Is WordPress a Hard Class?

WordPress basics are not hard to learn but it will take time and effort for someone to become proficient in building websites using WordPress. WordPress is considered an easy and accessible way to build websites, even for those with no coding knowledge. Someone can learn to build professional, no-code websites on WordPress in a few hours or a couple of days. Beginning WordPress learners do sometimes struggle to set up websites, especially when editing themes or coding one’s own themes, but there are many paid and free resources that can guide someone to success in building websites. With dedicated effort, anyone can learn WordPress and start creating their own websites and blogs. 

What is Hard about Learning WordPress?

While it is not hard to learn WordPress, new students can find getting started challenging. Any new software or technology will take time to figure out and WordPress is no different. It takes some trial and error to install WordPress software, find the right theme and plugins for one’s site, learn to use WordPress’s block editing system, named Gutenberg, and choose the best hosting service (WordPress or another) for one’s needs. While becoming familiar with WordPress may take a few hours or days, it can initially present some frustration to beginners who need to figure out how to use this new system and how to customize their website to their own specifications.

To learn how to create a custom theme or work professionally with WordPress, someone needs to know HTML and CSS, at minimum, and most will also need to know or learn to use JavaScript and PHP. Even if one has this coding knowledge, some people need help to build and code websites initially. Most find that they can build their first simple, static WordPress website in a couple of weeks or months. This will be determined by how much time and effort can be dedicated to this project and someone’s persistence in working through any challenges. Once these initial skills are mastered, learners move on to more challenging tasks, like implementing child themes so they do not have to rewrite an entire site’s code to modify the theme. 

With practice and dedicated effort, any initial struggles to build websites on WordPress can be overcome. It can take years of practice to write simple and efficient code (what some call “clear” or “clean code”) so that websites run quickly, perform well, and are more secure. At the beginning stage of learning WordPress, many are coding only for functionality, so any code will work as long as it produces the right look for an individual webpage or performs the right actions when a user visits the site. While this is fine for beginners, those building WordPress websites for people, brands, or organizations, will also need to make a greater effort to write better code that is not only functional but able to be updated and maintained over time.

Because practice is so important, many WordPress learners find it necessary to take on increasingly more challenging and complex tasks. Advanced learners frequently test and build their skills by coding different kinds of websites and applications, not only websites, blogs, and ecommerce stores but also learning management systems, hotel booking applications, online ticketing services, and anything that someone does not yet know how to do. Some also find it useful to learn other ways to code and build websites outside of WordPress software, which increases one’s coding knowledge and skills overall and allows one to bring comparative knowledge to building WordPress websites. 

How Can I Make Learning WordPress Easier?

Beginning WordPress learners are not alone and should look to a variety of resources to make learning WordPress easier. Many WordPress learners get started by looking at free online materials, including classes, tutorials, YouTube videos, blogs, eBooks, and step-by-step guides. WordPress offers free courses and tutorials designed for this purpose and this is a great place to check out as learners are initially gaining familiarity with WordPress. WordPress also runs a discussion forum users can post in to discuss topics and concerns with others in the community and they offer a frequently updated user manual called the WordPress Codex that learners can use for troubleshooting help. Outside of WordPress, beginners will also find other blogs and websites dedicated to helping them start building a website, choose the best theme, and install useful plugins. 

In addition to free resources, there are paid classes that beginners can take to learn WordPress. On-demand classes, offered by a variety of providers like Coursera, Udemy, and Skillshare, are self-paced online classes where learners receive access to the course material and can study it at their own speed. Many beginning WordPress learners find it useful to sign up for one of these courses which offer video lectures or written guides as well as the ability to practice the skills one learns during the course. The quality of on-demand courses can vary, so be sure to check reviews and success stories to make sure that a certain class will provide you with the knowledge and training you need. 

Live classes are one of the best ways to learn WordPress quickly and easily. There are beginner and advanced WordPress bootcamps as well as comprehensive certificate programs in web development and web design that will teach WordPress as an important component of the course. Live classes allow students to dedicate their time and effort to learning WordPress and practice both basic and advanced skills. One of the most difficult parts of learning WordPress is feeling stuck when looking up how to do something or customize something on your own. It can take time to wade through the free resources or return to on-demand training to figure out how to do something, whereas a live class will provide direct access to an instructor and other students who can immediately point you in the right direction. 

Best Ways to Learn WordPress Without Difficulty

The fastest and easiest way to learn WordPress is by taking an in-person or live online WordPress bootcamp. Bootcamps are designed to teach a specific skill or topic quickly so that students can leave the class with the ability to start using what they have learned in the course right away. Most instructor-led WordPress bootcamps will teach students basic and advanced WordPress skills over a few intensive days or a week. Not only is this much faster than most will learn WordPress on their own, but a bootcamp provides guided support, hands-on training, and even career support to help navigate the job market after the class ends. 

Outside of speed, the main advantage of taking a live bootcamp is access to an expert instructor. Many report that part of the initial challenge with learning WordPress is having to take the time to look everything up and find quality resources. In a bootcamp or even another live class like a certificate program, an instructor can show you the best strategies for building websites with WordPress and provide you with individualized feedback on the skills you are practicing during class. Instructor-led classes allow students to ask questions, receive clarification, and get help troubleshooting any issues that arise as someone first learns WordPress. An instructor can also point you to resources or recommend further classes to help you master more advanced skills once the course ends. 

For those without coding experience who are looking for career-oriented training, consider a comprehensive certificate program. It will be easier to learn everything all at once instead of trying to teach oneself various programming and coding languages and tools as well as how to use WordPress. A web development or web design certificate program allows students to learn not only website-building software like WordPress but also the design theories and coding skills one needs to create websites and applications from scratch. Certificate programs will provide students with the training they need to become a professional Web Developer, WordPress Developer, or Web Designer.