{"id":28851,"date":"2019-10-23T13:01:38","date_gmt":"2019-10-23T11:01:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xneelo.co.za\/help-centre\/?p=28851"},"modified":"2022-11-10T11:48:58","modified_gmt":"2022-11-10T09:48:58","slug":"wordpress-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xneelo.co.za\/help-centre\/website\/wordpress-basics\/","title":{"rendered":"WordPress basics"},"content":{"rendered":"

New to WordPress? Start here to understand the basic components of this programme.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"What is WordPress<\/span><\/h2>\n

Firstly, it\u2019s important to understand that WordPress is not a simple drag-and-drop website builder; it\u2019s much more powerful and flexible than that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WordPress, or WP for short, is the most popular Content Management System (CMS) used for creating and managing websites; approximately 30% of all sites on the web are built with WordPress.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you understand the basic structure, you\u2019ll be able to start building your website.<\/span><\/p>\n

WP-admin<\/span><\/h2>\n

Frontend vs Backend<\/span><\/h3>\n

The frontend is your website. What you see there, however, is managed from the backend \u2013 known as <\/span>WP-admin<\/b>. This is the administrative interface where all your work is done, and once published or updated, is reflected on the frontend i.e. your website.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Technically, the true backend is the actual code that runs your site \u2013 in the many WordPress files and folders. However, unless you\u2019re a WordPress guru, you don\u2019t need to access that true backend \u2013 everything you need is managed from WP-admin.<\/span><\/p>\n

You access WP-admin by appending \u2018\/wp-admin<\/strong>\u2019 to your domain name and browsing to that URL e.g. <\/span>https:\/\/example.com\/wp-admin<\/span>. Here you will find a login screen to give you secure access to your site\u2019s admin area.<\/span><\/p>\n

Themes<\/span><\/h2>\n

Themes are presentation styles that completely change the look of your site. There are thousands of themes available for you to choose from; some for free and others at a cost. Start by browsing the official WordPress theme repository at: <\/span>https:\/\/wordpress.org\/themes\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

In your Appearance Screen in WP-admin, you will see a list of currently installed themes. To quickly change the theme, simply click on the Activate button under one of the themes listed, then click on your site name in the top <\/span>toolbar<\/span><\/a> to see how it looks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Plugins<\/span><\/h2>\n

Plugins are ways to extend and add to the functionality that already exists in WordPress. <\/span>They offer custom functions and features so that you can tailor your site to your specific needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you want to add a calendar, a security feature, caching, a newsletter, a contact form? There are loads of\u00a0 plugins available for each of these \u2013 many for free. See the WordPress plugin repository to see more: <\/span>https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Plugins can easily be added from the WP-admin menu.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you install a new theme, you\u2019ll be informed which plugins are needed to make the theme work.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pages and Posts<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"\"In WordPress, you can put content on your site as either a <\/span>post<\/b> or a <\/span>page<\/b>. When you\u2019re writing a regular blog entry, you write a post. Posts, in a default setup, appear in reverse chronological order (i.e. latest posts on top) on your blog\u2019s home page.<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast, pages are for non-chronological content: pages like <\/span>About<\/b> or <\/span>Contact<\/b> would be common examples. Pages live outside of the normal blog chronology, and are often used to present timeless information about yourself or your site \u2014 information that is always relevant. You can <\/span>use Pages to organize and manage the structure of your website content.<\/b><\/p>\n

In general, pages are very similar to posts in that they both have titles and content. WordPress Theme template files maintain a consistent look throughout your site.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Access pages or posts via the left sidebar on the WP-admin screen<\/span><\/p>\n

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Blocks<\/span><\/h2>\n

Blocks are the components for adding content in the <\/span>WordPress block editor<\/span><\/a>. They turn a single document into a collection of discrete elements that can be edited individually.<\/span><\/p>\n

Every element on a post or page has its own block<\/strong>. Move, edit, and customize each block, and the editor will display visual elements the way they\u2019ll look on your actual site.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are many different block types available for use when creating a page or post, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n