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<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/>  <link href="https://plus.google.com/107188080561309681193" rel="publisher"/> <meta name="google-site-verification" content="7VWES_-rcHBcmaQis9mSYamPfNwE03f4vyTj4pfuAw0"/> <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css"/> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.15.5"/> <meta name="keywords" content="New To WordPress - Where to Start,Administration Panels,Advanced Topics,Appearance Themes SubPanel,Before You Install,Blog Design and Layout,CSS,CSS Fixing Browser Bugs,CSS Troubleshooting,Changing File Permissions,Comment Moderation"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/web/20130127233034im_/http://codex.wordpress.org/favicon.ico"/> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/opensearch_desc.php" title="Codex (en)"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="Codex RSS feed" href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=rss"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Codex Atom feed" href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://codex.wordpress.org/New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start","20130127233034","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1359329434"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>New To WordPress - Where to Start « WordPress Codex</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="//web.archive.org/web/20130127233034cs_/http://wordpress.org/style/codex-wp4.css?3"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="//web.archive.org/web/20130127233034cs_/http://wordpress.org/style/wp4.css?27"/> <link media="only screen and (max-device-width: 480px)" href="//web.archive.org/web/20130127233034cs_/http://wordpress.org/style/iphone.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="//web.archive.org/web/20130127233034im_/http://wordpress.org/favicon.ico?3" type="image/x-icon"/> <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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'Search WordPress.org' : this.value;"/> <input type="submit" class="button" value="Go"/> </form> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/showcase/" title="See some of the sites built on WordPress.">Showcase</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/" title="Find just the right look for your website.">Themes</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/" title="Plugins can extend WordPress to do almost anything you can imagine.">Plugins</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/extend/mobile/" title="Take your website on the go!">Mobile</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/support/" title="Forums, documentation, help." class="current">Support</a><ul class="nav-submenu"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/support/" title="Support and discussion forums.">Forums</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page" title="Documentation, tutorials, best practices.">Docs</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/" title="Contribute your knowledge.">Get Involved</a><ul class="nav-submenu"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/core/" title="Write the code.">Core</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/ui/" title="Improve the interface.">UI</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/" title="Create a better experience.">Accessibility</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/plugins/" title="Extend the system.">Plugins</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/themes/" title="Beautify the web.">Themes</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/support/" title="Help the users.">Support</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/" title="Translate for the world.">Polyglots</a></li><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://make.wordpress.org/mobile/" title="On the go.">Mobile</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/about/" title="About the WordPress Organization, and where we're going.">About</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/news/" title="Come here for the latest scoop.">Blog</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/hosting/" title="Find a home for your blog.">Hosting</a></li> <li id="download"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/download/" title="Get it. Got it? Good.">Download</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="headline"> <div class="wrapper"> <h2>Codex</h2> <div class="portlet" id="p-personal"> <p class="login">Codex tools: <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start">Log in</a> </p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="pagebody"> <div class="wrapper"> <div class="col-10" id="bodyContent"> <h2 class="pagetitle">New To WordPress - Where to Start</h2>  <p class="LanguageLinks" style="border:1px solid #CCCCCC; line-height:1.5; text-align:left; color:#333333; font-size:90%; padding:10px;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Multilingual_Codex" title="Multilingual Codex" class="mw-redirect">Languages</a>:</span> <strong class="selflink">English</strong> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=ar:%3F%3F%3F%3F_%3F%3F%3F_%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F_-_%3F%3F_%3F%3F%3F_%3F%3F%3F%3F&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="ar:???? ??? ??????? - ?? ??? ???? (page does not exist)">العربية</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/es:Nuevo_en_WordPress_-_Por_d%C3%B3nde_empezar" title="es:Nuevo en WordPress - Por dónde empezar">Español</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Uusi_Wordpressiss%C3%A4_-_mist%C3%A4_aloittaa" title="Uusi Wordpressissä - mistä aloittaa" class="mw-redirect">suomi</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/fr:Nouveau_sur_WordPress_-_Ou_commencer" title="fr:Nouveau sur WordPress - Ou commencer" class="mw-redirect">Français</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Nuovo_su_Wordpress_-_Come_cominciare" title="Nuovo su Wordpress - Come cominciare">Italiano</a> • <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wpdocs.sourceforge.jp/New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start" class="external text" title="http://wpdocs.sourceforge.jp/New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start">日本語</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/ko:New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start" title="ko:New To WordPress - Where to