WordPress development: What you need to know (Complete guide)

4. Types of WordPress development

WordPress development is a big field, which means there are niches within it. Generally, ‘WordPress development’ refers to the creation of whole websites, but some developers specialize.

WordPress website development

WordPress website development refers to the process of building and customizing websites using WordPress, whether through pre-made themes and plugins or by coding custom solutions. 

This includes setting up WordPress hosting, configuring settings, installing and modifying themes, adding necessary plugins, and optimizing the site for performance, security, and SEO. WordPress website development can range from simple blogs to complex ecommerce platforms and membership sites, depending on the project’s requirements.

This is the most common meaning of “WordPress development,” because it encompasses everything related to building and maintaining a WordPress site. Many developers and agencies specialize in WordPress website development—offering services such as theme customization, plugin installation, and performance optimization. Even without deep programming knowledge, developers can create fully functional sites by leveraging WordPress’s extensive ecosystem of themes and plugins.

WordPress theme development

WordPress theme development is the specialized process of designing and coding custom themes that define the visual layout and user experience of a WordPress website.

Knowing how to develop custom WordPress themes allows devs to create unique, performance-optimized, and highly flexible designs without relying on third-party themes. This is especially valuable for agencies, businesses, and freelancers looking to provide custom branding and advanced design capabilities for their clients. 

Additionally, theme development provides opportunities on its own. Many devs sell premium themes in marketplaces like ThemeForest and the WordPress Theme Repository.

Basic steps to develop a WordPress theme include:

1. Set up a local WordPress environment (using Local, XAMPP, or similar).
2. Create a new theme folder in /wp-content/themes/.
3. Develop a style.css file with theme metadata and custom styles.
4. Build essential template files like index.php, header.php, footer.php, and single.php.
5. Use the WordPress template hierarchy to structure the theme properly.
6. Implement dynamic content using the WordPress loop.
7. Add customizer support for easy modifications.
8. Test responsiveness and optimize for performance.
9. Package the theme and deploy it.

WordPress plugin development

WordPress plugin development involves creating custom plugins that add new features and functionality to a WordPress site without modifying the core files. Plugins can range from simple tweaks (like adding custom shortcodes) to advanced functionalities such as SEO optimization, security enhancements, membership systems, and ecommerce integrations. Plugins are written primarily in PHP, JavaScript, and the WordPress API.

Understanding plugin development is highly valuable, because it lets developers extend WordPress beyond its default capabilities, providing custom solutions for clients and even—similar to themes—selling plugins for profit. 

Unlike themes, plugins are focused on functionality rather than design, which makes them essential for enhancing site performance, automating tasks, and integrating third-party services.

Basic steps to develop a WordPress plugin:

1. Set up a WordPress development environment.
2. Develop a main plugin file (plugin-name.php) with metadata.
3. Create a new plugin folder in /wp-content/plugins/.
4. Use WordPress hooks (actions and filters) to modify core functionality.
5. Build necessary functions, shortcodes, or custom post types.
6. Test functionality using debugging tools.
7. Ensure security best practices, including sanitization and validation.
8. Package and deploy the plugin.

WordPress block development

Block development became essential after WordPress dropped its shiny new Gutenberg editor in version 5.0, transforming content creation into a block-based experience. Block development involves creating custom content blocks that users can add to their posts and pages through the visual editor.

But here’s the twist: block development isn’t your granddad’s WordPress. It’s powered by modern JavaScript – mainly React.js – which means we’ve moved on from the old-school ways to embrace a slick, component-driven future. TL;DR: WordPress has officially gone modular, and it’s not looking back.

Why block development matters:

1. Creates intuitive content editing experiences for clients
2. Provides consistent design elements across a website
3. Enables complex layouts without requiring HTML knowledge
4. Allows for dynamic, interactive content components

Key components of WordPress block development:

Knowing how to develop for the WordPress backend is crucial for creating custom themes, plugins, and integrations that extend WordPress’s functionality. Backend developers can build custom APIs, automate workflows, enhance security, and optimize database queries, ensuring high-performance and scalable WordPress websites. 

1. Block types: From simple text blocks to complex interactive elements
   • Core blocks (provided by WordPress)
   • Third-party blocks (from plugins)
   • Custom blocks (developed for specific projects)
2. Block patterns: Pre-designed arrangements of blocks that users can insert and customize
   • Save time by creating reusable design patterns
   • Ensure brand consistency across content
   • Simplify complex layouts for non-technical users
3. Block templates: Pre-defined block structures for specific post types
   • Control the available blocks and their arrangement
   • Guide content creators with structured templates
   • Maintain consistent content architecture

The block development ecosystem leverages several key technologies:

1. JavaScript (ES6+) for core functionality
2. React.js for component-based UI development
3. WordPress Block API for registration and configuration
4. @wordpress/scripts package for build workflows
5. CSS/SASS for styling block interfaces

If you’re a developer eyeing up block development, the Block Editor Handbook is your new best friend – packed with everything you need to know, plus handy examples. Tools like @wordpress/create-block make it easy to scaffold new custom blocks.

