building a website on my own, with the help of themes/templates
March 9, 2011 8:12 PM Subscribe
I want to buy a theme for my website. Should I go for HTML/CSS or WordPress-based?
I am planning to buy at ThemeForest. But I am confused as to what I should buy.
The HTML/CSS-based theme looks easy enough to customize, but my concern is: what about the blog portion? How will I update that, if ever? Will I have to manually edit the codes every time? Will this cause problems for me later on?
As for the WordPress-based theme, I am only considering this option because I am knowledgeable about WordPress in terms of blogging. And based on my research, it seems to be a good CMS. But I have never tried operating a whole website before based on this platform. Am I just making things complicated for myself?
Another thing - I know a bit about codes but I'm no programmer. Should I enlist the help of a professional in uploading everything to my server + further modifications, or are these easy enough to learn?
I am planning to buy at ThemeForest. But I am confused as to what I should buy.
The HTML/CSS-based theme looks easy enough to customize, but my concern is: what about the blog portion? How will I update that, if ever? Will I have to manually edit the codes every time? Will this cause problems for me later on?
As for the WordPress-based theme, I am only considering this option because I am knowledgeable about WordPress in terms of blogging. And based on my research, it seems to be a good CMS. But I have never tried operating a whole website before based on this platform. Am I just making things complicated for myself?
Another thing - I know a bit about codes but I'm no programmer. Should I enlist the help of a professional in uploading everything to my server + further modifications, or are these easy enough to learn?
Best answer: I'll answer this in a slightly different way - based on what you do with the site.
If you are primarily maintaining a blog and the rest of the website is incidental (as a platform, but nothing great happens there), then a wordpress theme that has a static front page is best for you.
If the site is going to get updated more frequently than the blog, i.e, where you add a lot of links, have a photo gallery and write static pages more often, then a HTML-based theme is fine.
Hope that answers your question.
posted by theobserver at 8:58 PM on March 9, 2011
If you are primarily maintaining a blog and the rest of the website is incidental (as a platform, but nothing great happens there), then a wordpress theme that has a static front page is best for you.
If the site is going to get updated more frequently than the blog, i.e, where you add a lot of links, have a photo gallery and write static pages more often, then a HTML-based theme is fine.
Hope that answers your question.
posted by theobserver at 8:58 PM on March 9, 2011
The HTML/CSS-based theme looks easy enough to customize, but my concern is: what about the blog portion? How will I update that, if ever? Will I have to manually edit the codes every time? Will this cause problems for me later on?
Since you're "no programmer," I'd say yes, it would cause problems.
I have never tried operating a whole website before based on this platform.
Super flexible, trust me. Go to a webdesign showcase like Webcreme, visit a website (or five) that you like. When you're there, view the source code of in your browser (usually under edit). Search for the text: "wp-content"; it won't be far down. If you see "wp-content", that means that the website uses Wordpress as a CMS--and doesn't look bloggy!
Another thing - I know a bit about codes but I'm no programmer. Should I enlist the help of a professional in uploading everything to my server + further modifications, or are these easy enough to learn?
What is your hosting provider? The vast majority offer one-click Wordpress installation. Please don't pay somebody to do this. You'll do fine!!
posted by blazingunicorn at 10:36 PM on March 9, 2011
Since you're "no programmer," I'd say yes, it would cause problems.
I have never tried operating a whole website before based on this platform.
Super flexible, trust me. Go to a webdesign showcase like Webcreme, visit a website (or five) that you like. When you're there, view the source code of in your browser (usually under edit). Search for the text: "wp-content"; it won't be far down. If you see "wp-content", that means that the website uses Wordpress as a CMS--and doesn't look bloggy!
Another thing - I know a bit about codes but I'm no programmer. Should I enlist the help of a professional in uploading everything to my server + further modifications, or are these easy enough to learn?
What is your hosting provider? The vast majority offer one-click Wordpress installation. Please don't pay somebody to do this. You'll do fine!!
posted by blazingunicorn at 10:36 PM on March 9, 2011
Nthing the WordPress option - wish I could get paid to be one of their evangelists. There's also the option to edit the code, but a lot of what you see works straight out of the ZIP file. Picking a theme you like will be the hardest part.
posted by chrisinseoul at 3:36 AM on March 10, 2011
posted by chrisinseoul at 3:36 AM on March 10, 2011
Response by poster: I don't really have a problem with learning the codes, but I guess my apprehension stems from thinking of scenarios where I accidentally mess something up and the whole website will look like shit and there's nobody to help me fix it. Which is why I thought I'd also look into the whole WordPress thing. How user-friendly is WordPress exactly?
The most complicated thing I did using WordPress before was to pay extra so I can edit the css - this is for Wordpress.com. If I am to use it in my website I understand that I should download the one that's at Wordpress.org, right? And then upload this to my server? After that what should my next step be, if I buy the WP theme in ThemeForest?
And oh, I just thought of this: if I go with the HTML theme, in case I change my design in the future, would everything be erased, including the blog posts (the ones I have to encode manually, if ever)? Would this happen in WordPress as well?
posted by pleasebekind at 4:24 AM on March 10, 2011
The most complicated thing I did using WordPress before was to pay extra so I can edit the css - this is for Wordpress.com. If I am to use it in my website I understand that I should download the one that's at Wordpress.org, right? And then upload this to my server? After that what should my next step be, if I buy the WP theme in ThemeForest?
