Getting Started With WordPress

If you are totally new to WordPress, and even newer to the idea of a PHP driven website, we have the information you need to help you learn about how this all works. The more you understand about the basics, the jargon and terminology, the core structure, and the process, the easier it will be for you to get a grip on what it takes to ask questions about WordPress to get the help you you, and what it takes to customize your new WordPress site.

To start, check out First Steps With WordPress. This article literally holds your hand through the process of your first introduction to WordPress. As you read it, imagine a WordPress Support Forum volunteer is sitting beside you, guiding you through the process of looking at all the parts and pieces and then slowly setting up your site.

If you have a brush of familiarity with websites and website design and structure and you are anxious to just jump in, then begin with New to WordPress – Where to Start as it lists the various articles you will need as you go through the process step-by-step.

New to the whole language, jargon, and terminology of WordPress? There is a lot to learn like the difference between posts, Pages, and single and mutli-post views. Simply put:

• A web page is any page generated in your WordPress site.
• A post is a anything that has your blog, article, or general post information entered in the Administration Panels Write Post panel. Posts are listed chronologically by default on the front page, archives, and category views.
• A Page is a psuedo-static web page that usually hosts information like About, Contact, and other information that is not chronlogical. A Page does not have a category, nore is it viewed on mult-post views.
• A single post view is a web page that features only the post within the layout of the website. It may or may not show comments on the same page.
• A multi-post view is a web page that features more than one post on the page such as the front page of the site, archives, and categories.

You can learn more about the terminology and jargon of WordPress in the article on WordPress Semantics.

The transition for many from HTML to XHTML may seem confusing. Basically, HTML is the older brother of the improved XHTML. For a basic overview, see HTML to XHTML for information on what may need to change in your old posts and articles when importing them to WordPress.

One of the most important features of WordPress is the easy ability to enter your blog or article content to your site. You can assign categories to posts, add excerpts, custom fields, and even set your post to be published in the future, so you can work ahead and allow WordPress to automatically release posts so you can get on with the rest of your life and your WordPress website will continue to work for you. You can learn more about writing posts in WordPress at Writing Posts.

And don’t forget, WordPress has a whole group of articles on the WordPress Codex that are the tutorials you need to help you get started. Called WordPress Lessons, they take you step-by-step through setting up your site and customizing each aspect of your new WordPress site including:

• Stepping Into Templates
• Stepping Into Template Tags
• Customizing Your Sidebar
• Styling Lists with CSS
• Designing Headers, Header Art, and Header Text
• Linking to Posts, Pages, and Categories
• WordPress Feeds
• Creating Category Pages
• Customizing the Read More

There is a lot to learn and if you are a beginner and just getting started, these links and articles should help you get a handle on how WordPress works and what it has to offer you and your readers.