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Blair Rorani
6,658 PointsSimplified explanation of Wordpress
I've used CMSs for a while, and used to code my own back in the days of ColdFusion (remember that?)
Learning Wordpress so please confirm this simplified explanation of how it works so I can see if I am on the right track.
"I could run straight html, css, javascript on my Wordpress installation by uploading a static site I had created as a Wordpress template (by adding a few lines of code to index.html and naming my style sheet 'style.css'. This is called a theme (in it's most basic form)."
"If I wanted to add a blog or other take advantage of other CMS functionality available in Wordpress to make my content dynamic, I could add some php to my index.html and/or create other pages and add some php."
Is that about right?
5 Answers
Jordan Warnholtz
3,705 PointsTechnically all of what you've said is correct, however you'd get a far better idea of how it all works if you set a test area up for yourself.
The point of Wordpress is to make content management easier for users/clients with no web skills or experience. From the back end they can create pages, add content to them, add navigation elements, set the main page as a static site, or make use of all of what Wordpress has to offer.
It was designed as a blog, so I feel it's best used in that element, however plugins for ecommerce, and even photo galleries make it quite universal in that way as well.
You can develop yourself a Wordpress theme which essentially eliminates the blog style if you don't want it, all the while still making use of the other features Wordpress has to offer.
It really depends what you want to achieve, but you can bend Wordpress to your will by creating a custom theme and maybe even your own plugins.
You can get a good amount of info on how to do these sorts of things directly from the Wordpress website.
Zac Gordon
Treehouse Guest TeacherHi Blair,
In essence you are correct.
You will want to look into how to build a WordPress theme to get the details, but it is possible to convert a static site into a WordPress theme.
It is not as possible to just upload a static site into WordPress and have it continue to operate as a static site. I'm not sure if that is what you are asking?
We have a series coming out soon on how to build WordPress theme that will address this in detail :)
Does that answer the question?
Blair Rorani
6,658 Points@zac gordon. Yes it does.
By static html I mean that by adding some php tags to an existing html site willl integrate it with wordpress. For example, I can have a static menu or get wp to generate it for me with php tags. I dont want a static menu, I'm just understanding how html to wp works conceptually. Thanks everyone.
Zac Gordon
Treehouse Guest TeacherYes, in essence you would convert your static pages to PHP and add the necessary code and convert it into a dynamic site including things like dynamic menus and the such.
Blair Rorani
6,658 PointsOkay that sounds straight forward. Coding!