How To Become A Wordpress Developer In 2022 | Self-taught Path

Introduction

In this episode, the host and guest explore different types of software engineering positions, focusing on WordPress development. They discuss what a WordPress developer does, how to become one, and what their day-to-day work looks like.

Guest Introduction

• Micah shares his experience as a self-taught WordPress developer who started by building websites for his lawn care company and martial arts studio.

• He eventually landed a job at Bluehost, an enterprise-level hosting company.

Micah's Journey to Becoming a WordPress Developer

Micah talks about how he got into coding and his journey to becoming a WordPress developer.

Building Websites for His Businesses

• Micah built a basic HTML website for his lawn care company but later wanted to create a dynamic website for his martial arts studio.

• He started working with raw PHP and MySQL before discovering WordPress through friends who ran a WordPress agency.

Learning WordPress Development

• Micah found it easy to jump into using WordPress because of its user-friendly interface.

• However, he had to adapt to working within the framework of the platform since he was used to doing things in PHP on his own.

• There were no boot camps or courses available when he started learning 12 years ago.

Motivation for Learning Coding Through Solving Problems

The host asks Micah if he would have been as motivated to learn coding if he wasn't building websites for himself.

Building Websites vs. Random Projects

• Micah believes that building websites for himself gave him more motivation than just working on random projects.

• However, he thinks that his desire to do something with coding would have still provided some motivation.

Bluehost and WordPress

In this section, the speaker talks about their work at Bluehost, which focuses on making it easy for customers to use WordPress. They discuss the different tools and plugins they use to make WordPress more accessible.

Making WordPress More Accessible

• Bluehost uses plugins to handle tasks behind the scenes, such as single sign-on and caching.

• There has been a lot of innovation in WordPress lately with full site editing becoming free for everyone.

• This provides additional opportunities for Bluehost to make it even easier for people to customize their sites.

• The speaker has been doing some LARIMO work to create a hub where they can find out more information about the sites they have and ensure that everybody's sites are running well.

Sponsored Contributor

• The speaker is a sponsored contributor paid by Bluehost to contribute to the WordPress project itself.

• They have worked on different aspects of WordPress, including workflows of the editor and writing REST API endpoints for menus.

Helping Clients with WordPress Sites

In this section, the speaker discusses how they help clients with different-sized WordPress sites. They talk about some common problems that arise when building these sites and what you need to learn to do it successfully.

Building Sites for One-Man Shops

• To build successful websites for one-man shops using WordPress, you need to learn how to set up hosting, install themes and plugins, and customize your site's design.

• Common problems include slow loading times or weird things happening on their site.

• At events like WordCamp Europe, the speaker gets to sit down with customers and help them solve their problems, which also provides opportunities for improving WordPress.

Building a WordPress Website

In this section, the speaker talks about how easy it is to build a website using WordPress. He shares his experience helping someone who didn't know anything about coding to set up their website and explains how full side editing has made it easier for people to edit their websites.

Setting Up a Website

• The speaker helped someone who didn't know anything about coding to set up their website using WordPress.

• The person was able to sign up for hosting and install plugins easily.

• Full side editing allows users to edit the header, footer, and other parts of the website using the same editor used for content.

Learning WordPress Development

• The speaker's neighbor wanted to become a programmer and started by learning HTML and CSS.

• He learned how to use builders but also knew enough HTML and CSS to style things just right.

• Most people start by installing WordPress, setting up plugins, and then slowly working their way backwards towards the core of WordPress.

PHP vs JavaScript in WordPress Development

• Previously, all WordPress developers were PHP developers that knew how to work inside WordPress.

• With changes in WordPress, there is now a bigger focus on JavaScript and React development.

• It's not common for someone to be proficient in both PHP and JavaScript. People usually pair up with an agency or find workarounds like Advanced Custom Fields.

Advantages of the WordPress Block Editor

In this section, the speaker discusses the advantages of using the WordPress block editor over its predecessor, TinyMCE.

History of WordPress Editors

• WordPress originally used TinyMCE as a content editor in the admin area.

• The classic editor was PHP-based and used shortcodes to allow plugin developers to add custom functionality.

• Shortcodes were difficult for users because they required looking up documentation on the plugin's website.

Advantages of the Block Editor

• The block editor is built entirely on React and provides UI inputs for all aspects of creating custom blocks.

• From a user standpoint, it is easier to use than shortcodes.

• From a developer standpoint, building custom blocks requires knowledge of React.

Learning WordPress Development

In this section, the speaker discusses different avenues for learning WordPress development and what skills are necessary for becoming a full-time developer.

Learning Pathways

• Beginners often start with plugins and editors before diving into code.

• As users become more comfortable with WordPress, they may want more customization or understanding of how it works.

• The speaker prefers learning by progressing into more complicated topics when there is a need rather than starting with fundamentals.

Skills Needed for Full-Time Development

• There are different options for becoming a full-time developer depending on whether you want to start your own business or work for someone else.

• For freelance work or small businesses, knowledge of plugins and editors may be sufficient.

• For larger companies or more complex projects, knowledge of PHP and JavaScript is necessary.

Learning to Code vs No-Code Websites

In this section, the speaker discusses the differences between learning to code and using no-code websites. They also talk about how people with good business processes are more likely to use no-code websites, while those interested in learning to code may want to work for an agency.

Learning No-Code Websites

• People who don't have time or effort to learn in-depth coding can use no-code websites.

• Those who are good at business processes and piecemealing things out are more likely to use no-code websites.

Working for an Agency

• People interested in learning to code can work for an agency and pick up skills while getting paid.

• Agencies have different approaches, some focusing on no-code while others require more in-depth knowledge.

• Junior positions are available at agencies where people can start with basic skills and progress as they learn more.

