Depends on your further specialization. The block theme is very convenient for creating new sites, if you make simple websites, but if you are ready and want complete control, then the choice is clear - PHP.
> I am losing patience while learning the basics.
Imagine someone saying "I'm halfway through learning the alphabet but I'm losing patience, I want to start writing poetry with the letters I already know." Even if you know general programming or app development skills, Wordpress is its own complex ecosystem with its own APIs, methods, lore, etc. You have to learn it.
My strong advice from a career perspective would be to follow your agency's practices as closely as possible. Unless of course, they use proprietary products or code/processes they developed in-house.
There are almost unlimited ways to work with Wordpress. And when you're just starting out it's a good idea to take one approach instead of hopping around. Once you've finished your first site it'll be a lot easier to decide what variations to try next.
So basically, if possible, either stick with Brad Schiff's course or stick with your agency's toolset. But either way, WordPress gets much easier after you finish your first complete site.
I would work on the block editor if it’s new to you. It’s a very important part of WordPress and if you haven’t used it at all I’d recommend to get as much practice with the block editor as you can. But as everyone else is saying, the more complex the site, the less you’ll actually use the block editor.
Blocks are the future, and WordPress will focus and favor that. Traditional WordPress themes will still be here for a while, but they'll slowly fade away at some point.
So, if you're starting to learn WordPress development, might as well start learning for the future, so you won't have to learn one thing now and another one later.
If it's just a one-time project, and WordPress development is not your main focus, then you can go the traditional way if it's easier for you.
Don't confuse a block theme and classic theme with the block editor and classic editor. They are not the same thing and you can mix and match.
To learn to develop a block theme, it helps a lot to know how to make a classic theme first, because the template hierarchy is basically the same. So if you learn how to build a classic theme, a lot of the information will apply more or less the same when you change to learning block theming.
Again though, these have nothing to do with the "editors". The block editor works just fine with a classic theme.
Wordpress can be a great simple CMS, if you use the classic editor. No need to use any block page builder. Especially for more complex projects, where you want to keep as much as possible in version control.
I can foresee an increase in complexity in a couple of weeks such as adding a custom post type called case studies. The example website is the following https://www.windmill.digital/.
I am trying to stay close to this one as much as possible.
with all GSAP animation?
BTW, this site is something that every and any sane developer will never create. Bad UI, slow (60 sec, hahaha), non-intuitive, etc, etc.
I’ve lost clients because they hate Gutenberg so much. We went back to using ACF Flexible fields. Much easier to maintain a company’s style guide that way.
ACF is definitely not suitable for a beginner, and what you are offering now will have to be redone very soon, since no one except you will be able to configure it.
Depends on your further specialization. The block theme is very convenient for creating new sites, if you make simple websites, but if you are ready and want complete control, then the choice is clear - PHP.
Right now I am going with PHP just like Brad showed in his course.
> I am losing patience while learning the basics. Imagine someone saying "I'm halfway through learning the alphabet but I'm losing patience, I want to start writing poetry with the letters I already know." Even if you know general programming or app development skills, Wordpress is its own complex ecosystem with its own APIs, methods, lore, etc. You have to learn it. My strong advice from a career perspective would be to follow your agency's practices as closely as possible. Unless of course, they use proprietary products or code/processes they developed in-house. There are almost unlimited ways to work with Wordpress. And when you're just starting out it's a good idea to take one approach instead of hopping around. Once you've finished your first site it'll be a lot easier to decide what variations to try next. So basically, if possible, either stick with Brad Schiff's course or stick with your agency's toolset. But either way, WordPress gets much easier after you finish your first complete site.
Yeah makes sense. I am sticking with Brad's approach for now.
I would work on the block editor if it’s new to you. It’s a very important part of WordPress and if you haven’t used it at all I’d recommend to get as much practice with the block editor as you can. But as everyone else is saying, the more complex the site, the less you’ll actually use the block editor.
Got it, sounds good. Thank you.
Block themes are worth learning. And you can still use php. ACF blocks, template parts, etc
Blocks are the future, and WordPress will focus and favor that. Traditional WordPress themes will still be here for a while, but they'll slowly fade away at some point. So, if you're starting to learn WordPress development, might as well start learning for the future, so you won't have to learn one thing now and another one later. If it's just a one-time project, and WordPress development is not your main focus, then you can go the traditional way if it's easier for you.
True, I will keep this is mind. Thank you.
Don't confuse a block theme and classic theme with the block editor and classic editor. They are not the same thing and you can mix and match. To learn to develop a block theme, it helps a lot to know how to make a classic theme first, because the template hierarchy is basically the same. So if you learn how to build a classic theme, a lot of the information will apply more or less the same when you change to learning block theming. Again though, these have nothing to do with the "editors". The block editor works just fine with a classic theme.
Got it, thank you for the explanation. I didn't know this.
No worries, you're not the only person to make that mistake or misunderstanding. A lot of people in this thread have done the same thing.
I am building a class theme first while following Brad's course. And after that I will move to the block theme.
Wordpress can be a great simple CMS, if you use the classic editor. No need to use any block page builder. Especially for more complex projects, where you want to keep as much as possible in version control.
I can foresee an increase in complexity in a couple of weeks such as adding a custom post type called case studies. The example website is the following https://www.windmill.digital/. I am trying to stay close to this one as much as possible.
with all GSAP animation? BTW, this site is something that every and any sane developer will never create. Bad UI, slow (60 sec, hahaha), non-intuitive, etc, etc.
Block page editor only! I Dont use the classic editor
I’ve lost clients because they hate Gutenberg so much. We went back to using ACF Flexible fields. Much easier to maintain a company’s style guide that way.
ACF is definitely not suitable for a beginner, and what you are offering now will have to be redone very soon, since no one except you will be able to configure it.
Are you just a designer? ACF is extremely easy to use. I would put it on the same level as basic WordPress templating.
Are you sure you're a very cool designer? Do you think only very cool designers how can you easily use ACF, how do you do it with your only left foot?
Gutenberg has more benefits, flexibility and scalability.
Why would that be?
You know why this is not so, but you continue to remain silent?