Jonathan Bossenger 1:21 pm on March 29, 2023

Introduction to WordPress Development syllabus

Earlier this month I posted a proposal for an Introduction to WordPress Development syllabus and asked the community for feedback.

A note on naming. When I shared the proposal post, I used the term learning path to describe the list of topics being gathered. During the feedback process, I realized that this name was incorrect and that what I was proposing is in fact better described as a syllabus (from the Late Latin syllabus meaning “list”) of topics that should be covered at the beginner level. I have therefore adjusted the name of the list for this post.

Thanks to all the great feedback on the contents of this proposed syllabus, I am able to update this list to include all the topics relevant to the beginner WordPress developer. At the same time, I have linked any existing Learn WordPress tutorials I am aware of, or any tutorials that are in progress, that fulfill specific items in this list.

Tutorials still in progress are included after the topic as indicated by (WIP).

Introduction to WordPress Development syllabus

A brief overview of how WordPress works
- An introduction to how a web server works with WordPress
- The WordPress file system
- Creating basic things like posts, pages, and users, and changing settings
- Permalinks, and how they work with the rewrite module on both ApacheApache Apache is the most widely used web server software. Developed and maintained by Apache Software Foundation. Apache is an Open Source software available for free. and NginxNGINX NGINX is open source software for web serving, reverse proxying, caching, load balancing, media streaming, and more. It started out as a web server designed for maximum performance and stability. In addition to its HTTP server capabilities, NGINX can also function as a proxy server for email (IMAP, POP3, and SMTP) and a reverse proxy and load balancer for HTTP, TCP, and UDP servers. https://www.nginx.com/.
- How a dashboard page request loads
- How a front-end page request loads
The programming languages of WordPress
- HTMLHTML HTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites.
  - Introduction to AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility)
- CSSCSS CSS is an acronym for cascading style sheets. This is what controls the design or look and feel of a site.
- JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/.
- PHPPHP PHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. http://php.net/manual/en/intro-whatis.php.
- MySQLMySQL MySQL is a relational database management system. A database is a structured collection of data where content, configuration and other options are stored. https://www.mysql.com/.
WordPress development fundamentals
- Setting up a local development environment
- Action Hooks and Filter Hooks
- The WordPress database
- WordPress coding standardsWordPress Coding Standards The Accessibility, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, HTML, etc. coding standards as published in the WordPress Coding Standards Handbook. May also refer to The collection of PHP_CodeSniffer rules (sniffs) used to format and validate PHP code developed for WordPress according to the PHP coding standards.
- Enabling the debug.log
An introduction to developing WordPress themes
- Classic themes vs blockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. themes
- Theme requirements
- Templates and template parts
- The WordPress Template Hierarchy
- Classic themes – Template tags and conditional tags
- Block themes – patterns
- Block themes – theme.json
- Enqueuing CSS and JavaScript
- Custom functions
An introduction to developing WordPress plugins
- PluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party requirements
- Creating custom post types and taxonomies
- Using post metaMeta Meta is a term that refers to the inside workings of a group. For us, this is the team that works on internal WordPress sites like WordCamp Central and Make WordPress.
- Enqueuing CSS and JavaScript
- Introduction to developing plugins securely
- Preventing common vulnerabilities
An introduction to Internationalization
- The commonly used Internationalization Functions
- An overview of the Internationalization
An introduction to Roles and Capabilities
An introduction to Common WordPress APIs
- Responsive Images
- Dashboard widgets
- Database
- Filesystem
- Global Variables
- Metadata
- Options
- HTTPHTTP HTTP is an acronym for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. HTTP is the underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web and this protocol defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands. Requests
- Rewrite
- Settings
- ShortcodeShortcode A shortcode is a placeholder used within a WordPress post, page, or widget to insert a form or function generated by a plugin in a specific location on your site.
- Transients
An introduction to the WordPress REST APIREST API The REST API is an acronym for the RESTful Application Program Interface (API) that uses HTTP requests to GET, PUT, POST and DELETE data. It is how the front end of an application (think “phone app” or “website”) can communicate with the data store (think “database” or “file system”) https://developer.wordpress.org/rest-api/.
- Using the WordPress REST API
- Interacting with the WordPress REST API
- The WordPress REST API under the hood
  - an overview of how the REST API works, detail about design decisions
- Interacting with the WordPress REST API
- Extending the WordPress REST API
An introduction to developing WordPress blocks
- An introduction to ReactReact React is a JavaScript library that makes it easy to reason about, construct, and maintain stateless and stateful user interfaces. https://reactjs.org/.
- Using JSX vs vanilla JavaScript
- Setting up the block development requirements
- Building your first simple block
An introduction to WordPress multisiteMultisite Multisite is a WordPress feature which allows users to create a network of sites on a single WordPress installation. Available since WordPress version 3.0, Multisite is a continuation of WPMU or WordPress Multiuser project. WordPress MultiUser project was discontinued and its features were included into WordPress core.https://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network.
- Setting up a Multisite network
- Managing a Multisite network
- Advanced Multisite Management
- Building plugins and themes that support multisite (WIP)
- The differences between developing for multisite vs single site (WIP)
Debugging in WordPress
- Enabling the built-in WordPress debugging options (WIP)
- Examining the state of your PHP code using error_log and print_ror vardump (WIP)
- Examining the state of your JavaScript code using the console object
- Popular debugging plugins (WIP)
  - https://wordpress.org/plugins/debug-bar/
  - https://wordpress.org/plugins/query-monitor/

