Beginner Guide to WordPress, Creating a Website and Blog

Beginner Guide to WordPress

Written by Araix Rand

I am Creator of Araix University, In a mission of helping individuals to start and grow their online business. I do this by sharing my knowledge and insight which I have learned from years of experience as a marketing consultant.

You may have heard of WordPress on the Internet. Maybe you already know what WordPress is. This article is going to drive deep into WordPress and understand the basic fundament. So, at the end of this article, you will exactly know what WordPress is and How to utilize WordPress in the great advantage of your business or profession and everything between.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is open source web application. It is free for everyone to build a website. It acts as a CMS (Content Management System) which can be used to build all kinds of website. There are plugins available for WordPress which is useful if you want to add some specific features to your website. 

A theme also does a great job at making your website look as you want. You can build your own theme from scratch or use pre-built theme available for free in WordPress.org directory. There are many online marketplaces where you can purchase premium Themes.

Web Application: Just like any software for example Windows software or Android app, WordPress is web-based software. It is written in PHP programming language. You need to have web server and database management software to install WordPress.

Don’t get confused by WordPress.com. It SaaS website with Free + Premium cost and it is built by Atomatic Inc. In other hand WordPress.org is open source (source code is publically available), build and support by open source communities around the World. WordPress.org is also known as self-hosted WordPress because you need to have your own web server or purchase it from web hosting company to install WordPress.

How WordPress Work?

WordPress is programmed to have baked dashboard and front-end user experience.

Back-end: After installation, you will get a username and password which can be used to access the back-end dashboard. Using Backend Dashboard you can manage and update your website content. It means Only website owner has access to Backend of a WordPress website. You can also make changes to your website through web server and database.

WordPress on Siteground Server
WordPress Back-End Dashboard

Frond-end: In simple word, the front-end is what your website visitor see when they visit your website example articles, image etc. In order to see the front end of your website, there is no need for the password. Hence only if the website owner has created a password for front-end access. For example, WordPress can be also used to create Membership, social networking, or Saas website. In this condition, a user needs to have login credential to access front end. 

This WordPress website (araixuniversity.com) has Forums feature which required users to sign up for an account to access front end. In order to access the backend, a user need to have administrator access or they have to hack my website :-).

WordPress web application is programmed in the server-side script. It means You need to have a web server to install WordPress. There is primarily four software you need to install in your computer to create a local web server so you can install WordPress.

Apache: Apache is not a web application, it is software which creates a server environment to run a web application. You need to have OS (operating system) to install apache software. Apache is open source and free software available on all the OS platform like Linux, Windows OS, Mac etc.

MySQL: It is Open source and free Database management software available on all OS platform. This software is used to store WordPress data, for example, text, user data, login credential etc. Files like image and video are stored on the server, not in the database.

Php: PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor. It is a server-side scripting programming language designed for web development. Php is mostly used on Web application development with back-end and front-end functionalities.

PhpMyAdmin: PhpMyAdmin is also open source and free software. It allows you to access your MySQL database through a web browser. It has easy to use backed Dashboard like WordPress.

Phpmyadmin Login Page
PhpMyAdmin Login

Cpanel: Cpanel is a graphical user interface which is used to simplify the process of running and managing a website. It is wildly used by Shared web hosting service provider. If you purchase Cloud hosting then you will have no access to Cpanel instead you have to work with Command line. For example, Amazon Web Service has no Cpanel so that is why people purchase shared hosting.

You don’t need Cpanel to Install WordPress in your computer.

Siteground Cpanel Home

Below is a representation of how those software work together:

Shared Web Hosting visual representation

You can also install these four softwares on your computer. So you can install WordPress locally. It is called localhost environment. There is software like Xampp and Wamp which come with everything you need to create a localhost environment to install, manage, test WordPress or any web application on your computer.

How to Manage WordPress?

Let first start with installing WordPress.

Here is how to Install WordPress on your computer:

  1. Download and Install Xampp
  2. Download and Extract WordPress in the htdocs directory
  3. Do to http://localhost/<directory>
  4. You will be asked for the Database name, Database Username and Database User Password. You can get all on this from http://localhost/phpmyadmin by creating a new database. You can also create a new Database user with password. And set User Privilege to full access to the Database.
WordPress Installation Screen
PhpMyAdmin Dashboard, Select Database > Privileges Tab

Fill up all the details and click Submit. After a few seconds, you will have your WordPress website running locally.

