Blog posts about WordPress

WordPress is a web-browser-based content management system, which started life as a spin-off of b2/cafelog before becoming the most widespread CMS in the world. I began casually helping out with b2/cafelog in 2001, and migrated my early websites to WordPress’ first version in January 2004. I’ve built personal and professional sites using WordPress ever since: the biggest project being a multilingual, international multi-site installation for a former employer.

Managing WordPress Theme plugin requirements

I’m in the closing stages of development for a new WordPress site for a client. (A private one, so I can’t go into details.) As the development phase has progressed, the management of the required plugins in the Multisite installation has become ever more complex. Some sites are running an older Theme, which are dependent on a set of plugins, while new sites…

Managing WordPress Theme plugin requirements

An easy introduction to WordPress plugins with PHP classes

There are many copy-and-paste examples of how to write your own functions and apply them through WordPress’ hooks and actions. But with a little simple knowledge of PHP’s namespace syntax, developers who regularly work on WordPress projects can make their lives a lot easier, whilst making their code much more robust, portable and secure. The first thing to recognize is whether the modification…

An easy introduction to WordPress plugins with PHP classes

Twenty Sixteen

2016 sees the tenth anniversary of this website. I decided that this was to be the year when I'd do some major overhaul work on my site: improved technology and a long-awaited clear out of some legacy data problems. That's all been completed, so now it's time to work on the appearance of the site.

Twenty Sixteen

WordPress plugin to get rid of the need for CAPTCHA images

“Comment spam” is a term which relates to automatically-generated website comments. People with too much time on their hands make software to submit to websites like mine. It’s then down to me to ensure that the nonsensical or downright abusive comments don’t appear on my website, and that my email inbox doesn’t get swamped with approval request messages generated by the…

WordPress plugin to get rid of the need for CAPTCHA images

Adding a post thumbnail to the WordPress backend list view

In an effort to share more of my work with the open source community, I’m gradually starting to submit more plugins to the WordPress Plugin Directory. The latest addition, approved recently and made public today, is a plugin which extends the backend list view with a small thumbnail-sized preview of the post thumbnail (where one is available). I’ve been…

Adding a post thumbnail to the WordPress backend list view

My First App

Experiences building my first ever phone app, using Cordova and jQuery to deliver content from a WordPress installation.

My First App