WordPress stability when coding theme from scratch

  • nomoretables

    (@nomoretables)


    16 years, 6 months ago

    I recently started to create my own theme from scratch using resources like Codex and WordPress Theme Design by Tessa Blakeley Silver. However, I had to use a lot of code snippets I got from various tutorials around the web for certain things I wanted to achieve.

    My question is. How stable would such a theme (using various code snippets not from codex) be when it comes to future WordPress upgrades. Will the things I achieved with custom code still work in future WordPress versions? You see I am confused. While Codex explains that this piece of code is for this, in some of the tutorials I read, where I got custom code snippets, people were saying this is non standard code etc. How safe it is to use such code, since I do not always understand the php? And for that matter using plugins that were custom hacked to achieve certain functions? Sometimes that don’t say that it’s custom code, and sometimes it’s normal codex code, that has just been cleverly used by a great programmers. I wouldn’t know the difference between custom code and really creative use of codex code.

    My concern is that I am using code from all over the show, and I only know a bit of php, so I don’t know if the code I’m using is “secure and future proof” and if it will break when I install certain plugins in the future?

    Or do I have it wrong. Are the WordPress Core files nicely tucked away and when I’m creating a template, those files are never touched? There are a lot of tutorials on how to create a wordpress theme, but how do I know that the methods in these tutorials are “safe” and can be trusted. Is there a definitive guide?

    Can you guys point me to an official WordPress resource that can tell me more about the “safe” way to develop a WordPress theme, and for example what to watch out for when using code snippets from all over the net, that’s non standard and not on Codex?

    I can’t find info that gives me the big picture when it comes to creating themes. I can’t find resources where someone take a step back and says, “this is why we are designing a theme like this and not like this.” “This is why I’m using code like this and not this.” “This the right way, but this way will cause problems”. I’d like to get a 5000 foot view, before getting so deep into it, and not realizing I’m doing it all wrong…

    Thanks
    Nomoretables

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  • s_ha_dum

    (@apljdi)

    16 years, 6 months ago

    How stable would such a theme (using various code snippets not from codex) be when it comes to future WordPress upgrades.

    Depends on the code snippets.

    Will the things I achieved with custom code still work in future WordPress versions?

    Again, depends on the code.

    How safe it is to use such code, since I do not always understand the php?

    Honestly, learn to understand the PHP.

    Sometimes that don’t say that it’s custom code, and sometimes it’s normal codex code, that has just been cleverly used by a great programmers. I wouldn’t know the difference between custom code and really creative use of codex code.

    I think you are worrying too much about ‘codex’ code. Maybe 1% of what I use is identifiably from the codex. Mostly, the codex tells you how to use the WordPress core functions. Everything else is up to you.

    My concern is that I am using code from all over the show, and I only know a bit of php, so I don’t know if the code I’m using is “secure and future proof” and if it will break when I install certain plugins in the future?

    Anything could break in the future and eventually probably will. WordPress core functions could change, and do change though the backwards compatibility is very good. PHP itself can change and does. MySql can change. Apache can change. Server configurations can change. Browsers, Javascript itself and javascript libraries like jQuery (God bless jQuery) can change, and all of them do change. Nothing is future proof. The best you can do is make sure you aren’t using deprecated functions. You can find that out by checking the codex. Deprecated functions are usually marked. They are also marked in the source code you are prone to reading the function source like I am.

    Secure code is another matter. Its a big topic. Google is your friend. Basically, trust no one. Validate everything.

    And yes, some plugins will break other plugins. Some even break core functions. You can’t design a theme to avoid that.

    Are the WordPress Core files nicely tucked away and when I’m creating a template, those files are never touched?

    Basically, yes. Themes are quasi-isolated animals by design. You never really need to hack core files for most themes. WP has an extensive API and there are hooks and filters a-plenty that should let you do most anything. Learn to use them. That will help with insuring forward compatibility too. And really, if you don’t understand the PHP you shouldn’t even be thinking about a core hack.

    … but how do I know that the methods in these tutorials are “safe” and can be trusted.

    Learn to understand the PHP. Sorry, but if you want to know something is safe you have to know what it does.

    Can you guys point me to an official WordPress resource…

    The official WordPress resource is the Codex. The codex also links to external documents which I count as fairly reliable. Also, the WordPress Codex is very good, despite complaints I see about it sometimes. Try working out a macro using OpenOffice’s API reference, then come back and complain about WP’s codex. There, I said it.

    I can’t find info that gives me the big picture when it comes to creating themes.

    I don’t know that such a thing really exists. The Codex is full of information about themes though, maybe because a large part of the API is geared towards themes. This page, I count as one of the single most useful.

    Thread Starter nomoretables

    (@nomoretables)

    16 years, 5 months ago

    Thanks for your insights!

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