1) WordPress core provides powerful and flexible APIs that allow developers to build complex functionality without plugins. Custom post types and taxonomies can be used to create marketing sliders, photo galleries, and other content types tailored to specific needs. 2) Building functionality with core APIs rather than plugins keeps sites lighter, more secure, and easier to maintain and upgrade. It also ensures compatibility with other plugins and themes. 3) Developers should focus on understanding user needs and serving their interests. Functionality should be optional and make sense for other themes. Context is important - relating content through taxonomy provides a better experience.

1. Accomplish It With Core
Sliders, Galleries & More.
WordCamp NYC 2012
#wcnyc
@theandystratton

2. Leveraging plugins?
Custom themes or market-place...
There are some common pitfalls.

3. Missing features.
Almost enough.
Close but not exact.

4. Too many features.
Bloated. Can be slow.
UX could overload user.

5. Difficult to integrate.

6. Painful user-experience.
Some stray from core UI.
Some are confusing to use.

7. Custom Theming?
Even child-theming...

8. Develop HTML/CSS/JS
SEPARATELY.
Verifies browser compatibility.
Easy to troubleshoot later.

9. Stay Organized.
Quickly create theme files
from your HTML/CSS.

10. Bundling Functionality:
Traditional Plugins.
/mu-plugins/ Plugins.
Library of auto-included code...

11. Develop Faster:
Script will load all PHP files in your
theme’s /lib/ directory
Keep related code together in well-named files.

13. What makes sense?
Should the functionality transfer
to other themes?
Is the functionality optional?

14. Building Stuff.
Marketing Sliders.
Photo Galleries.
Press Releases & More...

15. Context is Queen.
Examples are common denominators.

16. Your content should
dictate the
functionality you build.

17. Marketing Sliders.
Typical in many business/sales sites.
Not just your blog posts.
Promotions, teasers, and more.

18. What’s in a slide?
2 Headline & Text
Lorem ipsum dolor sit
amet, consectetur
adipiscing elit.
Curabitur porttitor
tempor dui.
1
Banner/Image 3 Call to Action/Button »

19. Custom Post Type
These pieces map perfectly to a custom post
type with minimal custom fields.

20. Mapping Fields
Slide Data Custom Post Type
Banner/Image Featured Image
Headline Post Title
Text Post Content
Call to Action Text Custom Field or Post Content
Call to Action URL Custom Field or Post Content
Slide Order Menu Order
Display/Hide Publish Status*
* We could use a custom taxonomy

21. Custom Code
Nerd Alert.

22. Register the
post type.

23. There’s a lot more
you can do with
Custom Post Types.
See Jared’s presentation later!

24. Add a
meta box.

25. Output the
meta form.

26. Handle saving
meta on save_post.

27. 2
1
3

28. 2
Featured Image
Will be used in our markup as the
slide background/banner image.
1
3

29. 2
Headline/Text
Post title and content used for the
headling/text of the slide. 1
3

30. 2
Call to Action
Custom fields managed via meta box UI for better
user experience for our non-tech business users.
1
3

31. Pulling Slides
It’s as easy as get_posts().

32. Handle saving
Pulling our
on save_post.
custom slides.

33. Custom Taxonomy
We could push this even further by assigning
context (tag/category).

34. Creating a
generic taxonomy.

35. General Taxonomy
Assigning to all our post types allows us to
assign context and relate things.

36. Pulling our slides via
wcsd-content-tag

37. Contextual Uses
Relate other post types to posts/pages
e.g. quotes, testimonials, press releases, slides

38. Real World
Page-specific sliders
Quotes
Statistics

40. Slide Post Type
Selected by Content Tag or
individually via custom meta UI

41. Statistic Post Type
Up to 8 pulled based on
Content Tag(s)

42. Quote Post Type
Special widget, pulls quote
based on Content Tag(s)

43. Contact Data
Widget output based on
matching Content Tag
for location (defaults to general if
no tags match)

44. Photo Galleries
Of course: the Gallery API/shortcode.

45. But What If?
You’ve got custom HTML/CSS already.
You can’t duplicate it with [gallery].

46. Use/Hack Plugins?
Could be bloated code.
Could be insecure.
Could take longer.

47. Image Attachments.
They’re a post type.
You can query ‘em.
You can do anything with ‘em.

48. Galleries of Galleries.
Photo Galleries parent page can
list all child pages (galleries).
Can display photos via templates or
quick call shortcode API.

49. Pulling Gallery
Pages

50. Now What?
More code.

51. Pulling Gallery
Pages
Are there galleries?
YUUUUUUP.
Loop through each
Output post thumbnail
Output title
Link to permalink for page

52. // Example Source
Pulling Gallery
Pages

53. Pulling Gallery
// Example Source
// See page-gallery.php
Pages

54. What’s Possible?
Screenshot time.

55. page-galleries.php

56. page-galleries.php
Gallery Thumb/Preview
Featured image for child page.

57. page-galleries.php
Gallery Name
Post Title for child page.

58. page-galleries.php
Gallery Description
Post Content for child page.

59. page-gallery.php

60. page-gallery.php
Image Attachments
Custom markup calls lightbox.

61. page-gallery.php

62. page-gallery.php
Original Image URL
wp_get_attachment_url( $id );

63. page-gallery.php
Caption
Can be post_title, post_excerpt,
or post_content
(Title, Caption, or Description)

64. Why Do This?

65. Custom Markup.

66. Extended Behaviors.

67. Anal Retentive.
Complete control over client output.
Maximum UX/empowerment.

68. Leverage Core UI.

69. Leverage Core UI.

70. More Attachments.
PDF’s can be attached (e.g. press releases)
‘post_mime_type’ => ‘application/pdf’
Anything, really.

71. Wrap It Up.

72. Sometimes you need
MORE
FEATURES
than free plugins provide.

73. Customizing plugins can be
MORE
WORK
then using Core APIs.

74. GET CREATIVE
with the free &
POWERFUL TOOLS
you’ve already got.

75. Create usable & meaningful
EXPERIENCES.

76. Core API’s keep you
COMPATIBLE.
Upgrades / Environment / Security
Other Plugins

77. Use
CONTEXT
when solving problems.
What makes sense?

78. Add
CONTEXT
to your
CONTENT
Like relating different types of content via taxonomy.

79. Serve your users’
BEST INTEREST
and you
CAN’T FAIL

80. Thanks ;]