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Catalog / WordPress Cheatsheet

WordPress Cheatsheet

A quick reference guide for WordPress users, developers, and administrators covering key concepts, functions, and best practices.

Core Concepts

WordPress Fundamentals

WordPress: A free and open-source content management system (CMS) based on PHP and MySQL.

Posts: Dynamic content entries displayed in reverse chronological order.

Pages: Static content like ‘About Us’ or ‘Contact’ pages.

Themes: Control the visual design of your website.

Plugins: Extend WordPress functionality with additional features.

Widgets: Add content and features to sidebars and other widget areas.

Users: Manage different user roles and permissions.

Key WordPress Files & Directories

wp-config.php

Contains database connection details, security keys, and other settings.

wp-content/themes/

Directory where WordPress themes are stored.

wp-content/plugins/

Directory where WordPress plugins are stored.

.htaccess

Server configuration file (if using Apache), used for permalinks and security.

index.php

Main WordPress file that handles requests.

Admin Dashboard Sections

Posts

Create, edit, and manage blog posts.

Media

Upload and manage images, videos, and other media files.

Pages

Create and manage static pages.

Appearance

Customize your site’s design with themes and widgets.

Plugins

Install and manage plugins to extend functionality.

Users

Manage user accounts and roles.

Settings

Configure general site settings, permalinks, and more.

Theme Development

Basic Theme Structure

A basic WordPress theme requires at least two files: style.css and index.php.

style.css: Contains theme metadata (name, author, version) and CSS styles.

index.php: Main template file that displays content.

Common Template Files

header.php

Contains the website header (doctype, <html>, <head>, opening <body> tag).

footer.php

Contains the website footer (closing <body> and <html> tags).

sidebar.php

Contains the sidebar content (widgets, navigation).

single.php

Template for displaying a single post.

page.php

Template for displaying a single page.

archive.php

Template for displaying archive pages (categories, tags, dates).

functions.php

Theme functions file for custom PHP code.

Theme Functions

wp_head()

Hook for adding content to the <head> section.

wp_footer()

Hook for adding content to the footer.

the_title()

Displays the post title.

the_content()

Displays the post content.

the_permalink()

Displays the post permalink.

get_template_directory_uri()

Returns the theme directory URI.

Plugin Development

Basic Plugin Structure

A basic WordPress plugin requires at least one PHP file with plugin metadata.

Plugin metadata includes Plugin Name, Version, Author, and Description, defined in comments at the top of the file.

Plugin Header Example 

<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name: My Awesome Plugin
 * Description: A brief description of the plugin.
 * Version: 1.0.0
 * Author: Your Name
 */

Key Plugin Functions

add_action()

Hooks a function to a specific action.

add_filter()

Hooks a function to a specific filter.

register_activation_hook()

Runs a function when the plugin is activated.

register_deactivation_hook()

Runs a function when the plugin is deactivated.

wp_enqueue_scripts()

Enqueues scripts and styles for the front-end.

admin_enqueue_scripts()

Enqueues scripts and styles for the admin area.

Example: Adding a Custom Action 

<?php
function my_custom_function() {
  echo '<p>Hello from my custom action!</p>';
}
add_action( 'wp_footer', 'my_custom_function' );

Security Best Practices

Core Security Measures

Keep WordPress, Themes, and Plugins Updated: Regularly update to patch security vulnerabilities.

Use Strong Passwords: Protect user accounts with strong, unique passwords.

Limit Login Attempts: Implement a login attempt limiter to prevent brute-force attacks.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to user logins.

Regular Backups: Schedule regular backups of your WordPress files and database.

Use a Security Plugin: Consider using a security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri Security.

Database Security

Change the Database Table Prefix:

Use a prefix other than the default wp_.

Protect wp-config.php:

Restrict access to wp-config.php file.

File System Security

Disable File Editing:

Prevent users from editing theme and plugin files through the WordPress admin panel.

Restrict File Uploads:

Limit file upload types to prevent malicious uploads.

Additional Hardening

Disable Directory Listing: Prevent directory listing to avoid revealing file structure.

Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF): Use a WAF to filter malicious traffic.
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