And oh, I just thought of this: if I go with the HTML theme, in case I change my design in the future, would everything be erased, including the blog posts (the ones I have to encode manually, if ever)? Would this happen in WordPress as well?
posted by pleasebekind at 4:24 AM on March 10, 2011
Wordpress is user friendly when you compare it to the likes of Drupal. I find it pretty easy to use, but I'm a developer. I've had clients who aren't very tech savvy get a hang of the admin area pretty easily.
There are tons of forums to help you out. It might not hurt to have a trusted developer to help you out if something goes wrong.
You Can probably do a one click install from your host, which means you won't need to download from wordpress.org. If you do have to download, just do a search for installing wordpress. You'll need a database setup and need to know the connection information for that.
With regards to your last question - updating the look of a wordpress page is going to be easier. A matter of changing themes perhaps. If you upgrade HTML you could copy and paste the current data into the new
posted by backwards guitar at 4:56 AM on March 10, 2011
There are tons of forums to help you out. It might not hurt to have a trusted developer to help you out if something goes wrong.
You Can probably do a one click install from your host, which means you won't need to download from wordpress.org. If you do have to download, just do a search for installing wordpress. You'll need a database setup and need to know the connection information for that.
With regards to your last question - updating the look of a wordpress page is going to be easier. A matter of changing themes perhaps. If you upgrade HTML you could copy and paste the current data into the new
posted by backwards guitar at 4:56 AM on March 10, 2011
(sorry, cont'd) pages. If you know any PHP you should probably be including your site's header and footer using that. That way you can just update those and not need to changed the rest of the pages. Personally, I think it is worth the extra work to go with Wordpress.
posted by backwards guitar at 4:59 AM on March 10, 2011
posted by backwards guitar at 4:59 AM on March 10, 2011
recommend Word Press and these days a lot of Hosting Companies seem to have a Automated Wordpress Install.
I used to find it a bit fiddly when I had to do a manual install via ftp and then setup all the directory links and SQL links.
But my current webhost just has this button on their webside user config app. press one button "instal wordpress blog", select directory.. easy as pie. so you might want to look into that.
Installing third party themes I think you had to use the proper WP interface so that it knew they were there. but its not too hard.
posted by mary8nne at 6:00 AM on March 10, 2011
I used to find it a bit fiddly when I had to do a manual install via ftp and then setup all the directory links and SQL links.
But my current webhost just has this button on their webside user config app. press one button "instal wordpress blog", select directory.. easy as pie. so you might want to look into that.
Installing third party themes I think you had to use the proper WP interface so that it knew they were there. but its not too hard.
posted by mary8nne at 6:00 AM on March 10, 2011
1-click wordpress install is ridiculously easy. And yes, picking a theme will be the hardest part. If you're willing to buy a theme, then tons of options open up. I'm fond of Theme Foundry myself.
If you're new to wordpress, be sure to install some security (in the form of widgets) in there.
I run a lot of sites that don't look like wordpress or aren't even blogs on the wordpress platform. I hate maintaining websites, so I just hand that over to the client and they do the day-to-day. I just design and release.
posted by jlunar at 8:06 AM on March 10, 2011
If you're new to wordpress, be sure to install some security (in the form of widgets) in there.
I run a lot of sites that don't look like wordpress or aren't even blogs on the wordpress platform. I hate maintaining websites, so I just hand that over to the client and they do the day-to-day. I just design and release.
posted by jlunar at 8:06 AM on March 10, 2011
Response by poster: My friend suggested going with the HTML-based theme, then just installing Wordpress onto the blog directory/link. Do you think that's a good idea?
posted by pleasebekind at 7:55 PM on March 10, 2011
posted by pleasebekind at 7:55 PM on March 10, 2011
Best answer: I don't see the point - trying to combine the two (design-wise) would be terrible. Unless you don't care. Which at that point, I'd still say use wordpress - you can have simple pages and not worry about breaking things when your theme gets updated or something.
Is it that you really like the HTML theme? Or what about it is it that appeals to you?
I also think that if you're not comfortable with HTML and php (and not doing a wordpress install), then get someone else to set things up for you. I can't imagine the HTML setup being easier than wordpress... and I've done both. I come from the notepad days and I love wordpress for its ease-of-use.
Here are sites I've done that aren't a typical blog, but work with the wp framework:
- markfewer.com
- corkagetoronto.com
posted by jlunar at 8:16 PM on March 10, 2011
Is it that you really like the HTML theme? Or what about it is it that appeals to you?
I also think that if you're not comfortable with HTML and php (and not doing a wordpress install), then get someone else to set things up for you. I can't imagine the HTML setup being easier than wordpress... and I've done both. I come from the notepad days and I love wordpress for its ease-of-use.
Here are sites I've done that aren't a typical blog, but work with the wp framework:
- markfewer.com
- corkagetoronto.com
posted by jlunar at 8:16 PM on March 10, 2011
« Older What movie am I thinking of with a murder in a... | Do I have to let you swab my purse? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
Based on this question, definitely go with a WP-specific theme. Because yes, you will.
Also based on that question, it might get pretty frustrating for you to run the whole website on your own. Eventually, most WP users end up editing the codes. They edit the codes and either find another way around their problem (hiring somebody usually) or buckle down and learn to love the codes.
posted by circular at 8:24 PM on March 9, 2011