Audience: Developers

How to Migrate from DesktopServer to Local

Audience: Developers, Intermediate
Tutorials

Now that DesktopServer has sadly closed down, it’s time to move to another tool for working with WordPress locally. I’m going to be using Local (formerly Local by Flywheel) for now.

Fortunately it’s easy to migrate from DesktopServer to Local.

Local has an import tool and it just requires a zip file with your site files and your database.
This is exactly how DesktopServer’s export feature creates backups.

So first we’ll use DesktopServer to create the backup file. Then we’ll import it into Flywheel.

Read more

How to Delete All Comments in WordPress

Audience: Beginners, Developers
Tutorials

Comments can easily build up on a WordPress site, especially if you don’t have any anti-spam measures in place. It seems easy enough to get rid of them all, there are tons of plugins for this, but there are some nuances you should be aware of to make sure you’re deleting the right information, and doing a thorough job.

Let’s look at how to clean up this aspect of your WordPress site.

Read more

Reduce unused JavaScript in WordPress

Audience: Developers, Intermediate
Speed Optimization

Most WordPress site owners will see the recommendation to “reduce unused Javascript” when they run a PageSpeed test.

The technically complete solution is out of reach for most site owners, but there is an effective shortcut solution for reducing unused JavaScript on your WordPress site that I share below.

What does “reduce unused JavaScript” mean?

JavaScript (JS) is a type of code used on website mostly for interactive elements like sliders, animations etc. Compared to CSS or images, it is much more resource intensive so it takes longer to process when your page is loading. It’s especially bad for mobile performance.

For best performance, you should aim to have as little JavaScript as possible on your site.

Loading JavaScript that isn’t even used on the page is a waste of resources and processing power, and that’s what this PageSpeed recommendation is getting at.

Read more

A Guide to Moving WordPress Sites

Audience: Consultants, Developers, Intermediate
Tutorials

If you work with clients using WordPress in any capacity, or even if you are a solo site owner, at some point, you will probably need to move a site from one server to another (also known as migrating).

In this guide I’ll show you 3 methods of migrating a WordPress site.

Migrations are required in numerous situations, such as when you’re switching webhosts, when turning a development site into a live site, or when making a test site. Even restoring a site from a backup has some similar steps.

Understanding how this process works will greatly empower you. There are a few moving parts but it’s completely possible to do, even if you are not a developer, and you will feel like a champ. I’d suggest practicing on a test site before handling anything that’s important ????

Read more

Create Custom WooCommerce Layouts with Beaver Builder

Audience: Developers, Intermediate
Ecommerce on WordPress

In this series about customizing WooCommerce product pages, Beaver Builder is the next tool we’re looking at. I previously wrote about PootlePress’ WooBuilder Blocks.  

Beaver Builder is an established page builder plugin with its own interface which replaces the default WordPress editing screen. There’s a free version and a premium version along with numerous free and paid add-ons from various 3rd party developers. 

Using the core Beaver Builder plugin you can choose to enable the builder for your Product pages, but word to the wise, this isn’t going to get you very far. In this mode the builder doesn’t fully take over the whole editing experience so you can’t actually change the product layout. I spent a fair amount of time beating my head against this wall before I found this guide. Keep that handy as you embark on this mission. 

Read more