5 Great WordPress Resources for Developers

Developing for WordPress can be a very exciting and productive way to utilize your programming and design skills, as there is a large community of users and developers always ready to give you feedback on your work, and it can be quite easy for someone to stand out by simply delivering quality products.

The old saying “work smart, not hard” applies here just as well though, and if you want to become a truly successful WordPress developer, you’ll need to utilize all resources available to you across the Web as best as you can. There is quite a lot out there in this regard, and the scene can quickly feel overwhelming to a newcomer – so let’s have a look at some of the places you should be directing your attention to.

• Genesis

  You can’t go far in the WP developer community without seeing at least a couple of references to the Genesis theme framework, and for a good reason. It’s one of the most comprehensive and flexible platforms for developers at the moment, and one of the best things about it is that the people running the project have taken specific steps to avoid removing useful low-level functionality from the tool in favor of making it more user-friendly.
  
  In other words, Genesis is not just another tool designed to let newbies create their own themes with a few clicks. It exposes core WP functionality that gives you full access to the themes you’re producing, and that alone is well worth the price tag of just under $60.

• Ultimatum

  Sometimes even an experienced developer may prefer to use a drag-and-drop theme building tool instead of getting their hands dirty with code. And when you need to produce something quickly and with minimal effort, Ultimatum is among the top solutions on the market right now should you prefer not to use the various website builder applications that typically come with your web hosting plan.

  It combines the best of both worlds – its interface allows you to create rich designs with pre-defined starting properties, while on the other hand it also gives you some access to styling and layout code that you can use to fine-tune things after you’re done with the visual editor.

• TemplateMonster  

  On the surface, it’s a marketplace that connects developers and customers, a popular type of service that has multiple alternatives specifically aimed at WordPress. Some developers have realized that they can use it in smarter ways too – nothing is stopping you from hiring an extra helping hand to assist you in your current project, as the definition of a “customer” in the service doesn’t exclude other developers.

  With that in mind, if you’re good at one thing but bad at another – say, you’re an excellent coder but have a poor creative vision – you can use TemplateMonster to find someone to collaborate with. Plus, working with a partner as opposed to alone can be a huge boost to your motivation and productivity if you find the right person.
  

• WordPress TV

  every developer should take some time to hone their skills and learn new concepts, and one of the best platforms for that right now is WordPress TV. It’s packed full of recordings from various WordCamps, giving you access to tons of engaging video material with a lot of value.

  The topics covered in the talks vary from small details, like how to sanitize your current plugin collection better, to more advanced topics like high-level design. You’re practically only limited by the time you can invest in watching talks, and you should definitely make it a habit to sit down for half an hour or so every once in a while and go through some videos.

• ThemeForest  

  if you’re looking for a good marketplace to promote and sell your work, ThemeForest is one of the most popular choices. The site will give you a lot of competition, admittedly, but if you’ve got what it takes it shouldn’t be long before you manage to stand out and make an impression on the community.

  And once you’ve broken that barrier, the sky is the limit – you will find no shortage of success stories from developers who have made it big at ThemeForest, and nothing is stopping you from being the next one if you’re dedicated to your trade.