How to Become a WordPress Developer

by Vipe Team in WordPress Development; Published on 21.09.2021

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If you have been contemplating becoming a WordPress developer for some time, then you have found what you’ve been looking for. Our WordPress development agency is here to help you, whether you are changing your career path or you’ve decided to go after your dreams.

WordPress is the most popular CMS on the Internet, that powers more than 40% of the web. That’s a statement our WordPress development agency never gets tired of making. Anyone can build themselves a website without having the skills of WordPress developers. As you continue to work on the system, you’ll start getting better and better.

It’s going to be even easier for you if you have used the platform before. Nonetheless, becoming a WP developer and working in one of the most desired industries at the moment, can become your reality. We’ll show you exactly how in today’s article.

Why is WordPress the best CMS?

If you want to become a professional in any field, you need to understand it first. Things are no different with WordPress. The platform has been launched in 2003, and for only 18 years, it has become the most popular content management system. Although it started as a blogging tool, now millions of websites trust in what it offers.

WordPress is easy to use. People without any coding experience can build websites on it. There are no restrictions when it comes to design – you can create a website that represents your vision.

Furthermore, WordPress is SEO compatible which means your site will be working for the engines automatically. Another great feature of the platform is that it provides excellent security.

What is a WordPress developer?

WordPress developers take care of the front-end and/or back-end of WordPress websites. Many times they create custom themes and plugins. They have a strong understanding of programming languages such as HTML, CSS, etc., and can work with them. They are educated on everything related to the platform, such as products and services. Moreover, good PHP skills are a must.

There are different types of WordPress developers. Some work on the WP software, create plugins or themes, whereas others work for clients and build their websites. Other responsibilities include building sitemaps, redesigning sites, migrates existing ones to the platform, etc.

People of WordPress: Timi Wahalahti

There are plenty of opportunities on the market with more and more websites being demanded and build every day. Working as a WordPress developer can be an extremely fulfilling career that also pays the bills well if you give your best.

How to become a WordPress developer?

If you’ve decided that becoming a WordPress developer is the path for you, our WordPress development agency got you covered. We crafted this guide for you so you fully understand what it takes to become a professional and attract clients and earn an income.

Know your basics

Although WordPress is the perfect solution to build websites for those who don’t have a clue about coding, WordPress developers need to know at least the basics. We already said it, but it is essential to understand HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP.

Programming languages are used in many ways. For example, to add style to a content of a site, you need CSS. To control how web pages of the site look like in a browser, you have to use HTML.

If you want to uncover the whole potential of the platform, the best advice our WordPress Agency for Development can give you is to learn at least one of these coding languages. Many take online classes to learn, whereas others are entirely self-taught. Furthermore, there are plenty of free resources on the Internet you can use to learn, therefore now is the best time to become a developer.

Dive deep into WordPress

After you learn the basics of coding, you should do serious research on everything WordPress-related. This way, you would be able to understand the platform and its functions.

What you will need the most will probably be the WordPress Codex. It is written by those who developed WordPress and will leave all of your knowledge gaps filled – starting with the basics of building a website to the most technical components.

WordPress.org Developer Resource is another great resource our WordPress development agency suggests you give a try. It’s an official list of everything WordPress you need to know. You’ll learn how to develop themes, plugins, how to create building blocks, how to interact with APIs, etc.

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Nonetheless, our blog is full of interesting articles on everything you can think about WordPress. From guides on sitemaps to fixing WP issues, you can find what you need and more. If you want more resources on the platform, you can always count on books as well.

Have a clear focus

We already mentioned that different WordPress developers work in different fields. It is advisable for you to also pick an area you want to focus on and aim at becoming the best at it. Being a specialist in a certain part of WP is much better than being mediocre at all.

People will think of your name every time a specific problem occurs, whereas if they know you can do everything at an average level people wouldn’t know what to search you for.

Become part of the community

One of the best things about WordPress is the great community it has. There are plenty of WordPress developers sharing the same beliefs and dreams and more precisely – the same passion. Most of them contribute to the platform daily to expand it and make it greater.

Moreover, making connections with other professionals is helpful to improve your skills and find clients. Someone who has been freelancing for a longer period can guide you and redirect some clients to you.

There are many WP forums as well as channels on social media to communicate with other developers. Furthermore, WordCamps, events dedicated to WordPress, are a great place to meet like-minded people.

If you also want to contribute to the platform, you can visit the Make WordPress page. That is the place where anyone who wants to make the platform better can feel invited – WordPress developers, designers, translators, etc.

Create an outstanding portfolio

The best way to prove yourself in the competitive world of development is to create an outstanding portfolio that shows how qualified you are. Build yourself a website that represents your vision and add all of your projects.

If you don’t have any previous experience, you should work on your website. Moreover, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of marketing and use different channels to advertise yourself and your services.

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Of course, you can always search for a job on websites made for this purpose. When someone wants to contact and eventually hire you, your website is the best way to say you can do the work without saying anything.

Be prepared

Working as a developer means you will have a lot of responsibilities to deal with daily. Keep in mind that any software can be tricky, and running into problems is not rare. You have to be capable of resolving potential issues for users. Furthermore, you need to have in mind security and its worst enemy – hackers.

You cannot allow having any compromises with the websites of your clients. That will also ruin the trust people have in the company you are working for. Therefore, you should always keep your eyes open for any troubles and if you have any questions, ask someone with more experience.

Is working as a WordPress developer a good idea?

Nowadays, more and more people count on the Internet to earn an income. It can be through eCommerce, blogging, marketing, social media, or something else. Most businesses rely on their online presence for their sales.

All of this determines the need for more and more websites. This, on the other hand, determines the need for professionals – that’s where WordPress developers come in handy. Thus, becoming one will be worth it.

Although it may take time to learn and improve your skills, WordPress is a great platform for this purpose due to its user-friendliness. Once you feel educated enough and you have decided the area you want to focus on, start working. That’s the best way to create an excellent portfolio and become part of the great community.

If you have any more questions, our WordPress Agency for Development is here to help. We are a team of WordPress developers always working to build beautiful websites and guide our clients. As we already mentioned, our blog is also a great source of information on WordPress-related topics.