Start">한국어</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/ka:WordPress_%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%9B%E1%83%AC%E1%83%A7%E1%83%94%E1%83%91%E1%83%97%E1%83%90%E1%83%97%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%A1_%E2%80%94_%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%97%E1%83%98_%E1%83%93%E1%83%90%E1%83%95%E1%83%98%E1%83%AC%E1%83%A7%E1%83%9D%E1%83%97" title="ka:WordPress დამწყებთათვის — რითი დავიწყოთ">ქართული</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=mk:WordPress_%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F_-_%3F%3F_%3F%3F%3F%3F_%3F%3F_%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="mk:WordPress ???????? - ?? ???? ?? ?????? (page does not exist)">Македонски</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/nl:Maak_kennis_met_WordPress_%E2%80%93_Een_goed_begin" title="nl:Maak kennis met WordPress – Een goed begin">Nederlands</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=pl:WordPress_-_Od_Czego_Zacza;c%27&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="pl:WordPress - Od Czego Zacza;c' (page does not exist)">Polski</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/pt-br:Novo_no_WordPress_-_por_onde_come%C3%A7ar" title="pt-br:Novo no WordPress - por onde começar">Português do Brasil</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=Prima_tangent,a(_cu_WordPress_%E2%80%94_Cu_ce_sa(_%C3%AEncepi&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Prima tangent,a( cu WordPress — Cu ce sa( începi (page does not exist)">Română</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F_%3F_WordPress_%E2%80%94_%3F_%3F%3F%3F%3F_%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F%3F&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="???????? ? WordPress — ? ???? ?????? (page does not exist)">Русский</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/sk:New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start" title="sk:New To WordPress - Where to Start">Slovenčina</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/sl:New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start" title="sl:New To WordPress - Where to Start">Slovenščina</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=Template:tc&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Template:tc (page does not exist)">Template:tc</a> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordthai.com/New+To+WordPress+-+Where+to+Start" class="external text" title="http://codex.wordthai.com/New+To+WordPress+-+Where+to+Start">ไทย</a> • kkkk <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=zh-cn:WordPress_%3F%3F_-_%3F%3F%3F%3F&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="zh-cn:WordPress ?? - ???? (page does not exist)">中文(简体)</a> • <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/index.php?title=zh-tw:WordPress_%3F%3F_-_%3F%3F%3F%3F&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="zh-tw:WordPress ?? - ???? (page does not exist)">中文(繁體)</a> • <small>(<a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Multilingual_Codex#Language_Cross_Reference" title="Multilingual Codex" class="mw-redirect">Add your language</a>)</small> </p> <p>If you are new to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://www.wordpress.org/" class="external text" title="http://www.wordpress.org/">WordPress</a>, here is a step-by-step plan for getting started. If you <a href="#Need_More_Help" title="">need help</a> along the way, plenty of options for assistance are listed in this article. Welcome to the exciting world of WordPress! </p> <table id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents"><tr><td><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Step_One_-_Read"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Step One - Read</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Step_Two_-_Make_a_Plan"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Step Two - Make a Plan</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Step_Three_-_Install_WordPress"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Step Three - Install WordPress</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Step_Four_-_Set_Up_WordPress"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Step Four - Set Up WordPress</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Appearance_and_Themes"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Appearance and Themes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2"><a href="#Adding_WordPress_Plugins"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Adding WordPress Plugins</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Advanced_Use_of_WordPress"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Advanced Use of WordPress</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Need_More_Help"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Need More Help</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#Giving_Back_to_WordPress"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Giving Back to WordPress</span></a></li> </ul> </td></tr></table><script type="text/javascript"> if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = "show"; var tocHideText = "hide"; showTocToggle(); } </script> <a name="Step_One_-_Read" id="Step_One_-_Read"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Step One - Read</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:127px;"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/File:stepOneRead.png" class="image" title="flowchart"><img alt="" src="/web/20130127233034im_/http://codex.wordpress.org/images/thumb/9/9b/stepOneRead.png/125px-stepOneRead.png" width="125" height="243" border="0" class="thumbimage"/></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/File:stepOneRead.png" class="internal" title="Enlarge"><img src="/web/20130127233034im_/http://codex.wordpress.org/skins/common/images/magnify-clip.png" width="15" height="11" alt=""/></a></div>flowchart</div></div></div> <p>WordPress is a great product. It's easy-to-use, quite powerful, and flexible. Before you invest your valuable time and energy into installing WordPress, there are some documents you need to read to help you get started. </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Introduction_to_Blogging" title="Introduction to Blogging"> About Weblogs - What is Blogging all about?</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress" title="WordPress"> What is WordPress?