In this episode, let’s talk about how the web page request is handling at a macro level. The web address is sent by the browser. This is the request the web server will receive. Okay, how does this web address get handled and processed? The web address is unique just like your address or cell phone number. That web address is then mapped to a nameserver and the nameservers then map to the physical server(s) where the website is being hosted, meaning where the files are stored. Let’s talk about this request and help you to visualize it. This Lab […]
Labs
Labs are hands-on coding projects that you build along with Tonya as she explains the code, concepts, and thought processes behind it. You can use the labs to further your code knowledge or to use right in your projects. Each lab ties into the Docx to ensure you have the information you need.
Each lab is designed to further your understanding and mastery of code. You learn more about how to think about its construction, quality, maintainability, programmatic and logical thought, and problem-solving. While you may be building a specific thing, Tonya presents the why of it to make it adaptable far beyond that specific implementation, thereby giving you the means to make it your own, in any context.
Web Page Overview
In this episode, you will get a big picture overview of the web page. You’ll learn some terminology including web address, URI, URL, and web page. Then we’ll talk about the web request from the web address and an overview of the process. Next, you’ll look at the back-end as we discuss how the content that is entered into the WordPress editor is stored in the database. This episode provides you with a baseline overview to prepare you for the remainder of this lab. This Lab is unlocked and FREE thanks to SiteGround. Partner Partner SiteGround offers managed WordPress hosting […]
When & Why of WordPress
In this episode, you will explore the when and why of WordPress. When do you use select WordPress for the client? How about a static site instead? Why would you use a Content Management System (CMS)? You will look at the website and its intent from the perspective of the site owner. Our job, besides delivering a website that meets our client’s wants and needs, is to make it super easy for the site owner to add, change, and manage content. Far too often we add complexity into the backend to help us do our jobs; however, that complexity is […]
Lab Introduction
In web development, there are a lot of moving parts, different hardware, and different technologies that you need to know in order to deliver custom websites to your clients. There is WordPress, of course, PHP, HTML, CSS, SQL, JavaScript, and jQuery to name a few. There is also the web server, database, and browsers. Whew, there are a lot of components and technologies for you to know. Whether you are implementing websites, meaning setting them up by putting together the theme and plugins, or writing custom services from scratch, you still have much to master. This lab introduces you to […]
How Does WordPress Turn off the Editor?
Let’s talk about how I found the event name to use to turn the editor back on again in the previous video. Then you’ll look at WordPress Core to see where and how it turns off the editor for the specific Posts Page. You’ll also look at WordPress Core for the function remove_post_type_support. It’s time to reverse engineer WordPress Core.
Turn on the Editor
It’s time to write the code to turn on the editor in the back-end for the Posts Page. You’ll walk through the steps, step-by-step, and discuss how to write the code.
Convert the Basic WordPress Plugin into a Blog Intro Plugin
Let’s convert the basic plugin you built in Let’s Build a Basic WordPress Plugin lab into a new custom plugin called Blog Intro.
Plugin Architecture
Let’s talk about the architecture and intent. While you could build a home.php or page_blog.php template, this plugin is portable and modular. It allows you to move it from project-to-project without having to change the theme. It uses the built-in WordPress editor, which your client is used to using. We are not using a widget because widgets are cumbersome for clients. A widget does not have the editor interface. It’s not as intuitive for the site owner to figure out where to put content when you use widgets instead of the page itself.
Lab Introduction
Let me introduce the lab to you to what you will be building. Out-of-the-box for the page that is specified as the Posts Page, which is done via Settings > Reading, the editor is disabled. Why? Because WordPress does not load any content the user puts into this editor. That means whatever your client types in that editor is not rendered (sent out to the browser to display). In this lab, you will build a plugin that turns on the editor and then renders it out to the screen.
is_front_page() vs is_home() Showdown
There is a difference between the WordPress functions is_front_page() and is_home(). The state of these functions is determined by how you (or your client) configures the site in the Settings > Reading section (in the back-end). In this lab, you will see how different settings can cause a different set of states.