step) (WPBeginner) | View |
Intro to WordPress (WP101) | View |
WordPress For Dummies Cheat Sheet (Dummies) | View |
WordPress Theme Development
Theme development with WordPress is quite flexible. You are able to create a style all your own while taking advantage of powerful built-in functionality.
The WordPress Mega Cheat Sheet (Make a Website Hub) | View |
WordPress Developer Super Cheat Sheet (WPMU DEV) | View |
WordPress Function Reference (WordPress Codex) | View |
WordPress Functions Cheat sheet: The Quick & Handy Guide for Developers (TemplateToaster) | View |
WordPress Action Listing (hookr.io) | View |
WordPress Filter Listing (hookr.io) | View |
WordPress Hook Listing (hookr.io) | View |
Supercharge WordPress Theme Development (Speckyboy) | View |
WordPress Plugin Development
Whether you want to add functionality to your own site or share it with the world, building a WordPress plugin is a great way to get it done.
Beginner’s Guide To WordPress Plugin Development (Hongkiat) | View |
How to Build a WordPress Plugin (Scotch) | View |
How To Create A WordPress Plugin (Elegant Themes) | View |
Plugin API (WordPress Codex) | View |
The WordPress Plugin Boilerplate (Devin Vinson) | View |
WordPress Plugin Boilerplate Generator (wppb.me) | View |
WordPress Plugin Development for Beginners (SitePoint) | View |
WordPress Plugin Development – Best Practices (WooNinjas) | View |
Writing a Plugin (WordPress Codex) | View |
Advanced WordPress
Below are guides to topics that go beyond traditional themes and plugins.
REST API
How to Use the WordPress REST API (WPMU DEV) | View |
Introducing the WP REST API (Envato Tuts+) | View |
REST API Handbook (WordPress Developer Resources) | View |
WordPress Rest API Basics (Kinsta) | View |
WordPress REST API: The Next Generation CMS Feature (Toptal) | View |
Security
Hardening WordPress (WordPress Codex) | View |
10 Plugins to Secure Your WordPress Website (Speckyboy) | View |
10 Free WordPress Backup Solutions (Speckyboy) | View |
Sucuri WordPress Security (Sucuri) | View |
Wordfence Blog (Wordfence) | View |
WordPress Security in a Few Easy Steps (Yoast) | View |
WordPress Security: The Ultimate Guide (WPMU DEV) | View |
SEO/Marketing/Promotion
An In-depth Guide to Using WordPress SEO by Yoast (TORQUE) | View |
Guide to Content Marketing in WordPress (CreativeMinds) | View |
The Definitive Guide to Higher Rankings for WordPress Sites (Yoast) | View |
Ultimate WordPress SEO Guide for Beginners (Step by Step) (WPBeginner) | View |