</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Features" title="WordPress Features">WordPress Features</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Before_You_Install" title="Before You Install">Before You Install WordPress</a> </li></ul> <a name="Step_Two_-_Make_a_Plan" id="Step_Two_-_Make_a_Plan"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Step Two - Make a Plan</span></h2> <p>Based upon the information you've just read, including instructions on installing WordPress, you should have a list of the things you need and things to do. If not, make that list now. You'll want to make sure it includes the following information: </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Hosting_WordPress" title="Hosting WordPress">Website Host Requirements Checked and Verified</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Hosting_WordPress" title="Hosting WordPress">Versions of PHP and MySQL Checked and Verified</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Core_Update_Host_Compatibility" title="Core Update Host Compatibility">Web Host Compatibility with New Versions of WordPress</a> </li><li> Your Website Username and Password </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Glossary#Text_editor" title="Glossary">Text Editor Software</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients" title="FTP Clients">An FTP Client Software</a> </li><li> Your Web Browser of Choice </li></ul> <p>The following documents will help you understand more about how WordPress works and how to make a plan for your WordPress site: </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Semantics" title="WordPress Semantics">WordPress Semantics</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/First_Steps_With_WordPress" title="First Steps With WordPress">First Steps With WordPress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons" title="WordPress Lessons">WordPress Lessons</a> </li></ul> <p>It is important to make a plan about how you want to use WordPress on your site. Here are some questions to ask yourself. </p> <ul><li> Will you install WordPress in the <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory" title="Giving WordPress Its Own Directory">root directory</a>, subdirectory, or you just want to <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Test_Driving_WordPress" title="Test Driving WordPress">make a test site</a> to make sure you want to use it? </li><li> Have you made a list of your site <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Glossary#C" title="Glossary">categories</a> to organize your content by groups? </li><li> Have you made a list of <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages" title="Pages">Pages</a> you may want to add to your site, such as <b>About</b>, <b>Contact</b>, or <b>Events</b>? </li><li> Have you thought about what you want in the <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Designing_Headers" title="Designing Headers">header art</a> of the site? </li><li> Have you developed a content strategy and list of topics to help start blogging? </li><li> Have you thought about how to <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/extend/ideas/tags/social-media-integration" class="external text" title="http://wordpress.org/extend/ideas/tags/social-media-integration">integrate social media into your WordPress</a> site and workflow? </li></ul> <a name="Step_Three_-_Install_WordPress" id="Step_Three_-_Install_WordPress"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Step Three - Install WordPress</span></h2> <p>With this information and your plan, it's time to install WordPress. </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Before_You_Install" title="Before You Install">Before You Install WordPress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress" title="Installing WordPress">Installing WordPress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Hosting_WordPress" title="Hosting WordPress">Hosting WordPress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Editing_wp-config.php" title="Editing wp-config.php">Editing the <tt>wp-config.php</tt> file</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/FAQ_Installation" title="FAQ Installation">Frequently Asked Questions About Installing WordPress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients" title="FTP Clients">Using FTP Clients and Software</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_File_Permissions" title="Changing File Permissions">Changing File Permissions</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Upgrading_WordPress" title="Upgrading WordPress" class="mw-redirect">Upgrading WordPress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress#Common_Installation_Problems" title="Installing WordPress">Common Installation Problems</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Login_Trouble" title="Login Trouble">Trouble: I Can't Login</a> </li></ul> <a name="Step_Four_-_Set_Up_WordPress" id="Step_Four_-_Set_Up_WordPress"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Step Four - Set Up WordPress</span></h2> <p>With your installation complete, it's time to set up WordPress so it will work the way you want it to work. </p><p>To help you understand how all the various features and screens on the WordPress Administration Panels work, check out the <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Administration Screens</a> guide for a detailed walkthrough. </p><p>For help on creating your user profile information, of which some or all may appear on your WordPress Theme, see the <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels#Your_Profile" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Users</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Users_Your_Profile_SubPanel" title="Users Your Profile SubPanel" class="mw-redirect">Your Profile</a> pages for guidance. </p><p>To set the site name and other information, go to <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Administration</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels#General" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Settings</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Settings_General_SubPanel" title="Settings General SubPanel" class="mw-redirect">General</a>. </p><p>After you've published a few posts, you can experiment with the full edit or quick edit features in the <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Administration</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels#Posts" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Posts</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Posts_Posts_SubPanel" title="Posts Posts SubPanel" class="mw-redirect">Posts</a> panel. </p><p>Add your "About," "Contact," and other information Pages by going to <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Administration</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages_Pages_SubPanel" title="Pages Pages SubPanel" class="mw-redirect">Pages</a> > Add New. </p><p>Want to change the look and feel of your WordPress site? Go to <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Administration</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Administration_Panels#Themes" title="Administration