Slides from my presentation at the November 2012 Melbourne WordPress Developer Meetup.

1. Developing Custom
WordPress Themes
@AaronRutley

2. About me
Co-founder of ‘eleven’ small web design agency
Coding WordPress themes for 4 years (Version 2.5)
Started eleventhemes.com earlier this year (55,000+ downloads)
I’m a full time WordPress Theme Developer
I build a lot of custom WordPress themes (80+ this year)

3. Tonight
My Development Workflow
Quick WordPress install
My Starter Theme
Simplifying wp-admin
Using Custom Post Types
Advanced Custom Fields
Questions

4. My Dev Workflow
1. Kickoff meeting with the designer
2. Setup WordPress
3. Duplicate Starter Theme
4. Layout: Slice / CSS / HTML core theme files (header, footer, home, index)
5. Features: PHP / Post Types / Custom Fields / Templates / Demo content
6. Extras: jQuery / forms / e-newsletters / social / fonts
7. Content Loading .....
8. Testing / Review / Tweaks
9. Launch

5. Quick WordPress install
Save time with a custom WP ‘image’ thanks to Backup Buddy:
1. Setup a local WordPress install
2. Remove hello dolly & demo posts etc
3. Add your favorite / default plugins
4. Configure settings
5. Use backup buddy to create an ‘image’ (.zip)
6. Extract the zip with importbuddy
Tips:
Use desktop server if your working on lots of sites locally
Use bulk page creator to fill the development site quickly

6. Starter Themes
Set of minimal template files used for rapid custom parent theme dev
Automattic call their starter theme _s a “1000 hour head start”
Typical files (404, single, archive, search, comments etc)
I based mine on html 5 blank (reset, media queries, modernizer)
Setup your functions.php (image sizes, enqueue scripts, analytics, CPTs)
Include jQuery plugins (lightbox, slider2)
Popular Starter Themes :
html 5 blank
starkers
_s
[demo]

7. Simplifying wp-admin
I do my best to make ‘client friendly’ themes that are initiative & easy to use =
Less Support, Less Documentation & Less Training
Happy Clients + Referrals = Happy Developer
Customize the dashboard
Theme functions.php / functionality plugin
Adminimize
White Label CMS
Admin Columns
Minimal Admin

10. Using Custom Post Types
I use post types for:
Content that would typically be shown multiple times or have a ‘single’ page
Staff / Team
Testimonials
Products
I don’t use post types for:
Content that is shown once on one particular page (I use ACF’s instead)
Sliders
FAQs
Gallery

11. Advanced Custom Fields
ACF’s lets you completely customise the WordPress edit screens.
Allow clients to easily manage all content & makes WordPress a CMS
Visually create meta boxes (text, date pickers, uploads, post objects)
I use it to replace ‘post type’ plugins (faqs, sliders, galleries)
Ideal for complex page layouts & great with custom post types
Saves to Post Meta (works with CSV importer & much more)
A huge time saver for theme developers (very popular)
Find out more:
http://advancedcustomfields.com/

12. Demo

13. Summary
Starter theme is a huge head start & lightweight
Simple wp-admin & page management
No shortcodes or widgets
ACF Simple post intro & page heading fields
CPTs for content thats re-used or has a ‘single’
Custom Fields for content that’s only shown once
ACF Flexible field for ‘content rows’

14. Any Questions ?
twitter: @aaronrutley
web: elevenmedia.com.au