Feeling lost what should be my next move?

  • sethbahookey

    (@sethbahookey)


    10 years ago

    Looking for some advice here from more experienced developers that have been in the business for awhile, or even newer folks who may have or are in a similar path as me.

    I started learning to code about 8 months ago. I started off with HTML and CSS, naturally, I picked up on those pretty quick because they aren’t that difficult. However, my friend told me if I really want to make websites I need to learn PHP to build a CMS.

    So for several months I took time to learn the PHP language and started dabbling in trying to build a CMS myself… Sidenote, I want to become a free lance web designer/own my own business in web.

    I started looking into different business models on selling websites, and most people told me to not try and reinvent the wheel. It would be best if I just used an already established platform. That is how I ended up on WP!

    Well, flash forward about a month now, and WP is pretty sweet. I feel a little beaten down though because when I first started to learn how to code I wanted to be ‘hardcore’ with it and build everything on my own…oh well.

    So now I don’t really know where to turn to in WP and I ended up purchasing the Genesis Framework, and lately I’ve just been a bit bummed(maybe overwhelmed) by all of this because what was ridiculously easy to create in HTML/CSS is now becoming quite a chore to figure out in WP and especially in a Framework.

    I guess I just wanted to get a little feedback from the community. Did any of you guys feel lost at one point of learning this stuff? I’m just not really sure where to turn to to learn this stuff anymore as I was doing online lessons on Lynda, but they are pretty minimal with Genesis.

    Would you guys recommend I stop using Genesis? I do like aspects about it, but there isn’t a whole lot of documentation on it that explains what is going on, and the community is VERY unresponsive. Sure, they’ll help if you need to know about something on the backend HUD within WP, but when it comes to styling or coding something within the php files. People just don’t seem to respond.

    Apologies if this came off like a bit of a rant, but I figured this would be the best community to share this with as I’ve really started to commit more time to WP, and I just want to make sure what I’m doing is the right thing.

    Thanks!

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • graphicscove

    (@graphicscove)

    Hello sethbahookey,

    Many years ago I was in your position where I had just started out with WordPress and things were rather confusing so I know how you feel!

    Over the years I’ve been developing my own framework for WordPress. This not only helps me learn more about WordPress but I know exactly where everything is. While frameworks are great to work with there’s always so much to learn and can be daunting to someone new.

    I have to admit my first framework wasn’t the best. I started with the very minimum number of files required to get a theme working and built it up from there, always comparing against new frameworks and themes that come out. That way I can continually build upon my WordPress knowledge and still know exactly what’s going on in my templates.

    Frameworks are a great place to learn stuff from but you get a great sense of accomplishment from the learning process if you have something to show for it. My advice would be to start building your own framework, something you know and something you can build your knowledge on. After you start getting to grips with the more interesting bits you’ll find it easier to pick up other frameworks as well without feeling to frustrated!

    I hope this helps!

    Andrew Nevins

    (@anevins)

    WCLDN 2018 Contributor | Volunteer support

    Sure, they’ll help if you need to know about something on the backend HUD within WP, but when it comes to styling or coding something within the php files. People just don’t seem to respond.

    That’s where the WordPress community can help you. We can give CSS recommendations, because we don’t need to know how the underlying theme operates.

    Thread Starter sethbahookey

    (@sethbahookey)

    Thanks for the reassurance graphicscove! I will keep at it, and slowly try to build something from scratch as well. I think the most frustrating part for me is that I am trying to develop a site for a client, and what would seem like the easiest part is turning out to be so difficult. Basically when you go to the site the front-page will just be a background picture with two buttons asking if you are a patient or client, and then clicking the appropriate one.

    Argh! No idea how to do that in WP… seems like all the tuts on front-page.php are how to change the look of blog posts and that’s the last thing I’m trying to do.

    Andrew – That is true. I think what drew me into the Genesis framework is that it already has a lot of the security built into it, and that when there are updates all you have to do is update the core which leaves your child theme alone.

    When I build a theme from scratch I fear that I would run into too many issues with upgrading because I’m just blindly building stuff :/ I did run into the Bones Starter theme yesterday though and it seemed really appealing because of how well documented it is..

    graphicscove

    (@graphicscove)

    front-page.php is really easy to work with. When you include it in your theme it will replace any other templates related to the homepage.

    In your front-page.php remove everything in there except for the header and footer references. Anything in the middle is yours to do whatever you want with, you don’t need to display blog posts if you don’t want to.

    Do you have a visual example of what you want to achieve? As Andrew said we can give you some recommendations or point you in the right direction.

    Thread Starter sethbahookey

    (@sethbahookey)

    Thanks for the quick reply!

    Unfortunately I do not have any mock ups of the site just yet, but if you could imagine it. The front-page would simply be the company name at the top of the page. I’m thinking a background picture that has a patient/doctor thing going on, and then there would be some text (maybe just put in the picture with Photoshop) with an arrow point to different buttons. One saying are you a therapist? Then an arrow pointing to a button that is on the side of the page with the doctor, and likewise with the patient.

    I need this to be the front page as I’m having to different sections of the site. As you could imagine one side of the site for therapists and another side (eCommerce might I add) on the patient side.

    So would be as simple as just writing in the HTML for that front-page? I feel like with all things WP I have to embed it somewhere within PHP.

    Thanks again for the quick response. Definitely giving me some confidence that WP is the right choice ??

    Miroslav Glavi?

    (@miroslavglavic)

    Do you have a WordCamp event happening in your town (or close by)?
    What about a local WordPress meetup group?

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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