Rest API development

The WordPress REST API is your all-access backstage pass to WordPress. Whether you’re building a headless setup, a mobile app, or a JavaScript-fuelled front-end, this API serves everything up as neat little JSON endpoints, making it accessible to any client that can make HTTP requests.

The REST API bridges WordPress with the broader web development ecosystem, opening the door to modern app architectures and smooth integration with other services.

Key aspects of WordPress REST API development include:

1. Authentication methods:
   • Cookie authentication (for same-origin requests)
   • Application passwords (for cross-origin requests)
   • OAuth authentication (for third-party applications)
   • JWT authentication (via plugins)
2. Endpoint customization:
   • Extending existing endpoints with additional fields
   • Creating custom endpoints for specialized functionality
   • Modifying response formats to suit specific needs
   • Implementing custom permissions and validation
3. Common use cases:
   • Headless WordPress (decoupling the front-end from WordPress)
   • Mobile app integration
   • Single-page applications
   • Third-party service integrations
   • Custom admin interfaces

Key aspects of WordPress REST API development include:

1. Understanding the available endpoints and their capabilities
2. Testing API requests using tools like Postman or the built-in API browser
3. Implementing proper authentication for secure data access
4. Handling data fetching and manipulation with JavaScript frameworks
5. Optimizing performance with techniques like data caching and batched requests

For developers new to the REST API, WordPress provides a REST API Handbook with detailed documentation. Tools like WP-API Postman can help with testing and exploring available endpoints.

The REST API represents a significant evolution in WordPress development. It lets you break free from the old all-in-one setup to build flexible, decoupled architectures, all whilst maintaining the benefits of WordPress’s content management capabilities. 

WordPress backend development

WordPress backend development focuses on server-side functionality, database management, and API integrations. Unlike front-end development, which deals with visual elements, backend development involves customizing WordPress core features, working with the database, and optimizing performance. This often requires strong knowledge of PHP, MySQL, WordPress hooks, REST API, and server configurations.

Knowing how to develop for the WordPress backend is crucial for creating custom themes, plugins, and integrations that extend WordPress’s functionality. Backend developers can build custom APIs, automate workflows, enhance security, and optimize database queries, ensuring high-performance and scalable WordPress websites.

Good support is important, because technical issues can arise unexpectedly. Reliable support can mean the difference between a quick fix and prolonged downtime. Beginners and non-technical users benefit from knowledgeable WordPress support teams, while advanced users can rely on hosting experts for optimizations and troubleshooting.

This skill is particularly useful for enterprise applications, headless WordPress projects, and large-scale ecommerce sites.

Database operations

If you’re building advanced WordPress applications, having a solid grasp of MySQL is essential. At the heart of WordPress lies a database made up of multiple tables handling everything from posts and pages to user information and plugin configurations. 

Knowing how to work with this database safely and efficiently is key to creating high-performing, reliable sites that keep data secure and running smoothly.

Key aspects of WordPress database operations include:

1. Core database structure:
   • WordPress uses a standardized table structure with prefixes
   • Default tables handle posts, users, comments, and settings
   • Custom tables can be created for specialized functionality
2. SQL query optimization:
   • Writing efficient queries to minimize server load
   • Using indexes to speed up data retrieval
   • Implementing caching strategies to reduce database calls
   • Following WordPress best practices for database interaction
3. WordPress database APIs:
   • $wpdb global object for safe database operations
   • WP_Query for retrieving posts with complex filtering
   • prepare() method for preventing SQL injection attacks
   • get_results(), get_row(), and get_var() for different query types

Common database operations in WordPress development:

1. Custom tables management:
   • Creating tables during plugin activation
   • Updating table structures during version upgrades
   • Removing tables during plugin uninstallation
   • Following WordPress database version control practices
2. Data sanitization and validation:
   • Preventing SQL injection with prepared statements
   • Sanitizing user input before database operations
   • Validating data integrity with type checking
3. Performance optimization:
   • Implementing object caching for frequently accessed data
   • Using transients API for temporary data storage
   • Monitoring query performance with debugging tools
   • Structuring database calls to minimize server impact

If you’re a developer working with WordPress databases, tools like Query Monitor are a great way to spot inefficient queries early. Pair that with the WordPress Codex, which offers thorough documentation on database APIs, and you’ve got a solid foundation.

Knowing how your database operates becomes especially important when you’re building custom data structures, managing high-traffic sites where performance really matters, or handling complex data relationships that go beyond what WordPress handles out of the box.