Exploring Theme Development

Diving In

• Plan Your Build• Development Environment• Frameworks• The Codex• WP_Query• Workflow• Deploying Your Theme• To Infinity and Beyond!

Plan Your Build

Set Your Path

• Know what you want before pen hits paper.

• Is the theme going to be for a single project or is it going to be reused?

• What can I get this theme to do?What do you want your theme to do?

• Is WordPress right for this project?

PLAN YOUR BUILD

Wireframe

• Draw it out!

• Digital VS Analog

• Not the designer? Blueprint it.

PLAN YOUR BUILD

No Page Left Behind

• Know what page types you might use.

• Public Release? Include the defaults.

PLAN YOUR BUILD

Development Environment

Physical Environment

• Code is poetry, your workspace should be too.

• Avoid distraction.

• Respect your sanity or lack thereof, take some breaks chief!

DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

Essential Tools

• Your software is your team.– Text editor– FTP Client– Image editing– Utilities

• Code Snippet Storage• Digital Color Meter• Firebug• On-screen ruler

DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

Hosting

• Mimic the anticipated deployment environment.

• Local hosting VS Remote hosting

DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

Local Filesystem Efficiency

• Organize your files!

• Become a packrat, avoid a headache.

DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

Frameworks

What Are They?

• Your almost-blank canvas.

• Benefits you ask? Frameworks are a huge time saver.

FRAMEWORKS

Options

• Build your own?

• Popular frameworks– Thematic ( themeshaper.com/thematic/ )– Sandbox ( plaintxt.org/themes/sandbox/ )– Hybrid ( themehybrid.com/themes/hybrid/ )

FRAMEWORKS

The Codex

Template Tags

• The Template Tags portion of The Codex covers tags used frequently in standard template building.

THE CODEX

Function Reference

• The Function Reference portion of The Codex covers tags that are used in the core functionality of WordPress.

THE CODEX

Theme Development Guide

• The Theme Development Guide is your bible for theme standards and best practices.

• The Theme Development guide also contains the Template File Checklist which is essential if submitting to the WP Theme Directory.

THE CODEX

Theme Unit Test

• The Theme Unit Test provides test data to check your theme against all data types.

THE CODEX

WP_Query

Make The Loop Work For You

• Don’t let default queries define your template.

WP_QUERY

Potential Uses

• Access query variables

• Modify queries

• Implement multiple loops

WP_QUERY

Workflow

• Comment your work as you go.

• Maintain clean code throughout the development process.

• Build it all then break it up.

Deploying Your Theme

• Remove unused/unnecessary code and files.

• Double, triple, quadruple check!

• Public Theme? Submit for WordPress Gallery.

To Infinity and Beyond

• Continue learning and building your skillset– Theme Options– Plugin Development– Hooks