Here is How to Install WordPress on web server through Cpanel:

It is very easy to install WordPress through Cpanel (If you have shared web hosting account). You just have to follow the few easy steps.

Login to your web hosting account and move to Cpanel. There you will find WordPress icon, it say WordPress Installer. Click on the WordPress icon and Install button. Next you have enter few details about your website and user credential.

Install WordPress using Siteground Cpanel
Install WordPress using Siteground Cpanel

After that scroll down and click on Install button. That is it. Cpanel will create database, database user and everything automatically.

Intro to WordPress Dashboard:

At the time of Installation, you had entered username and Password. Go to yourwebsite.com/wp-admin or localhost/<directory>/wp-admin this will redirect you to the login page. After login, you will be redirected to the Dashboard. In the left-hand side, you will find many options.

If you find an option which is mention below that is because of plugin or theme you have installed or is pre-installed on your WordPress website.

  • Posts: This is where you writing articles, blog post etc.
  • Media: Your File manager. Here You will find image, pdf, video etc if you have uploaded to your website.
  • Pages: Create a simple web page little similar to Posts. Using Pages feature you have about us, contact us page on your website.
  • Comments: You can browse comments posted on your blog posts, pages.
  • Appearance: There you can see the list of Themes and customize Your site looks. Customization features depend on WordPress theme you have installed on the website. You can also install free WordPress Theme through this section.
  • Plugins: If you want to add any features to your website like social share button simple add plugin using Plugins section. You can also see the list of plugins and status.
  • Users: You can have multiple users to your website with different privilege.
  • Tools: You will access to basic tools like Export and Import.
  • Setting: Change the basic setting of your website.

FTP: File transfer protocol is used to transfer statics files like script, image and video to the web server. If you have a web hosting account then by default you will have access to the FTP account.

There is software you need to have installed on your computer to connect you to your web server. Must popular FTP software is FileZilla which is open source and free.

Manage Multiple Website: There are Saas (Software as a service) tools which will allow you to manage multiple WordPress websites like theme and plugin update, security check etc. I have used one Free + Premium tool call ManageWP.com.

Benefits of WordPress:

So, Now You have the idea about how to get your WordPress website up and running. Let me tell something more about WordPress like Why should you choose WordPress over other CMS.

Open source and Free: The biggest advantage of using open source CMS is you fully control the website, source code and claim complete ownership. You have right to modify any source code as you want.

Fast Way to Build Website: As WordPress is wildly available; all of the web hosting company have one-click WordPress install feature. Using one-click install you can start your website faster.

Widely Available Theme and Plugin: I know programming is hard and just the sake of having a website doesn’t mean you have to learn to code. It is easy with CMS but before that having website was big deal. You will find free and paid (one time and yearly subscription) themes and plugin online.

There is no need for coding to add any features and looks you want on your website. I myself don’t know to code but I have designed hundreds of my client’s website and the website you are browsing.

Expand Features easily: Using Plugin you can add any features to your website. You can install multiple plugins to add multiple features.

Build All Types of Website: I am not kidding. You can build all kinds of website.

The downside of WordPress: 

It was exciting to know that benefits of WordPress and everything is for free. I have used other CMS to build a website but I found WordPress amazing. But, the problem with being wildly used CMS and open source is it is not fully secure. You have to follow do and don’t to keep your website secure and break free. Below are tips on keeping your website secure.

  • Useless plugin delete plugin you don’t need.
  • Make sure plugin you use on your website get regular updates
  • Use child theme
  • Use a security plugin like Wordfence
  • Never install nulled or free theme and plugin found on any untrusted website
  • Use the long password and different username then admin etc
  • Update your WordPress CMS and Themes

When I started my first WordPress blog in 2014, The time I didn’t know the basic. I do manage to learn this from my years of experience as WordPress web designer. I hope I have saved you time on searching the internet, If I do then help other people like you to learn WordPress basic fundamental by sharing this article on social media.

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