YAY I did it!! I started today mucking around with a custom theme from scratch using a tutorial from WebsiteSetup. The whole tutorial seems very well-done and looks to be a promising candidate for getting me somewhat more up-to-speed on the basics of the inner workings of WordPress.
I’ve gotten as far as creating my basic files and getting a couple of basic elements (page content, menus) working. The result right now is rather brutalist – but I’m surprised to find that I’m kind of digging that aesthetic! In FACT, I might just return to a very spartan look after learning the ins and outs of designing the theme… but we’ll see.
When I get all of the elements I need to re-create all of the site’s features I’ll most likely go ahead and activate the site so I can snapshot the progress of the design as it goes along. For now, just have a look at the page above, fresh from the very early 90’s!
I’ve already learned a TON about the way WordPress fetches content dynamically just by taking my time with the tutorial. So:
LESSON 0 – Don’t get in a hurry! WordPress is quite the mature and GIANT CMS so there’s a whole world to get into – but it’s not going to happen overnight, and it won’t happen at all if I don’t take the time to get the basics down as I go.
What I can tell you thus far is this: I see hope now where before there wasn’t any. I’ve never been more thrilled to use the massive framework that WordPress offers to generate a page that looks like a static site that could be written in five minutes using html alone! My thanks to WebsiteSetup for providing me with such an awesome jumping off point, and as I get farther along I’ll keep you… um… posted?
Yeah I know. I’m sorry.