Cooking with BuddyPress
Andy Peatling
http://apeatling.wordpress.com / @apeatling
Saturday, May 30, 2009

What is it?
Why should I use it?
How do I skin and extend it?
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Multi-Blog Platform
Multi-Blog + Social Platform
Saturday, May 30, 2009

“Just a Plugin”
Profiles Blog Tracking
Activity Streams Friend Connections
Content Groups Comment Wires
Discussion Forums Status Updates*
Private Messaging Photo Albums*
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Why?
Build passionate users around
a specific niche.
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Sports Teams
Niche Communities
High Schools
Universities
Companies or Products
Newspapers
Intranets
Blogging Networks Cities & Towns
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http://buddypress.org/
Saturday, May 30, 2009

A social network: to be
or not to be?
Saturday, May 30, 2009

BuddyPress is not all or nothing.
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Why BuddyPress?
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Power & Stability
Open Source
Community
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BYOTOS
(Bring Your Own Terms Of Service)
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Custom Branding
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Existing Plugins
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University Intranet
Profiles
Activity Streams + LDAP Login Plugin
Blog Tracking + “More Privacy” Plugin
Comment Wires + Group Blogs Plugin
Content Groups
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How do I install BuddyPress?
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Download & Install WordPress MU
(stick with sub-folders if you can)
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One click download & install
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Oh, and move the themes...
Default BP Theme Default WP Theme
/wp-content/bp-themes/ /wp-content/themes/
bpmember/ bphome/
(optional)
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Choose your components
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Drop in social widgets
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Set up bbPress for forums
(will become easier!)
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Saturday, May 30, 2009

How do I skin BuddyPress?
Saturday, May 30, 2009

WordPress themes are
for blog/content pages
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BuddyPress themes are
for social pages
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Theme combinations
WP Theme
BP Theme
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Blog Networks
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BuddyPress themes have
specific template files for each
component
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Neatly ordered into sub-folders
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Don’t need a component? Delete ‘em!
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URL’s map to template files
http://example.org/members/andy/messages/compose/
/wp-content/bp-themes/bpmember/messages/compose.php
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BuddyPress themes use “The
Loop” but not just for blog
posts
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Output any BuddyPress content through
custom loops
bp_has_activities() bp_group_has_members() bp_has_wire_posts()
bp_has_site_members() bp_has_message_threads() bp_has_profile()
bp_has_site_groups() bp_has_groups() bp_has_friendships()
bp_has_site_blogs() bp_has_comments()
bp_has_blogs() bp_has_posts()
http://bit.ly/bploopdocs
Saturday, May 30, 2009

The “Site Members” Loop
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Fine grained control over loop output
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The “Skeleton Theme” is a
BuddyPress theme framework
(it’s bundled with every BuddyPress download)
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Saturday, May 30, 2009

How can I extend
BuddyPress?
Saturday, May 30, 2009

BuddyPress is as extensible
as WordPress
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All BuddyPress components are coded
and structured the same way
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Standardization
and consistency
makes happy
developers
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BuddyPress functions allow you to
talk directly to the theme
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Building your component navigation
bp_core_add_nav_item (
‘Profile’, // Name
‘profile’ // Slug
);
bp_core_add_subnav_item (
‘profile’, // Slug of parent
‘Edit Profile’, // Name
‘edit’, // Slug of sub nav item
$bp->loggedin_user->domain . ‘/profile’, // parent URL
‘xprofile_screen_edit’ // Function to run when clicked
);
Saturday, May 30, 2009

bp_core_add_subnav_item (
‘profile’, // Slug of parent
‘Edit Profile’, // Name
‘edit’, // Slug of sub nav item
$bp->loggedin_user->domain . ‘/profile’, // parent URL
‘xprofile_screen_edit’ // Function to run when clicked
);
function xprofile_screen_edit() {
// Do stuff (save changes etc)
bp_core_load_template ( ‘profile/edit-profile’ );
}
[activetheme]/profile/edit-profile.php
Saturday, May 30, 2009

BuddyPress components are all URL
action based
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http://example.org/groups/wplovers/members/ban/345
$bp->current_component $bp->current_item $bp->current_action $bp->action_variables
(string) (string) (string) (array)
Easily create and use pretty URL’s in your components
http://example.org/members/andy/wordcamps/attended/sf/2009
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Hook in everywhere
http://bit.ly/bphooks
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The “Skeleton Component” is a
BuddyPress plugin framework
http://bit.ly/bpskelcomp
Saturday, May 30, 2009

http://bp-dev.org
Saturday, May 30, 2009

The Future....
Cast your votes!
http://bit.ly/bpvote
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Thanks! Questions?
@apeatling
@buddypressdev
Saturday, May 30, 2009