As you probably already know, you can use WordPress without any knowledge of coding. However, coding skills come in very handy when you need to customize your site and really make it stand out. There are paid and free resources to learn to code in WordPress, and you’ll find both on the list below. Even if you’re not that interested in coding, having a better understanding of it will help you choose better themes and plugins for your site, and have better communication with your developers.
1. WP Sessions
You’ll find a library of courses on the website called WP Sessions where you can learn about development from many experienced coders. Many of these authors have even created popular plugins for WordPress or worked on major projects. You will need to subscribe to use these courses, and fees start at $15 monthly. Once you get this monthly subscription you’ll get access to the entire library of courses and tutorials, as well as other resources that can be found on this website. As you can probably assume, all the content on this website is related to WordPress, so this is one of the great resources to learn to code in WordPress and you’ll find all the necessary knowledge right there.
2. W3Schools
W3Schools is not just one of the resources to learn to code in WordPress but one of the best websites for learning about web development in general. You’ll find free interactive PHP tutorials, which are an essential part of learning to code in WordPress. You can learn at your pace and choose the lessons you want. If you want, you can even get a certificate by taking an exam, but this is entirely optional. With or without the certificate, this is where you can learn a lot about WordPress development, and you’ll gain these skills entirely for free.
3. Udemy
There are many useful websites for taking classes online, and one of them is Udemy, a platform that offers all sorts of courses, including those about WordPress development. Udemy is not one of the free resources to learn to code in WordPress, but it has very affordable classes with frequent discounts, especially if you’re a new user. For instance, you can learn to customize themes or develop plugins for under $20 by purchasing a 19-hour video course. You’ll see that these courses have a lot of positive reviews, which indicate their quality.
4. WPMU DEV
If you’re looking for free resources to learn to code in WordPress, head over to the blog called WPMU DEV, which is a great starting point. Knowledge of CSS and HTML is assumed, so this is a perfect resource for you if you already have some experience in website editing or a background in design. You’ll learn to work with menus and widgets, create plugins, build themes, and PHP. This knowledge will be enough for you to customize your website since you’ll know the most important things about WordPress development.
5. Up and Running
Fred Meyer and David Hayes are WordPress developers who made the ultimate WordPress development course, or so they say. The course covers the advanced details in-depth and gives you a clear picture of how things work. You can find free educational content made by this duo to make sure that they are offering the right course for you. If you choose to sign up for the course you’ll get video tutorials along with a full ebook with illustrative diagrams.
6. Envato Tuts+
Envato Tuts+ is a popular website and one of the best resources to learn to code in WordPress. You will get a chance to learn everything from the basics of WordPress Development to advanced skills. You’ll learn PHP, write your own website functions and understand theme customization. Unfortunately, these courses aren’t free, but for $19.99 monthly you can get more than 1,140 video courses, download content that you can find in Envato Elements, and access more than 240 ebooks. Spending your money on Envato Elements and Envato Tuts+ is worth it whether you need WordPress themes, videos, graphics, layouts, or illustrations for your website.
7. Professional WordPress
Maybe you don’t like learning by watching videos, and you’d prefer a textbook. In that case, Professional WordPress: Design and Development are one of the best resources to learn to code in WordPress that you can find. The author, Brad Williams, shares his experience with WordPress development and covers data management, theme development, and loop. If you just look at the reviews on Amazon you’ll rest assured that reading this book isn’t going to be a waste of time.