Learning WordPress, Javascript, SQL Database – is it easy?

  • Resolved Nigel

    (@cambscreative)


    2 weeks, 6 days ago

    Ok, guys and girls. I’m thinking of learning how to develop a website from scratch using WordPress (the one I install myself, not the subscription model), Javascript and SQL database.

    The reason I want to do this is because most people charge a fortune to put a site together.

    I have a site that somebody put together for me in the UK and the total for this was just ￡300, all in, but it did only take the guy three hours create it from start to finish as it is a fairly simple site and I gave him links to a site that I wanted him to base mine one so easy.

    However, I need some changes making to my site with a new home/landing page with an extra ‘portfolio’ page with a few sub-pages for carousel slideshows of my work.

    To my amazement the gentleman who built my original site wants four times the price he charged to build my site from the ground up from the beginning. I expected it to be less than the original ￡300 as he is only adding pages and making a few tweaks here and there, or so I thought, but it would appear there is more building from the ground up, but I still can’t understand the very high price hence my figuring I’d just buy a few books on WordPress and Javascript and SQL databasing from Amazon and spend a month or two figuring it out myself.

    As for my knowledge, I have build websites using WIX templates on the WIX site in the past, which is hardly Java, admittedly, but I also know HTML, who doesn’t, and I am a creative guy who can probably learn this.

    I know the best compression formats for image types etc and I can go into a ready-made HTML site and make changes and tweak things etc, as I can go into the back-end of my WordPress sight and change images and text etc.

    Because I don’t have pots of money I figured I’d learn the necessary skills in coding to do WordPress, Javascript, and whatever else I need to know to learn about connecting it to my Ionos service provider and my existing SQL database. I mean, how hard can it be?

    So my question is, is it difficult to learn this stuff or do I have to spend three years working at NASA or under Mark Zuckerberg to get my head around it? Is it rocket science?

    Fact is, I can’t afford to pay somebody ￡1,350 to do this for me when the site just isn’t that complicated and I’m sure, with the right books and online tutorials and a bit of forum help and even one-to-one help from some folk dotted around the net I could nail it without the high fees that web developers charge.

    Any advice?

    Any recommendations for books I can buy off Amazon?

    [offer to pay redacted]

    I’m in my 50s so I’m realistic, but have a good brain, am super creative and don’t see that I’ll have too much of a problem getting my head around this stuff with some books, guidance etc, this way I’ll be able to maintain and deal with my site on my own in future rather than having to pay every time I need something major changing.

    Thanks.

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    WordPress is quite easy to learn.

    We have full documentation at https://www.ads-software.com/documentation/ as well as courses and tutorials at https://learn.www.ads-software.com

    Specifically, when it comes to designing your own site, I recommend using a block theme, these are all free:?https://www.ads-software.com/themes/tags/full-site-editing/

    Block themes use the new Site Editor, meaning that how you can modify a theme is now almost limitless without even having to touch CSS: https://www.ads-software.com/documentation/article/site-editor/

    There’s also a video tutorial if you prefer that style: https://learn.www.ads-software.com/tutorial/intro-to-the-site-editor-and-template-editor/

    In particular, the new default theme, Twenty Twenty-Four, ships with a ton of pre-done templates to get you even closer to what you want before you start customizing it: https://www.ads-software.com/documentation/article/twenty-twenty-four/

    Thread Starter Nigel

    (@cambscreative)

    That’s a great help, James. Will look over your links.

    Do you think I can get away with no javascript and no CSS for my site? Just WordPress and nothing else?

    Also, I’m currently using an SQL database via my Ionos hosting, is this still required?

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    Do you think I can get away with no javascript and no CSS for my site?

    Yep, you ideally won’t need to touch that that unless you want to get into some really advanced customization.

    I’m currently using an SQL database via my Ionos hosting, is this still required?

    Yes, WordPress does require a MySQL database.

    Thread Starter Nigel

    (@cambscreative)

    Thanks, James. I’ve started watching the tutorial videos you linked to, quite a lot to get through. I already have the site up and running, which somebody did for me for a fee, but I need to learn this stuff myself so I can do it myself so the SQL and everything is in place and my site working.

    All I need to do basically is create a new landing/home page so viewers don’t immediately land on my ‘portfolio’ page. I want a home page that has 9 images that fade in/out with menus at the top and then I need to create a new ‘portfolio’ page link at the top and on that page there will be different categories for stuff like ‘business photography’, ‘food photography’, ‘portraiture’, ‘corporate head shots’ etc. But figuring out how to change my site to have a new home/landing page and creating a new page will be tricky for me.

    I’m not even sure if my existing site uses a ‘block’ theme, which you suggest as being the way to go and according to one of the videos you link to suggests that block themes are the future, not sure mine is a block theme to be honest.

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    You should never have to work with the MySQL database directly. WordPress will handle that for you. ??

    Your site is currently using Enfold as its theme, which is not a block theme. They offer support for the theme at https://kriesi.at/support/forum/enfold/

    Thread Starter Nigel

    (@cambscreative)

    Ok, so I’m definitely leaning towards using ‘Blocks’ in WP, but somebody mentioned Elementor to me, so I Googled that and folk say Elementor is no good and ‘Bricks’ (not Blocks) is better, but Bricks is some paid subscription thing. Confused, what’s the difference between Blocks in WP and Elementor and Bricks?

    Correct me if I’m wrong, but is Blocks just something that is free and part of WP while Bricks is something you have to pay for, but is like Blocks, only easier to use?

    I want my site to be as future proof as possible with no complicated stuff bolted on and in a way that it’s easy for me to update and modify myself in future.

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    Blocks are part of WordPress’s built-in editors.

    Elementor is a third-party editor, and thus competing with WordPress’s built-in editor, so of course they’d have an opinion on that. ??

    Personally, I find WordPress’s built-in block editors easier to use, and sticking with the built-in editors would certainly make your site more future-proof. ??

    Thread Starter Nigel

    (@cambscreative)

    That makes sense, James.

    Thanks again.

    I’m struggling to find a WP developer to get me started, trying Fiverr at the moment.

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    You shouldn’t need a developer to developer to get you started, most folks start and manage their own sites. ??

    If you’re running into trouble not covered in the documentation or tutorials, just let us know and we’ll be happy to help, for free. ??

    Thread Starter Nigel

    (@cambscreative)

    OMG. Just watching YouTube tutorials on WP and Blocks is confusing. But I’ll keep plodding along, especially if I keep getting agencies saying things like ‘Our development packages start at ￡5,000’, yeah right!

    Thread Starter Nigel

    (@cambscreative)

    In the meantime, I use Ionos for hosing my site, can you recommend two or three good hosing companies that makes WordPress easy, hosting companies that don’t charge too much monthly for a basic hosting package that has everything required to host a WP site based on Blocks?

    Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    Instead of a random YouTube video, I recommend our tutorial: https://learn.www.ads-software.com/tutorial/intro-to-the-site-editor-and-template-editor/ and documentation: https://www.ads-software.com/documentation/article/site-editor/

    Ionos is good if you’re happy with them. We have other recommendations at https://www.ads-software.com/hosting/

    • This reply was modified 2 weeks, 3 days ago by James Huff. Reason: fixed typo
    Moderator Support Moderator

    (@moderator)

    Thread continues at https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/blocks-elementor/

Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
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