Want to learn WordPress… better? Whether you’re a total newbie or a seasoned WordPress pro, there are plenty of educational resources out there to help you get more from the world’s most popular content management system.
But quantity isn’t always good. See, there is such a thing as too much choice. So to help you find the WordPress learning resources which are best for your situation, I’ve put together a list of all the best spots.
I’m going to come at this list in two different ways. Because everyone learns differently, I’ll first divide up each resource by its basic type. That is, is it a podcast? A course? A blog? You get the idea.
Then, I’ll try to order each resource by its targeted knowledge level. That means as you move down through each section, the resources will start with beginner topics and then get into more advanced topics like WordPress development.
Ok, let’s dig in. Starting with…blogs.
What Are the Best Blogs/General Sites to Learn WordPress?
I’ll get into the more niche resources below, but let’s start off with some regular ol’ blogs and general sites that help you learn WordPress. Remember, the sites at the beginning of the list will focus more on beginner topics, while the later sites will get a bit more advanced.
Learn.WordPress.com
Ok, I know that this site focuses on WordPress.com rather than self-hosted WordPress. But for the most part, the two versions are pretty much identical.
So if you’re looking for some very beginner-friendly resources on topics like how to add widgets or create a static homepage, Learn.WordPress.com is a great place to get started. If you’re already familiar with the basics, you can probably skip it, though.
WPBeginner
No list would be complete without Syed Balkhi’s WPBeginner. Though it offers some more advanced tutorials, WPBeginner is generally focused on helping beginners solve basic WordPress issues.
For example, if you want to learn how to migrate your WordPress site or add buttons inside your WordPress posts, WPBeginner’s basic tutorials can help you out.
As your knowledge increases, you can also branch out into some more advanced tutorials.
WPShout
If you’ve already learned the WordPress basics and want to dig a bit more into actual WordPress development, WPShout is a great blog with tons of WordPress development tutorials.
If you want to, for example, learn how to code a basic WordPress plugin from scratch, WPShout is where you should head.
TutsPlus
Envato’s TutsPlus isn’t solely focused on WordPress, but it does include a number of WordPress tutorials on topics like command-line WordPress and using custom namespaces.
Like WPShout, the tutorials definitely lean more towards advanced users than newbies.
WPKube
WPKube is a popular WordPress blog focused on tutorials and other WordPress content for regular WordPress users. That is – in-depth tutorials that even a non-developer can safely follow along with.
At WPKube, you’ll learn everything from fixing common WordPress errors to implementing techniques like lazy loading and more.
WordPress Codex
Want the ultimate place to learn WordPress? If so, the WordPress Codex is for you. Think of it like a Wikipedia dedicated exclusively to WordPress.
While you can find some beginner-friendly content, most of it is focused on advanced WordPress functionality.
Basically, if you accept that not everything reads in a beginner-friendly manner, you can pretty much learn everything at the WordPress Codex.
What Are the Best Online Courses to Learn WordPress?
Want to learn in a more structured environment? If so, you might want an actual WordPress course. Unlike random tutorials, courses have an actual structured curriculum that builds on itself as you move through.
Here are some of the best.
Udemy – How To Create A Website using WordPress (Step by Step)
One of the most popular Udemy WordPress courses, How To Create A Website using WordPress (Step-by-Step) is a free course that takes you through the absolute basics of WordPress.
Don’t expect to learn anything advanced, but if you just want to figure out how to add plugins and create some basic pages, it’s a nice free option.
Udemy – WordPress for Beginners – Master WordPress Quickly
WordPress for Beginners – Master WordPress Quickly is another beginner-focused Udemy course. But unlike the previous course, it’s not free. Instead, it costs $195.
For that price, you do get a much more detailed course, though.
If you’re willing to shell out ~$200, you’ll get 7.5 hours of WordPress tutorials, plus supplementary written content. Otherwise, you might want to stick with the previous option for a free version.