Starting Out with HTML/CSS

In this section, the speaker talks about starting out with HTML/CSS and how it can lead to working at an agency.

Starting Out at an Agency

• People who know only HTML/CSS can start working at an agency doing basic styling tasks.

• As they gain experience, they can move on to other languages like PHP or JavaScript.

Choosing Between Front-end and Back-end Development

In this section, the speaker discusses choosing between front-end and back-end development.

Front-end Development

• Front-end development requires knowledge of JavaScript and React, as well as deep CSS knowledge.

• The learning curve for front-end development is steeper than for WordPress development.

Back-end Development

• Back-end developers typically choose between PHP or JavaScript.

• Junior positions are available in both PHP and JavaScript development.

WordPress Development

In this section, the speaker talks about WordPress development and how it can be a good starting point for those interested in entrepreneurship.

WordPress Development

• There is a high demand for WordPress developers due to its prevalence.

• The learning curve for WordPress development is less steep than for front-end development.

• People with an entrepreneurship spirit can use their skills to build a business using WordPress.

Opportunities in WordPress Development

In this section, the speaker discusses the benefits of considering a position in WordPress development and how it can lead to other opportunities.

Benefits of WordPress Development

• There are many coding opportunities available in WordPress development that allow you to solve problems with code.

• Learning PHP and getting comfortable with it is beneficial as WordPress is built off of PHP.

• A position in WordPress development is still an actual programming position and should not be excluded.

• It is easier to land positions in WordPress development than strict PHP or JavaScript positions.

Increasing Salary as a WordPress Developer

• Starting out with lower pay is realistic for those entering into WordPress development.

• Doubling down on either PHP or JavaScript is recommended instead of trying to learn both at once.

• Diving deep into one language will help avoid confusion between languages and functions.

Advancing Beyond WordPress Development

• After becoming comfortable with a specific area, expanding knowledge to full-stack or edge computing can lead to more opportunities.

Getting Started as a Developer

In this section, the speaker discusses how to get started as a developer and find clients.

Finding Clients

• Most developers are not good marketers, so it's important to be able to get clients.

• When starting out, it may take some time to find projects.

• Connecting with agencies that need help with overflow work can provide a steady stream of projects.

• Building relationships with agencies can lead to more work opportunities.

Making Connections and Gaining Experience

In this section, the speaker talks about how he gained experience and made connections in the industry.

Meeting a Headhunter

• The speaker created a popular WordPress plugin that led to him being found by a headhunter.

• The headhunter connected him with someone who was doing enterprise projects for people.

Working on Bigger Projects

• Working on bigger projects allowed the speaker to gain experience and make connections in the industry.

• He spent six weeks on site at major agencies in Atlanta, which gave him insight into their culture and work processes.

Making Connections

• Even if you're an entrepreneur doing your own thing, making connections with agencies can lead to more work opportunities.

• Agencies almost always need help, so being confident in your skills and selling them is key.

Pay Rates for Developers

In this section, the speaker discusses pay rates for developers based on their skillset.

Pay Rates Based on Skillset

• Starting out with CSS and HTML may result in pay rates around $20/hour or less.

• Adding JavaScript or PHP skills could increase pay rates to around $40-$50/hour.

• Knowing both JavaScript and PHP could result in pay rates of $90-$100/hour or more.

• The speaker has billed out at $125/hour in the past.

Importance of Rounded Knowledge

• Having knowledge in multiple areas can lead to higher pay rates.

• However, being really good at one area, such as PHP, can also result in high pay rates.

Starting Out and Learning

In this section, the speakers discuss starting out as a developer and learning new skills.

Getting Your Foot in the Door

• Starting out and getting your foot in the door is important.

• Connecting with agencies and helping with overflow work can provide opportunities to gain experience and make connections.

Focusing on Learning

• Learning two languages at once may be overwhelming.

• After gaining some experience, it's easier to figure out what you want to focus on next.

Learning WordPress and PHP

In this section, the speaker discusses resources for learning JavaScript and PHP for WordPress. He recommends a specific course for JavaScript but does not have a clear recommendation for PHP.

Learning JavaScript

• Zach Gordon has a "JavaScript for WordPress" course that is like a boot camp with a community of learners to reach out to.

• The course teaches one thing after another, making it easy to learn.

• Completing all the sample projects in the course can help land a job at an agency.

Learning PHP

• There is no clear place to go and learn PHP specifically for WordPress.

• Most of what we do in WordPress involves cutting down text or ensuring there is no garbled HTML on the page, which is different from most PHP training courses.

• The speaker taught straight-up PHP at Creative Circus and found it relatively simple to teach compared to teaching people WordPress-specific PHP.

Importance of Understanding Raw PHP

• The magic of WordPress often covers over foundational things you need to know about raw PHP, so understanding raw PHP first can give you a clearer line between where WordPress starts and where raw PHP ends.

• Even if you never release them, doing some raw PHP projects can help you understand basic concepts such as password hashing that are important when working with WordPress.

Micah Wood talks about his plugin "Promotion Slider"

In this section, Micah Wood talks about a plugin he created called "Promotion Slider" and why he is removing it due to security issues.

The Promotion Slider Plugin

• Micah Wood created a plugin called "Promotion Slider".

• The plugin is being removed due to security issues as it has not been updated in almost eight or nine years.

• It is not recommended to download the plugin due to these security issues.

• Any code written eight or nine years ago is considered old and not worth updating.

Conclusion and Shoutouts

In this section, the host concludes the interview with Micah Wood and asks him where people can reach him.

Reaching Out to Micah Wood

• To reach out to Micah Wood, visit his website wpscholar.com or find him on Twitter as @wpscholar.

• If you have any comments or suggestions for future topics, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

• The video ends with music playing.