When was the last time you worked on a WordPress site? It might have been a while ago, or it might have been recently.
At some point, you might have used it to set up a quick demo site. A demo site that’s likely up and running today. We've all been there; it likely started as a side quest.
If you've been using Drupal for a while and have embraced its perks, you might have forgotten some of its trade-offs. This training provides you with hands-on experience and perspective on what each tool can achieve within a given timeframe.
We will be using a core WordPress theme vs a core Drupal theme, look at the contributed themes, and then we will switch into a paid Drupal theme and a paid WordPress theme. We will try to stick to the core as much as possible and showcase where one might have lots of concerns and questions coming from Drupal.
This workshop invites Drupal site builders and developers to take a fresh look at WordPress through familiar eyes.
Items to discuss and play with are:
- Theming: how easy it is to make and preview changes
- Adjusting theme colors and working with theme.json
- Extending or creating custom WordPress themes
- Comparing plugins and modules: what you trade off
- Exploring Gutenberg layouts and default blocks
- Understanding WordPress patterns and their use cases
- Adapting your Drupal mindset to WordPress workflows
By the end of this training, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how to navigate the WordPress ecosystem and apply your existing Drupal experience in mixed-environment projects.
Target Audience:
Drupal Site builders and developers who are new to WordPress or looking to understand how the two systems compare in day-to-day site building and theming. If you are an ambitious site builder and you want to learn what you may be trading off, feel free to come ask a question and see when WordPress might be the right tool for you.
I did WordPress before Drupal, but I never had to modify WordPress code (theme, plugins, or otherwise) or experience other ambitious site builder challenges. I worked around the interface and, with the aid of a paid theme, managed to accomplish my goals. However, now that I have used Drupal for HigherEd and Government and I have a slightly different perspective.
Requirements:
Bring a laptop and basic familiarity with Drupal or WordPress ambitious site-building concepts. Hands-on participation is encouraged, and curiosity is required.