Introduction to WordPress Development addendum

In addition to this list, the following topics were suggested for inclusion, but a consensus was not reached as to whether they should be included at the beginner level or intermediate level. Therefore I am including them in this post as an addendum.

An Introduction to Localization
Installing and using Xdebug for step debugging
An Introduction to using SVNSVN Apache Subversion (often abbreviated SVN, after its command name svn) is a software versioning and revision control system. Software developers use Subversion to maintain current and historical versions of files such as source code, web pages, and documentation. Its goal is to be a mostly compatible successor to the widely used Concurrent Versions System (CVS). WordPress core and the wordpress.org released code are all centrally managed through SVN. https://subversion.apache.org/.
An introduction to using WP-CLIWP-CLI WP-CLI is the Command Line Interface for WordPress, used to do administrative and development tasks in a programmatic way. The project page is http://wp-cli.org/ https://make.wordpress.org/cli/ (WIP)

Help needed to complete this syllabus

Are you aware of any tutorials on Learn WordPress or tutorials currently being created that will fulfill any of the topics in this syllabus? If so, please share it in the comments, and I will update the list.

Are you a content creator who can assist with creating tutorials for any of the available topics on this list? If so, please read the Training Team handbook section on Tutorials and consider joining the Training Team by applying to be a tutorial presenter.

Are you an existing tutorial presenter, who is looking for developer-focused topics and ideas to create? Pick any unlinked item from this, create a new tracking issue for it, assign yourself, and work your magic.

This post will remain open for comments indefinitely until a tutorial exists for every item on this list. If you have any questions about creating tutorial content for Learn WordPress, or you just need to bounce a few ideas or questions off someone else, please feel free to message me in the WordPress Slack.

Nathan Knowler 2:54 pm on March 29, 2023

For HTMLHTML HTML is an acronym for Hyper Text Markup Language. It is a markup language that is used in the development of web pages and websites., CSSCSS CSS is an acronym for cascading style sheets. This is what controls the design or look and feel of a site., and AccessibilityAccessibility Accessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility), web.dev has great tutorials: https://web.dev/learn/

For (My)SQL, PlanetScale just released a high quality tutorial: https://planetscale.com/courses/mysql-for-developers/

I think that Eloquent JavaScriptJavaScript JavaScript or JS is an object-oriented computer programming language commonly used to create interactive effects within web browsers. WordPress makes extensive use of JS for a better user experience. While PHP is executed on the server, JS executes within a user’s browser. https://www.javascript.com/. is the best way to learn JavaScript and it’s free to read online in the form of an interactive book: https://eloquentjavascript.net/
Benjamin Evans 5:42 am on March 30, 2023

This post will remain open for comments indefinitely until a tutorial exists for every item on this list.

That’s a ambitious statement, but I love it! I look forward to the day the team can say “This has all been created!”
- Jonathan Bossenger 11:16 am on March 30, 2023
  
  I look forward to the day the team can say “This has all been created!”
  
  You and me both!
Javier Casares 8:52 am on April 1, 2023

Thinking about the future, also significant, is how this will be translated in the future. For that, I recommend applying some things we’ve been working from the Documentation Team regarding automatization. Moreover, working with the Polyglots TeamPolyglots Team Polyglots Team is a group of multilingual translators who work on translating plugins, themes, documentation, and front-facing marketing copy. https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/teams/. for a future GlotPress / Rosetta integration, so to expand it to other languages will be quick and easy to maintain.

