Software Engineering in WordPress, PHP, and Backend Development
When I shared some of my thoughts on building Single Post Message, I received some good feedback via Twitter and Email from others who enjoyed reading about the work that went into building the plugin.
Though my approach to this particular plugin is different than that of Single Post Message, I thought I’d do the same for this just to share a slightly different perspective.
So here’s how I went about building Comment Images for WordPress:
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Comment Images For WordPress is a plugin that – at the risk of sounding redundant! – allows readers to upload images to their comments.
Ultimately, it gives your community the ability to share a single image or illustration to support whatever they have to say.
I’ve shared my thoughts on WordPress as an application framework, but I think that simply making a case for how the core application can be used for web applications isn’t enough to help others see that it’s a viable platform.
Lately, I’ve had several conversations with others who are skeptical (and rightly so). Themes are often viewed as “skins” for WordPress and plugins are often viewed as little ways to add new features to a blog. If anything, I’d say that one could make a stronger case for plugins being software rather than themes.
But to a point, I disagree. There are several reasons why I think both WordPress themes and plugins are software.
When working with WordPress, one of the most important things that a developer can learn is the WordPress Page Lifecycle.
Understanding this single topic will make it exceptionally easy to know when to properly include your various hooks and filters so that they don’t interfere with the rest of the application and so that speed or other data isn’t compromised in the process.
If you’ve built web applications using other frameworks, then you’re likely familiar with the typical page request lifecycle, though there are nuances that exist between each platform.
WordPress’ unique action and filter model, although powerful, may end up confusing some people coming from other backgrounds. Of course, the WordPress Codex provides a terrific article on the topic, but if you’re more of a visual learner it may not be of much help.
In that case, check our Rarst’s diagram – it’s an excellent breakdown of the core application’s life cycle along with a high-level overview of the page lifecycle.
The Internet has made the world flatter but that doesn’t mean it’s made it any easier to miss out on events that you’d like to attend, right?
Last weekend, WordCamp San Francisco – arguably the WordCamp to attend – was happening and those who are involved in WordPress in some capacity were tweeting all about the awesome things happening.
Jealousy!
In all seriousness, it was evident from the various tweets and blog posts that it was a killer time for everyone, but here’s something cool for those of us who weren’t able to attend: 23 pages of notes taken from the various sessions held throughout the weekend.
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