Announcing Duplicator WP-CLI Commands (And How They Speed Up Backups)
Looking for a smarter way to manage site backups? Explore Duplicator's new features, including customizable WP-CLI commands and permission settings!
Announcing Duplicator WP-CLI Commands (And How They Speed Up Backups)
Joella Dunn
Joella Dunn
John Turner
John Turner
Thinking about building your first website? Maybe you’ve heard about WordPress and its possibilities.
WordPress is a powerful platform used by millions. But you might be wondering: how long does it take to learn?
It depends on what you want to do with it. Are you just looking to blog? Or do you want to build a custom online store? The learning curve is different for everyone.
This post aims to give you a clear picture of the time commitment involved. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a much better understanding of how long it takes to learn WordPress!
WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS). It’s the software that allows you to create and manage a website without needing to write code from scratch.
Many people get confused between WordPress.com and WordPress.org, so let’s explain the difference.
WordPress.org is the open-source software that you can download and use for free. You then need to find your own web hosting to install it on. WordPress.com, on the other hand, is a commercial service that uses the WordPress software and provides hosting.
Think of it as the difference between getting the ingredients to bake a cake yourself (WordPress.org) and buying a cake that’s already made (WordPress.com).
WordPress is incredibly popular, powering a large percentage of the websites you see online. It’s used for all types of websites, from simple blogs and personal portfolios to complex e-commerce stores. You can easily create a website that suits your needs with WordPress!
Learning WordPress offers many benefits, even if you’re not a web developer.
One of the biggest advantages is its user-friendliness. You don’t need to be a coder to build and manage a WordPress website. The platform is designed to be intuitive, and you can learn the basics quickly.
Another reason to learn WordPress is the massive community that supports it. Countless resources are available, from tutorials and blog posts to active forums and groups. If you ever get stuck, it’s easy to find help.
The flexibility of WordPress is another key factor. Because it’s open source, there are thousands of free plugins and themes for you to use. You can create a site that looks exactly the way you want it.
WordPress is also cost-effective. The software itself is free, meaning you don’t have to pay any licensing fees. You’ll only have to purchase web hosting and a domain name to get started.
Knowing WordPress can be valuable for both personal and professional growth. You can use it to build your website, start a blog, or eventually offer your services as a WordPress expert.
If your goal is simply to create and publish blog posts, then you’ll likely find the learning curve to be quite gentle. You can quickly pick up the basics of the WordPress dashboard and start creating content.
However, if you want to dive deeper into customization and development, the WordPress learning curve will be steeper.
For most users, coding skills aren’t necessary. WordPress themes and plugins allow you to build a unique site without needing to know HTML, CSS, or PHP. There are also many tutorials, online courses, and an extremely supportive community to help you along the way.
So, advanced WordPress skills require more effort, but the platform itself is very accessible. If you are willing to dedicate some time to learning, WordPress is definitely learnable.
As we’ve discussed, the learning curve for WordPress can vary. It depends on your goals and how deep you want to go. Some people are happy managing a simple blog, while others want to build complex websites with lots of custom functionality.
So, how long does it take to learn WordPress? It really depends on what level of expertise you’re aiming for.
To help you get a clearer picture, let’s break down the learning journey into different levels: beginner, intermediate, and developer.
Each of these levels requires a different time investment. We’ll go into detail about each one to help you better understand what to expect on your WordPress journey.
When we talk about a beginner in the world of WordPress, we mean the average person with little to no prior experience building websites. You’re mostly interested in getting a basic site up and running. You’ll probably create blog content and install some simple plugins.
If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll spend your first few days or weeks simply getting comfortable with the WordPress interface.
You’ll learn how to navigate the dashboard, create pages and posts, upload media, and use themes to change the look of your site. You’ll also learn how to install and use plugins to add basic functionality.
This stage is often the fastest part of the learning process. You’ll see results quickly. You’ll get the satisfaction of building a functional website.
If you’re simply looking to create a basic blog or a simple website, this beginner stage is likely where you’ll spend most of your time, and you’ll find that it’s not very difficult. With a bit of dedication, you can easily get comfortable and confident.
It can be frustrating to learn something new on your own. Fortunately, there are tons of resources to help you.
Here are some of my favorite places to find WordPress beginner guides:
And of course, the Duplicator blog! We post weekly WordPress tutorials for everything from backups to more complicated site migrations.
An intermediate WordPress user is someone who is comfortable with the basics. You can manage content, install plugins, and use themes effectively. But you’re now looking for more control and customization.
This stage is about taking your WordPress skills to the next level.
You’ll start delving deeper into theme customization. You might want to edit CSS to change the design of your site.