For this case, I recommend apply a new repo and some structure like the Advanced Admin Handbook.

If you need any help creating the base for the repo, with all the pages or anything, please pingPing The act of sending a very small amount of data to an end point. Ping is used in computer science to illicit a response from a target server to test it’s connection. Ping is also a term used by Slack users to @ someone or send them a direct message (DM). Users might say something along the lines of “Ping me when the meeting starts.” me. I had my battles with a couple projects 😉
- Jonathan Bossenger 8:54 am on April 3, 2023
  
  Thanks for your feedback @javiercasares.
  
  I assume you’re talking about the actual content on Learn WordPress? That is something we will have to discuss with the training team. As far as I know, the current content is translatable, but perhaps I am missing something.
  
  If the content is not translatable, we might need to start a separate project to focus on how we improve that, as it would cover all of the tutorial content on Learn WordPress, not just the items in this list.
- Javier Casares 9:04 am on April 3, 2023
  
  Not quite. There are some projects (pending publishing) about the best way to translate handbooks and manuals (not exactly the Learn WordPress).
  
  If this will be “inside” Learn WordPress, shouldn’t be a problem, but if tt’s going to be like a Handbook, outside, should follow other options to be translatable. 🙂
  - Jonathan Bossenger 9:06 am on April 3, 2023
    
    Ok.
    
    If this will be “inside” Learn WordPress, shouldn’t be a problem
    
    All the proposed content in the list will be inside Learn WordPress, so it sounds like we’re ok. Thanks for raising this.
Courtney Robertson 7:45 pm on April 5, 2023

Would all of this be one course? I think of Learning Pathways as a series of courses. A syllabus is what an instructor provides per course, containing all assignments, assessments, etc.
Jonathan Bossenger 10:59 am on April 6, 2023

@courane01 that’s a great question. The short answer here is no, I don’t see this as one huge course.

I struggled to find the right term for what I’m listing here, which is why I first had “learning path” and then “syllabus”. Effectively what I was looking for was a descriptive term for “the fundamental list of content we (the training team) should create, in order to create courses or learning paths for the beginner developer”. Even though syllabus isn’t the correct word, it was the best I could come up with. 🙂 I did consider “curriculum” as well, but that also seemed wrong.

The way I look at this, the list of content here could be used for multiple different courses, for example, a beginner’s course in pluginPlugin A plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party development, a beginner’s course in theme development, etc.

For both of these courses, certain topics would be reused, and others would be different.

In an ideal world, a training team content creator who wants to create a course or learning path related to development would be able to pick and choose from this content.

Now that I think of it, perhaps “library” is a better word for what this list is.
- Courtney Robertson 1:41 pm on April 8, 2023
  
  No worries on precise terminology. We’ll get there. It is the hardest thing in product development I think.
  
  I lean towards all terms like these getting reviewed by training (especially faculty with an education instruction background), marketing, and polyglots when we are ready to pick which sticks. Marketing for a good awareness if what we think makes sense actually makes sense to the masses, and polyglots to be sure it conveys globally.
Sarah Snow 5:46 pm on April 13, 2023

This entire list looks absolutely AMAZING, Jonathan. Creating learning materials for each of these will be a huge and valuable undertaking.

Pondering for the future: I wonder if we could create a list of “Essential Questions” to pair along with this in later days (not right now, this syllabus looks great).

The first one that pops into my mind is this: What does it mean to consider yourself a WordPress developer? It feels like there are as many ways to develop WordPress as there are to USE it. This might be a “level zero” question, though, so I’m not sure if it fits here.

Just some thoughts to frame the future learning!
Jonathan Bossenger 2:43 pm on August 25, 2023

I would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone who commented on this post to read through the Looking for feedback: Learning pathway outlines post, as it includes the learning pathways for intermediate and advanced developer learning pathways.

Welcome

Meetings (Calendar)

Introduction to WordPress Development syllabus

Introduction to WordPress Development syllabus

Introduction to WordPress Development addendum

Help needed to complete this syllabus

Welcome

Meetings (Calendar)

Introduction to WordPress Development syllabus

Introduction to WordPress Development addendum

Help needed to complete this syllabus

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