In the previous post in this series we talked about the basics of PHP and how functions are put together. Today we're going to build on that and talk about how to use Genesis hooks to manipulate theme elements. Have you ever wondered how the Genesis theme framework knows how to call all that code from your child theme files in the right order? Genesis uses a WordPress convention called hooks to "hook" into the code at the desired spot just like WordPress as a whole does. (Genesis also uses ... Read More
PHP
PHP Basics
So far in this series we've talked about some tools and best practices, HTML and its new big brother HTML5 as well as an overview of how to work with CSS. In this post we are going to take a look at PHP basics. Like so many things in the internet world, PHP is an acronym. It stands for "PHP Hypertext Preprocessor." (I know. It makes no sense that the first P in PHP stands for, um, PHP. But there you go.) PHP is the primary programming language WordPress is built on. That means it is also ... Read More
HTML Basics of the Genesis Framework
Everyone with their own website should know some HTML basics. That includes the most technophobic writer who just uses the visual content editor portion of their WordPress dashboard. And if you are customizing any themes for the Genesis framework, then you absolutely need to know a little bit about HTML and how to make changes to the code on your site. HTML is the most basic code that presents every website. It is the language of the internet. It the code our web browsers interpret to ... Read More
The Anatomy of a Child Theme
When it comes to WordPress theme customization there are two main approaches. Traditionally, because WordPress is open source you'd just make your edits directly to the theme itself. Very early on the WordPress core developers added the ability to use a child theme. A child theme inherits all of the templates and functionality of the parent theme while allowing you to modify the parent theme output because the child theme files supersede the parent theme files. Advantages of Using Child ... Read More
Best Practices for Genesis Theme Customization
There is so much to cover when it comes to Genesis theme customization, that I've mapped out an entire series of posts to throughly cover it. I'm hoping this series will help people get a basic understanding of what it takes to start customizing their own WordPress sites and have the confidence to get started. While my specific examples will be aimed at the Genesis theme framework, most of what I share will have general application as well and can be used on most WordPress websites. Here ... Read More
Selecting the Right WordPress Hosting Provider
With each new web design client I am asked the same question – what WordPress hosting provider should I use for my new website? As with most things in life, I have pretty strong opinions on this subject. Contrary to what many people may believe, WordPress hosting providers are not all the same. There are hidden gems waiting for discovery and hidden nightmares that should be avoided at all costs. Cheap Hosting Companies Deliver Cheap Performance When I founded the company years ago, I assumed ... Read More
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