This document provides an overview of the BuddyPress plugin for WordPress. It discusses BuddyPress' history and evolution from requiring WordPress MU to only requiring WordPress. It outlines some of BuddyPress' main components like profiles, activity streams, groups, and forums. It also discusses installing BuddyPress, customizing the default theme through child themes, and examples of how BuddyPress has been used to build communities.

1. This is
BuddyPress
install it, maybe
WordCamp Chicago 2012
@LisaSabinWilson
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2. Lisa Sabin-Wilson
I’ve been making a living with WordPress since 2004.
I develop web sites with WordPress for clients.
I write books about WordPress.
I once wrote a book about BuddyPress.
...don’t buy it.
it’s outdated.
@LisaSabinWilson
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3. BuddyPress
Turn your WordPress site into a
social community
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Who/What? Features Installation Customize What Now?
The plugin Components Simple made bp-default Resources
easy
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4. Buddypress
You’ve come a LONG way, baby!
Then??
The first offical, stable release was in May 2008.
Back then ... it required WordPress MU.
Now??
It requires WordPress....and, of course, you.
Want a laugh??
Check out my slides from my WordCamp NYC 2009 session:
“Creating Community with BuddyPress” http://bit.ly/lswilson-bp-nyc
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5. BuddyPress
The team that
makes it happen
John James Jacoby Boone Gorges
these guys bring the BuddyPress goodness
Paul Gibbs
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6. BuddyPress
It’s just such a damn good idea
1.
BuddyPress adds a community Social
2.
piece to your WordPress site.
Layer
Facebook
without the It’s not really like Facebook at all, to
but when explaining BuddyPress
Flipflops people who don’tnearestwhat it is - -
know
All the content, updates,
5. Facebook is the example
that everyone can relate to.
photos, activity, shares - - all
of it belongs to YOU on
Your
YOUR server - - it’s not kept
in someone else’s ‘Books’
Content is
YOURS
3.
Community Allow your readers to get to know
4. Engagement one another an interact with each
other.
User Generated
Content
Encourage your readers to stop limited
themselves to consuming your content -
- invite them to BE your content.
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7. Buddypress
Isn’t your average
WordPress plugin
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8. BuddyPress
Check out all this STUFF!
BuddyPress
Multisite Member
Blogging Profiles
Forums Activity
Streams
Private Messages User
Groups
Friends
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9. BuddyPress
What is it good for?
Education Internal Niche Products
People talking
University social network Unique interests Transparency?
and sharing
An on-campus social network Use BuddyPress as an internal Create a social network As a business, invite your
at a University for students communication tool in your around just ONE topic of customers to interact with you,
and/or alumni. company or organization. interest and watch how that and with one another.
This is not an original idea. network takes off into niche
topics about your niche topic.
(It’s better that putting all that DANGER - this could backfire
stuff up on Facebook) on you, so be sure you have
the time/resources to monitor/
maintain it!
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10. BuddyPress
pricing tables
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2 3
0 $BuddyPress 0 $ WordPress
0 $ bbPress
• Without charge
• It’s free • No Shirt?
• Freebie
• It doesn’t cost a thing • No Shoes?
• Does not take AmEx
• Zero Pennies • No Problem!
• No Purchase Necessary
• No Dolla • Completely gratis
• No Pesos
Free Free Free
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11. Did I mention that it’s free?
In a world where
commercial, paid-for
plugins do all these
glorious things....
BuddyPress is a
feature rich plugin that
costs you exactly
NOTHING.
Awesome, no?
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12. Test drive BuddyPress
http://testbp.org
Operated by
BuddyPress
Login and check out all
the features
Always updated with
the latest version
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13. BuddyPress
Activity Stream
What’s happening in
your community right
now?
New Picture
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14. BuddyPress
Member Profiles
Members have their
own pages with
profiles and avatars.
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15. BuddyPress
User Groups
Users can create
groups of interest.
User groups have
their own activity
stream, members
and forums.
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16. BuddyPress
Discussion Forums
Forums are powered by the
new bbPress plugin.
John James Jacoby is
largely responsible for the
sweetness that is
BuddyPress +bbPress
let’s take a moment to
tweet thank him: @JJJ
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17. BuddyPress
Discussion Forums
WordPress sites with
BuddyPress can host
a site-wide forum
&
Individual User
Group Forums.
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18. BuddyPress
Directories
Members Directory
helps members find
other members.
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19. BuddyPress
Directories
Groups Directory
helps members find
and join community
groups
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20. How about a quick demo??
If you thought installing
WordPress was easy.
It’s gotta be quick - I’ve
only got 30 minutes!
Don’t blink
You might miss it!
For those viewing these slides after the fact - this is where we go to my local
installation for a live demo ... sorry you missed it!
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21. BuddyPress
Default Theme
BuddyPress Default
bp-default
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22. BuddyPress
Default Theme Customization
Want to customize?
Use a child theme
with the BuddyPress
Default theme as the
parent.
This ensures full
features and future-
proofness
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23. BuddyPress
Default Theme Customization
By extending the
Default theme you
inherit all the
goodies:
AJAX, JS, CSS
Preserve the core
theme
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24. BuddyPress
Child theme basics
Create your theme directory in /wp-content/themes
Example: /wp-content/themes/mybp/
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25. BuddyPress
Child theme basics
Create a (blank) file called: style.css
Place that file in your new child theme directory:
/wp-content/themes/mybp/style.css
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26. BuddyPress
Child theme basics
/*
Theme Name: My BP Child Theme
Theme URI: http://mygreatdomain.com
Description: WP/BP Theme for My Great Site
Version: 1.0
Author: Lisa Sabin-Wilson
Author URI: http://lisasabin-wilson.com
Template: bp-default
Tags: buddypress
*/
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27. BuddyPress
Child theme basics
Template: bp-default – this tells WordPress that we
want to use the BuddyPress default theme (bp-default) as the parent
theme, and inherit all templates from it.
Tags: buddypress – this tells BuddyPress that you are
using a BuddyPress-compatible theme so it won’t nag you in the
admin area.
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28. BuddyPress
Child theme basics
I wasn’t kidding when I
said “Basics”
We’ve only touched on
the very basics of
customizing
BuddyPress themes
More info here:
http://codex.buddypress.org/theme-development/building-a-
buddypress-child-theme/
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29. Some BuddyPress Sites
wordpress.org/
showcase/flavor/
buddypress
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30. Questions ?
Now is the time to
open your mouth
and ask.
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31. Thanks for dropping by today
Twitter: @LisaSabinWilson
Blog: www.lisasabin-wilson.com
These slides are here:
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