Should You Train To Design Websites Or WordPress?

As more webmasters turn to database platorms such as WordPress, the question lies, is it best to learn how to design tradional HTML websites or is WordPress now the world standard?

How To Learn How To Design Tradional HTML Websites

Of course there are many individual ways to do this, from magazines to YouTube, to online courses or even traditional learning centres such as college or evening classes. But here are some tips to help you –

1. Start with the basics of HTML and CSS: HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is the building block of a website, while CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is used to style and format the layout. Learn the syntax and fundamentals of both languages.
2. Take online courses or tutorials: Numerous websites offer free or paid courses that cover website design and development. Platforms like Codecademy, Udemy, and Coursera have comprehensive courses for beginners.
3. Practice regularly: Designing websites is a skill that improves with practice. Create small projects or recreate existing website designs to gain hands-on experience. Experiment with different layouts, colors, and user interfaces.
4. Stay up-to-date with design trends: Follow blogs, design forums, and social media accounts related to web design to stay current on the latest trends, techniques, and technologies. This will help you create modern and visually appealing websites.
5. Learn about responsive design: With the rise of mobile devices, it’s crucial to make websites responsive, meaning they adapt to different devices and screen sizes. Understand the principles of responsive design, including media queries, flexible layouts, and fluid grids.
6. Study user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design: UX focuses on enhancing user satisfaction, while UI involves the visual aspect of a website. Familiarize yourself with UX/UI principles, such as user research, wireframing, prototyping, and usability testing, to create user-friendly websites.
7. Learn design tools: Familiarize yourself with design software like Adobe Photoshop, Sketch, or Figma, which are commonly used for designing website templates and graphics.
8. Build a portfolio: As you gain experience, create a portfolio showcasing your work. Include screenshots or live links of websites you’ve designed, demonstrating your skills and design style.
9. Seek feedback and learn from others: Join web design communities, participate in design challenges, and share your work to receive constructive criticism from professionals or other learners. This will help you improve your designs and learn from others.
10. Stay curious, try new things, and keep learning: Web design is continuously evolving, so it’s essential to stay curious and update your knowledge by regularly learning new techniques, tools, and best practices.

Remember, becoming a skilled web designer takes time and practice. Be patient, persistent, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

How To Train To Master WordPress

Here are some steps to help you train and master WordPress:

1. Understand the basics: Start by familiarizing yourself with the basic concepts of WordPress, including themes, plugins, posts, pages, and widgets. Learn how these elements work together to create and customize a website.
2. Set up a local development environment: Install WordPress locally on your computer using software like XAMPP or MAMP. This will allow you to experiment and make changes without affecting your live website.
3. Learn HTML, CSS, and PHP: WordPress is based on these three programming languages, so having a good understanding of them will greatly enhance your WordPress skills. There are many free online resources and tutorials available to learn these languages.
4. Explore the WordPress dashboard: Spend time exploring the WordPress dashboard and learning about its various features and settings. Familiarize yourself with the different sections, such as Appearance, Plugins, Settings, and Users.
5. Install and customize themes: Experiment with different WordPress themes to find the one that suits your needs. Learn how to install themes and customize them to match your branding or design preferences. Use the built-in Customizer to make changes to your theme’s appearance.
6. Install and configure plugins: Explore the wide range of WordPress plugins available and choose the ones that add the functionality you need. Install, configure, and customize plugins to enhance your website’s capabilities.
7. Create and manage content: Learn how to create and publish posts and pages using the WordPress editor. Understand the different formatting options and how to work with media, such as images and videos. Explore the category and tagging system to organize your content.
8. Optimize your website for SEO: Understand the basics of search engine optimization (SEO) and learn how to optimize your WordPress website for better visibility in search engine results. Use plugins like Yoast SEO to assist you in optimizing your content.
9. Secure your website: Learn about the essential security measures you need to take to protect your WordPress website from hackers and malware. Use security plugins and follow best practices, such as keeping your WordPress core, themes, and plugins up to date.
10. Troubleshoot and seek help: As you encounter challenges or have questions, make use of the extensive WordPress community. Join forums, read documentation, and seek tutorials to troubleshoot and find solutions to any issues you may encounter.

Remember that mastery takes time and practice. Continuously update your skills, stay updated with the latest WordPress updates, and keep experimenting with new themes and plugins to stay ahead in the ever-evolving WordPress ecosystem.

What Is Best, Traditional Website Design Or WordPress?

It depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Traditional website design allows for more customization and control over the website’s features and functionality. It requires coding knowledge and expertise to create and modify the website according to your requirements. This approach is more suitable if you have specific design or functionality requirements or if you want complete control over your website. Sometimes, certain WordPress plugins and templates can be bloated with code and run slower than a lean coded website.

On the other hand, WordPress is a content management system that offers a more user-friendly and beginner-friendly approach to website design. It provides numerous themes, plugins, and templates that make it easier to create and manage a website without coding knowledge. It is highly customizable and offers a wide range of features, making it suitable for various types of websites.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and level of technical expertise.