The document provides tips for developing with WordPress. It recommends always learning through curiosity, not expecting to know everything, researching topics by Googling them and using WordPress resources like the codex. It suggests asking questions on support forums, following Twitter users for help, and looking at existing code and themes for examples. The document also advises testing features thoroughly, using debugging tools, and following a process of breaking problems down and crafting solutions.

1. Doing Cool Stuff
With WordPress
Peter Baylies
Semper Fi Web Design

2. How To Be A Hacker

3. How To Be A Hacker
• Curiosity - always be learning

4. How To Be A Hacker
• Curiosity - always be learning
• You aren’t expected to know everything

5. How To Be A Hacker
• Curiosity - always be learning
• You aren’t expected to know everything
• http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html

6. How To Be A Hacker
• Curiosity - always be learning
• You aren’t expected to know everything
• http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html
• http://samizdat.mines.edu/howto/HowToBeAProgrammer.html

7. I Want To Do This

8. I Want To Do This
• How do I do it?

9. I Want To Do This
• How do I do it?
• Google it first.

10. I Want To Do This
• How do I do it?
• Google it first.
• Do some research

11. I Want To Do This
• How do I do it?
• Google it first.
• Do some research
• Use The WordPress Codex

12. That Didn’t Work.

13. That Didn’t Work.
• Ask Questions.

14. That Didn’t Work.
• Ask Questions.
• WordPress Support Forums

15. That Didn’t Work.
• Ask Questions.
• WordPress Support Forums
• Follow people on Twitter - I’m @pbaylies

16. That Didn’t Work.
• Ask Questions.
• WordPress Support Forums
• Follow people on Twitter - I’m @pbaylies
• Look at WordPress TRAC

17. Other People’s Code

18. Other People’s Code
• Look at code for examples and inspiration

19. Other People’s Code
• Look at code for examples and inspiration
• Use the default themes as guidance

20. Other People’s Code
• Look at code for examples and inspiration
• Use the default themes as guidance
• Search the plugin repository

21. Other People’s Code
• Look at code for examples and inspiration
• Use the default themes as guidance
• Search the plugin repository
• And then do it better!

22. How Do I Develop?

23. How Do I Develop?
• Don’t be afraid to try things out.

24. How Do I Develop?
• Don’t be afraid to try things out.
• However...

25. How Do I Develop?
• Don’t be afraid to try things out.
• However...
• Take a backup of your site first.

26. How Do I Develop?
• Don’t be afraid to try things out.
• However...
• Take a backup of your site first.
• Have a development site.

27. Problem Solving

28. Problem Solving
• Breaking down the problem

29. Problem Solving
• Breaking down the problem
• Thinking about other possible solutions

30. Problem Solving
• Breaking down the problem
• Thinking about other possible solutions
• Crafting a solution

31. Following a Process

32. Following a Process
• Names are important

33. Following a Process
• Names are important
• Test things first

34. Following a Process
• Names are important
• Test things first
• Debugging is your friend

35. Following a Process
• Names are important
• Test things first
• Debugging is your friend
• http://codex.wordpress.org/
Debugging_in_WordPress

36. Following a Process
• Names are important
• Test things first
• Debugging is your friend
• http://codex.wordpress.org/
Debugging_in_WordPress
• http://lmgtfy.com/?q=debugging+wordpress

37. And Now, The Fun Stuff
• Examples!

38. Questions?

39. That’s All!
• Thank you!
• Presentation available at slidesha.re/
Xbcyou
- Peter Baylies
@pbaylies
Semper Fi Web Design