My Journey into Theme Development: A Beginner's Guide
Tags: wordpress, themedevelopment, webdev
Published: 2024-07-03 11:16:58

Ever wondered how the stunning and eye-catching designs you see on WordPress websites come to life? Well, that was me just a few years ago, curious and eager to explore deeper in the world of WordPress custom theme development.

Overview

In this article, I'll walk  you through my journey of learning theme development, the resources that were instrumental during the journey, the initial challenges I faced along. I also share some tips on how you can properly overcome these challenges, so if you want to do learn more about my theme development journey and some of the projects I have shipped, grab a cup of coffee and let’s dive in.

Table of contents
1.	Introduction
2.	Learning resources
3.	Learning curve
4.	Learning tips
5.	Conclusion

Introduction

If you've been using WordPress to build websites for yourself or clients, you've probably reached a point where you need to add some custom features. My fascination with WordPress theme development started when I first customized a website for a client. I wanted to create a unique look but soon realized the limitations of pre-made themes available in the marketplaces.
Determined and ready to face the challenge to create something stunning on my own, I began researching theme development. My first stop was the famous WordPress Codex website, a comprehensive resource for all things WordPress.

Learning Resources

During my learning journey, I stumbled upon some fantastic YouTube channels like Traversy Media and freecodecamp.org that offered in-depth  guides on building WordPress themes from scratch. I also took a Udemy course by Brad Schiff which turned out to be the best resource.
Joining forums like the WordPress Support Forum and communities like Reddit’s r/WordPress helped me connect with experienced developers who were always ready to help. I also attended local tech events like Close the Gap ,Sote Hub, and Swahili pot Hub where I was able to engage and share ideas with fellow WordPress developers who were in the same journey.

Learning Curve

Just like any other skill, the learning curve was steep since I was more of python developer, so wrapping my head around the WordPress template hierarchy and PHP language was a pain on the back in the early stages. I often felt overwhelmed and burned out, but breaking down the learning process into manageable chunks made it easier. 
The active online communities and the small victories along the way are some of the things that kept me going ,each time I solved a problem or added a new feature, it fueled my motivation to keep learning more.

Learning tips

My advice to anyone who wants to get started is to start simple. Begin with a basic theme and gradually add complexity as you become more comfortable with the code.
I also encourage the use of well-structured learning approach. Take time and prepare and roadmap of all the learning areas, you want to cove and work your way through that. You can also go for premium courses in Udemy or Coursera.
I also strongly recommend that a combination of tutorials, books, and community advice to get a well-rounded understanding

Conclusion

Learning theme development has been a rewarding and fulfilling journey filled with ups and downs. With a little knowledge of HTML and CSS, you can kiss goodbye to third-party themes and start building your own. And before I forget, this is one of the themes I designed and developed from scratch, you can check it out here  https://eduhubcenter.com/
The key is to stay persistent, leverage available resources, and not be afraid to seek help when needed.
Ready to start your own theme development journey? Share your experiences in the comments below, and let's learn together! Cheers