You’ll also start learning about basic SEO practices. This stage often involves things like site performance optimization and media management. You’ll be more strategic about plugins, learning about the different options and how they affect your site.
Reaching this level typically takes a few weeks to a few months, depending on how much time you dedicate to learning and experimenting. At this point, you’ll be able to more or less customize your website to suit your specific needs and goals.
A WordPress developer is someone who wants to get under the hood. You want to work with the core code of WordPress.
This could involve creating custom themes, building unique plugins, and generally having a deep understanding of how WordPress works. This is the most advanced level of WordPress knowledge.
To learn WordPress development, you’ll need to master HTML, CSS, PHP, and likely some JavaScript. Some people choose to hire a developer to build their custom websites, but you could learn to do it yourself.
As a developer, you’ll understand the inner workings of WordPress, its architecture, and its APIs. This path requires a deep understanding of programming concepts, and a willingness to solve technical problems.
The time investment to reach this level is substantial, often taking several months to years of dedicated study and practice. It’s a continuous learning process.
You’ll always be learning new things, as WordPress is continuously being developed and updated. This is the path for those who want to build and customize anything and everything related to WordPress.
Learning WordPress can be a rewarding experience, and there are several ways to speed up the process.
Here are some tips to help you learn more efficiently:
1. Start with specific, achievable goals
Don’t try to learn everything at once. Start with a specific goal, like building a simple blog or creating a specific type of page. This makes the learning process less overwhelming.
2. Watch video tutorials and read blog posts
There are many free resources available online. Look for tutorials that cover the specific parts of WordPress you want to learn.
3. Practice in a local development environment
Install WordPress on your computer using a local development environment. This allows you to experiment without the risk of breaking your live website.
Here are some key tutorials to get you started:
4. Join forums and online communities
Engage with other WordPress users, ask questions, and learn from their experiences. I’ve found that the WordPress community is very supportive.
5. Work on a personal project
The best way to learn is by doing. Start a personal project to solidify what you’ve learned and push your boundaries. You’ll be mastering WordPress in no time!
6. Consider taking a paid course
If you need structured learning, a paid WordPress course or intensive WordPress bootcamp can give you a more comprehensive understanding. There are classes you can take on Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and more.
These can teach you development skills like HTML and CSS. You can also use these resources to learn WordPress basics like content creation, SEO, and theme design.
Learning Shopify basics takes 1 to 2 weeks, depending on your technical skills and time commitment. Mastering advanced features, like custom themes or app development, can take 1 to 3 months with focused learning.
Shopify is generally quicker to learn for basic setup than WordPress. It’s more of a managed platform that handles much of the technical side for you, making it easier to set up an online store.
However, Shopify is primarily focused on e-commerce whereas WordPress can be used to create many types of websites. WordPress offers more flexibility and customization options, but that means there is a bit of a steeper learning curve involved.
Yes, you can earn money by learning WordPress. Opportunities include freelance web design, theme and plugin development, website management, and WordPress consulting services. As a WordPress expert, you can create and monetize websites or help businesses build their online presence.
You can learn WordPress basics in 3 days, including how to set up a website, install themes, and add plugins. However, mastering advanced features like customizations, coding, and SEO optimization will require more time and practice.
No, coding is not required for basic WordPress usage. You can build and manage a website using themes and plugins, without writing any code. However, coding skills become important for advanced customization, creating themes, and developing plugins. There are also many ways to get around coding if you don’t want to learn.
A beginner can build a website on WordPress by using its user-friendly interface, pre-designed themes, and drag-and-drop plugins. No coding is required, making it accessible for anyone to create a functional website with basic features.
Learning SEO basics typically takes 1 to 2 months with consistent effort, covering keyword research, on-page optimization, and link building. Gaining advanced expertise, including technical SEO and analytics, may take 6 months to a year of practice and study.
WordPress is free to use, but building a website may involve costs for hosting, premium themes, and plugins. The WordPress.org software itself is open-source and available at no charge. Plus, there are many free WordPress plugins and themes available.
Learning WordPress is a journey, and the time it takes varies depending on your goals. Whether you’re a complete beginner, an intermediate user, or aspiring to become a developer, WordPress offers something for everyone.
Now that you know how long it takes to learn WordPress, you can approach your learning with realistic expectations. The platform is incredibly versatile, allowing you to build all kinds of websites, from simple blogs to large online stores.
While you’re here, I think you’ll like these other WordPress guides:
If you’re ready to dive in, be sure to explore tools like Duplicator Pro. It can help you back up your WordPress site so you never lose your hard work!
Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that we believe will add value to our readers.
