Development

With the release of BERT, the largest upgrade to Google’s algorithm in years, search has seen a revolution. The update came out in fall 2019, and has already rolled out worldwide. It affects search results in dozens of languages. So, how will it impact your website? It’s important to keep up with Google’s algorithm updates so you can get the best results in the rankings. What did Google BERT change? How did it affect SEO optimization? Let’s go over Google’s latest update, how it uses machine learning to better understand queries, and what, if anything, you can do to optimize […]

Tables are perhaps the best method for sharing data in a way that’s easy to understand. They enable you to show comparisons between prices, products, and many more types of information. Unfortunately, WordPress isn’t the best when it comes to displaying responsive tables. Every WordPress theme handles tables differently, and some do a better job than others. Knowing how to create responsive tables regardless of which theme you use will enable you to provide a better mobile user experience. In this article, we’re going to talk about how WordPress handles tables out of the box and why that approach isn’t […]

If you are not yet familiar with browser developer tools, they are one of the most useful things for anyone tinkering with websites – be it as an owner, enthusiast, ongoing developer, or else. Developer tools or dev tools can tell you a lot about any website, such as CSS markup and JavaScript errors. In addition, they allow you to test drive front-end changes, check you site’s responsive design, and even optimize its performance. Furthermore, they are completely free and built right into all major browsers. If you are ready to learn about their usefulness, this browser developer tools tutorial […]

While the WordPress dashboard is fairly easy to use (especially if you’re a professional developer), it would be great if you could handle basic daily site management on the front end. This would be particularly useful for helping clients maintain their websites long-term. Thanks to Beaver Builder’s new plugin, Assistant, this is now a possibility. The recently-announced open-source project offers a new way to manage many day-to-day WordPress tasks on the front end, as well as crucial collaborative features. In this post, we’ll introduce you to this new plugin and what it can do. Then we’ll discuss some reasons that […]

Working with a local development environment makes a lot of things easier. We have written about this before, using XAMPP. In this post, we want to present you with an alternative: Local, formerly known as Local by Flywheel. Like other solutions, the program enables you to run WordPress on your computer instead of a server. It’s also free and very easy to use, making it more beginner friendly than more technical solutions. If you are looking for another way to work with WordPress locally, this tool might be the right thing for you. Let’s find out together, shall we? Why […]

Your WordPress database is where all your site’s content is stored, so proper maintenance is key. However, this can become increasingly tricky over time as the necessary tasks begin to accumulate. Fortunately, there are several best practices in place to help you keep up with a growing WordPress database. Staying on top of your maintenance tasks will help you keep your site performing optimally. In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of performing regular database maintenance tasks. Then we’ll provide you with five best practices you can implement for your own site. Let’s get started! The Importance of Maintaining Your […]

As a WordPress developer, it’s important to keep up with all the new tools and skills emerging in your industry. WordPress is constantly evolving, with other developers releasing new plugins, frameworks, and build tools to make it even more robust. Learning these is necessary to staying relevant against growing competition. Below are a mix of ten tools to try and skills to invest in this year. Some are basic life skills and others growing technical niches. Learning to master these will help you become a better developer and find more work as you bring something new to the table. Version […]

We all love high-quality, crisp visuals. They’re a big part of what makes modern websites so enjoyable. The problem is, these files can weigh a lot. Depending on the formats you use and whether you optimize them or not, images can significantly impact your site’s performance. Most websites rely on common formats, such as JPEG or PNG. However, ‘next-gen’ image formats, such as WebP, enable you to offer higher-quality media at smaller sizes. Configuring WordPress to support such files is an excellent way to improve User Experience (UX). In this article, we’re going to talk about the WebP image format […]

When a page on your site, or your entire website, is unreachable due to HTTP error codes, it can be quite frustrating. Beyond causing general annoyance, it can also contribute to higher bounce rates and poor User Experience (UX). Fortunately, you can fix many of the most common HTTP error codes for WordPress users without advanced techniques. It just takes a little investigative work to determine the cause of the issue, then some troubleshooting. In this post, we’ll discuss the most common HTTP error codes, why they happen, and how to diagnose and fix them. Let’s get started! An Introduction […]