Up and Running
Up and Running is a premium course focused on helping you learn WordPress development, rather than the more beginner-friendly topics featured in the Udemy courses. So if you’re already a savvy WordPress user with some basic HTML/CSS/PHP knowledge under your belt, it’s a great option.
But if you just want to learn the basics, stick with one of the Udemy courses above.
Up and Running comes from the same guys behind WPShout, so they have plenty of knowledge to share.
What Are the Best Video Series to Learn WordPress?
Want less of a structured course and more ala carte tutorial videos? If so, these video series are a great option:
WP101
As the name suggests, WP101 is a basic introduction to WordPress in the form of short, video tutorials/courses. Some WordPress developers purchase access and provide it to their customers. But you can also purchase WP101 as a consumer.
WP101 sells access to individual topics, or you can buy access to everything in one fell swoop. They also have a free basic course, though the topic selection is limited.
Here’s an example of what you can expect from WP101’s videos:
[vimeo 81679234 w=640 h=360]
WP Apprentice
WP Apprentice operates similarly to WP101. It’s a set of basic video tutorials/courses that help you get up and running with WordPress.
If you’re an advanced user, you won’t get much value. But beginners can learn all the basics through WP Apprentice’s videos.
Lynda
Lynda covers far more than just WordPress. But it does include a dedicated WordPress section, including videos on a number of different topics ranging from beginner to advanced.
At Lynda, you can find video courses on everything from the WordPress REST API to basic WordPress essentials, making it a good all-in-one resource for WordPress users of all knowledge levels.
WP Sessions
WP Sessions is kind of like a course… but many of its “sessions” are recorded live. So it lacks all of the structure of a detailed course. Instead, you get helpful video tutorials on topics ranging from query monitors to WordPress code standards.
WP Sessions isn’t really for beginners. But if you’re an advanced user or trying to learn WordPress development, it’s a good option.
Treehouse
Treehouse includes everything from short videos on WordPress basics to longer, more course-like content on things like WooCommerce theme development and WordPress hooks.
Overall, it blends the line between courses and video tutorials. Unfortunately, you will need to pay for access to all of the content. But you can also get started learning with a 7-day free trial.
What Are the Best Podcasts to Learn WordPress?
Want a way to learn on the bus or in the shower? If so, these WordPress podcasts provide a great audio option for enhancing your knowledge of WordPress.
There are tons of WordPress podcasts but not all of them skew towards education. These are the best I’ve found specifically for learning more about WordPress:
Your Website Engineer
Your Website Engineer is a podcast from Dustin Hartzler which helps you get more from WordPress. It’s definitely slanted more towards beginners, covering topics like staging sites and widget areas.
Dustin is a former WordPress Happiness Engineer, so you can bet he knows a thing or two about teaching WordPress.
Currently, Dustin releases a new podcast episode every week.
Learn at Your Website Engineer
Apply Filters
With its focus on WordPress Development, Apply Filters definitely slants more towards advanced WordPress users/WordPress business owners.
Plenty of episodes skew more towards business, so don’t expect to only learn about development.
Currently, you can expect about one new episode per month.
Wrapping Things Up
Once you learn a bit more about WordPress, you’ll quickly discover how much you don’t know! Personally, each time I find a cool new bit of knowledge, it’s followed by five new things I need to learn to build on that nugget.
So even if you start with the beginner resources, I bet that you’ll soon find yourself moving up to the more advanced resources as your knowledge of WordPress increases. And each time you level up, you’ll be able to do even cooler things with your WordPress site.
Now, get out there and start learning!
Epicurean Theme
Thong
August 27, 2017 at 3:15 pmHi Colin, Wonderful article. I would also recommend one of the oldest WordPress resource site from 2006 in this awesome list. It’s WPArena.
Would really appreciate, as WPArena is being updated regularly with hundreds of tutorials and reviews on almost all the WordPress topics.
Thanks
Sarah Bishop
August 28, 2017 at 8:42 amHi Thong, thanks for pointing out another great resource for our readers.
Thong
September 7, 2017 at 6:29 amThanks, Sarah, Wouldn’t be nicer, if you can include it in the above list?
Thanks