WordPress? or "just" HTML5 / CSS3 ?

[justaguy]

Thanx Robby,

Can I get about a nickels worth?

Not that it means a whole hellava lot, but I felt that I was sorta left
short-handed with the teaser:

“If you do decide to use a CMS I’d recommend trying out some other systems ”

Now what systems would they be? Inquiring minds would like to know.

[Robby]

What kind of website are you trying to build?

If you don’t need a database I definitely like the static site generators that are getting popular, stuff like Jekyll or Middleman. I haven’t tried it personally, but I’ve heard Kirby’s pretty cool too, which is in between kind of. If you want a full-fledged CMS ExpressionEngine’s supposed to be pretty good, again I haven’t tried it.

If you really want to do something cool you could checkout some of the frameworks out there which make it easy to build a CMS custom to your liking. Rails and Django are pretty cool, I’ve used both. There’s some popular PHP ones out there too (I think you mentioned your familiar with PHP).

I’m just not a fan of bloated systems like WordPress. They seem to be insecure and get hacked all the time. Really though, it’s all up to you and what your comfortable with.

Really the point of my posts is just see whats out there. Don’t just go with WordPress because its a hot name and everyone uses it. If you decide its right for you than go for it though! It’s just not for me.

[justaguy]

It’s not so much one specific design that I have in mind, but more of a workflow, and the tools necessary to begin any project. If you can follow. Essentially I am attempting to put together a “toolbox.”

WordPress with all its faults AND strengths seems to be the go-to “tool” for web design. In surfing the web (using Chrome) if I see a design that I like I right-click and “Inspect element” to have a look at what’s under the hood. Surprisingly, often I see that the site design riding on WordPress. These aren’t just any websites, but websites related to website design, responsive design, HTML5, and CSS3 sites, etc. This site, css-tricks, uses WordPress. What is it about WordPress that it’s chosen by so many professionals?

I am a “hacker” (non-professional) “keyboard pounder (self-taught).” I want to become familiar with and comfortable using the tools that others seem to levitate towards. My experience has been simple, static sites. With RWD coming into play in a BIG way, I need to continue educating myself. Whether it’s static or dynamic I like the idea of using the same tools and not having to work in HTML and CSS, layout, make responsive, adapt my images to a point, THEN have to turn around and bring it into a CMS and work out the bugs there. I understand the learning curve I am facing, but I am a tenacious “buggar.” I have no intention of using themes, as was implied earlier. I want to learn the craft – not recreate myself from site design to site design.

I hope this makes some sense, as it is rather late, or early, here on the “right coast.”

[justaguy]

In a nutshell, I want to devise a template in CMS that will allow me to step in, inject the content, work out the styles, adapt the images, workout the media queries, identify my breakpoints and go about what I want to do, build and design websites.

I doubt I’ll ever need to learn pre-processors and the like. If the time comes, I will. I know very little about PHP to be honest. I want to solidify my approach now, learn what I have to, and start working! Learn once, and then worry about keeping up with the advances that are bound to come in time.

The idea of so many choices has left my head spinning. I understand that choices are good to have, but I am stuck not knowing where to turn at this point.

[justaguy]

Thx chrisburton

[Robby]

Get building! Don’t worry about it too much, just keep practicing your skill set the rest will fall into place.

[justaguy]

@Robby

LoL, are you standing behind me bro?

[Alen]

WordPress is popular you can not simply ignore it. It might not be the right tool for your personal site because you want to experiment with latest and greatest. I mean I know I do. However, you can not ignore it. It’s just stupid. Why not understand everything, and be great at it. So when you are in front of someone, and you need to make an argument AGAINST WordPress you’ll know what you are talking about. In addition you’ll be more marketable. It’s just that simple.

[Alen]

You could start here: https://laracasts.com/recommended-reading

[justaguy]

Thank-you gentlemen. This thread has morphed into more than I could ever have anticipated. Talk about covering all the bases. Insights abound, criticisms (all poitive) lends it the necessary tempo required to keep it flowing and maintain interest. Great site / equally great forum.

Salute!

[Alen]

@chrisburton def. When I was learning about building API’s, I started of with Ruby on Rails and the whole REST API. It’s really Laravel and Laracast that made me look back at PHP. Familiarity with PHP, it made more sense, for me. Since I started learning more about architecture and really looking at the bigger picture, it really didn’t matter what language, code, or whatever I decided to solve a problem with.

Sometimes, people are to reluctant to explore.

Maybe it’s my upbringings or the fact that I survived a war (5yrs) as a child, moved to America in 1997 with $500 in my pocket, not a lick of English. So questions like X or Y? Really don’t make much sense to me (this is not directed to OP, I don’t think the question is stupid to ask). I tend to put actionable thought behind it. How do I X, and How do I Y? Whatever you choose it doesn’t matter. I say, don’t take fun out of learning. Research what you need to know and learn it. All opinions get squashed. please insert cool emoji 1 or 2 here

[justaguy]

Sorry bearhead for the late response.

The reason I have an interest in CMS is because while I am currently taking the time to expand my knowledge-base, I thought I’d ask for help on the whole CMS debate. The few sites I have worked on were only static, and should a potential project come along, I’d hate to have to turn it down because I didn’t have the foresight to learn CMS as well. Frankly, it is beginning to sound like I’m biting off more than my share.

The whole idea was born when I ran across the “Bones” theme, you know the “responsive & naked” theme by Themble. I thought I could kill 2 birds with one stone by either using that, or something similar as a “template” for both static and dynamic sites. That was the birth of the whole idea behind using WordPress. I am attacking the idea of responsive design by approaching it with the essentials, HTML5 and CSS3, the concept of Adaptive Images by Matt Wilcox, media queries, and % based fonts and layouts.

If anyone has an idea of a better method of attack, please chime in.

Thanks bearhead, I appreciate your valuable input. I can almost discern the forest for the trees.

[Author]

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