We use plugins to extend a WordPress website. Plugins provide features, such as forums, e-commerce, portfolios, FAQs, forms, and so much more. In addition, plugins extend or change the functionality of a website.
Want a Systematic Level Up Guide?
Do you want a guide that systematically grows your expertise and proficiencies as a WordPress plugin developer? Then make sure you check out this roadmap. It’s just for you. It starts at the beginning and then incrementally grows your technical abilities. You get to build plugins as you learn deeply about the process, WordPress, PHP, jQuery, and so much more.
This library includes:
- Labs – individual hands-on building projects
- Insights – quick tips, insights, and master tips
- Other Resources – external resources just for you
Plugin Development A-Z
The best way to learn plugin development is to build one from scratch with your mentor, step-by-step. It’s like you two are sitting together planning, architecting, building, refactoring, and testing this plugin together. It’s a complete process A to Z.
In this series, Tonya and you will walk through the entire process of planning, architecting, and building a custom, fully-functional, real world WordPress plugin. This is a complex plugin as it will require you to learn about PHP, jQuery, WP_Query, building custom SQL queries with $wpdb, custom post type, custom taxonomy, shortcodes, and much more. You’ll even learn how to serve up templates from a plugin.
This is a unique series in that you are truly building it with Tonya. She left in the thought processes, mistakes, backspacing, and errors. You’ll see what the process entails literally from an idea and Scope of Work until it’s ready to ship.
- In Part 1, you’ll build it.
- In Part 2, you’ll add a new feature. Why? Because that happens in the real world, Agile environments.
- In Part 3, you’ll improve it by moving the defaults and configurations to proper configuration architecture.
- In Part 4, you’ll convert it to OOP.
Go as far as you want. Each part gives you a complete and working plugin that you can use in your projects and show off in your portfolio. Ready to get started?
Hands-on Labs
Roll-up your sleeves and let’s build some code together.
Insights & Quick Tips
Plugin Development quick tips, master tips, and insights just for you.
Other Plugins Resources
A collection of other awesome educational resources.
Plugin Development 101
Pippin Williamson walks you through the process of plugin development in his course from 2013: Plugin Development 101
How to Build a WordPress Plugin
Treehouse provides a 329-minute course on how to build a WordPress plugin. They walk you through what plugins are and how they work. Then you go into building a project. Learn more
Your First WordPress Plugin
Pippin Williamson walks you through the process of building your first plugin. You will build a Simple Post Expiration plugin in this 2.35 hour course on WP Sessions. Learn more
