Ricky asks: “I just recently started using wordpress, and I am having alot of trouble trying to design a layout for it, I was wondering if you had any references or anything to help me learn how to do this, I understand HTML and only know a little of PHP. Any help would be greatly Appreciated.”

Ricky writes:

I just recently started using wordpress, and I am having alot of trouble trying to design a layout for it, I was wondering if you had any references or anything to help me learn how to do this, I understand HTML and only know a little of PHP. Any help would be greatly Appreciated.

Darren recommends setting up a local LAMP stack, that is to say the web server, database and scripting language to support a WordPress install. The easiest way to get started is with either WAMP on Windows or XAMPP on just about any platform.

The WordPress install is dead simple.

Mostly I use PHP.net as my go to resource, but we’ll also be hooking you up with a copy of Mario Lurig’s PHP Reference: Beginner to Intermediate PHP5. Hope that helps.

The WordPress Codex is also an invaluable resource when you really get your hands dirty when theme code. Things like the loop and trim_excerpt are well detailed. Once you start learning the WordPress functions you’ll realize what a powerful content management platform it really is.

And finally we recommend WordPress.org/Support for their forums. If you know of a better forum for WordPress Theme Hacking please let us know!