Panels" class="mw-redirect">Appearance</a> > <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Appearance_Themes_SubPanel" title="Appearance Themes SubPanel" class="mw-redirect">Themes</a>. </p><p>Take time to explore the <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page" title="Main Page">WordPress Codex</a> site, the official documentation site for WordPress. You'll find helpful information by reading <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons" title="WordPress Lessons">WordPress Lessons</a>, and these helpful documents: </p> <ul><li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://learn.wordpress.com/" class="external text" title="http://learn.wordpress.com/">Learn WordPress</a> for WordPress.com and beginning self-hosted WordPress tutorials and guides. </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Comment_Moderation" title="Comment Moderation">Moderating Comments</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Comment_Spam" title="Comment Spam">Introduction to Dealing with Comment Spam</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Localization" title="Localization" class="mw-redirect">WordPress in Languages Other than English</a> </li></ul> <a name="Appearance_and_Themes" id="Appearance_and_Themes"></a><h4> <span class="mw-headline">Appearance and Themes</span></h4> <p>Changing the look of your WordPress website is easy with just a few clicks. </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Themes" title="Using Themes">Using WordPress Themes Introduction</a> </li><li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/" class="external text" title="http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/">The WordPress Theme Directory</a> features thousands of WordPress Themes </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Widgets" title="WordPress Widgets">WordPress Widgets</a> can quickly add more information and content to your Theme. </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Blog_Design_and_Layout" title="Blog Design and Layout" class="mw-redirect">WordPress blog design and layout tutorials on the WordPress Codex</a> </li></ul> <p>At this point, there may be something about your chosen Theme that is bothering you, or, you really want to get your hands dirty understanding how your WordPress Theme works. These simple guides will help you learn about customizing your WordPress Theme: </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons#Designing_Your_WordPress_Site" title="WordPress Lessons">Lessons: Designing Your WordPress Site</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/CSS" title="CSS">CSS Overview, Tips, Techniques, and Resources</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Widgets" title="WordPress Widgets">WordPress Widgets</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Navigation_Menus" title="Navigation Menus">Custom Navigation Menus</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Stepping_Into_Templates" title="Stepping Into Templates">Stepping into WordPress Template files</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons#Templates" title="WordPress Lessons">Lessons: Template Files</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Stepping_Into_Template_Tags" title="Stepping Into Template Tags">Stepping Into Template Tags</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons#Template_Tags" title="WordPress Lessons">Lessons: Working With Template Tags</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Template_Tags" title="Template Tags">WordPress Template Tags</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop" title="The Loop">Understanding the WordPress Loop</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop_in_Action" title="The Loop in Action">The WordPress Loop in Action</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Editing_Files" title="Editing Files">Editing Files in WordPress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Blog_Design_and_Layout#_Frequently_Requested_Design_Help" title="Blog Design and Layout" class="mw-redirect">Frequently Requested Design Help</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/FAQ_Layout_and_Design" title="FAQ Layout and Design"> Frequently Asked Questions about Site Layout and Design</a> </li></ul> <p>If you want to create a new WordPress Theme from scratch, or do major renovations, or even design WordPress Themes for public release, you will need to be familiar with <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Know_Your_Sources" title="Know Your Sources">HTML, XHMTL, and CSS</a>. The following documents will get you started: </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development" title="Theme Development">Developing Your Own WordPress Theme</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Validating_a_Website" title="Validating a Website">Validating a Website</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons#Website_Development" title="WordPress Lessons">Lessons: Website Development</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/CSS_Fixing_Browser_Bugs" title="CSS Fixing Browser Bugs">CSS Fixing Browser Bugs</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/CSS_Troubleshooting" title="CSS Troubleshooting">CSS Troubleshooting</a> </li></ul> <p>If you want a custom-made WordPress Theme created especially for you by expert web-designers, it is recommended you search for qualified web designers on the Internet, or look in your local community. </p> <a name="Adding_WordPress_Plugins" id="Adding_WordPress_Plugins"></a><h4> <span class="mw-headline">Adding WordPress Plugins</span></h4> <p>There are many "add-on" scripts and programs for WordPress called <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins" title="Plugins">Plugins</a> that add more capabilities, choices, and options to your WordPress site. WordPress Plugins do many things, including customizing the results of your site information, adding weather reports, adding spell check capability, and presenting custom lists of posts and acronyms. For more on how to work with Plugins and where to find WordPress Plugins for your site: </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins_Plugins_SubPanel" title="Plugins Plugins SubPanel" class="mw-redirect">Managing your WordPress Plugins</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins" title="Plugins">WordPress Plugins</a> </li><li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/" class="external text" title="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/">The WordPress Plugin Directory</a> </li></ul> <a name="Advanced_Use_of_WordPress" id="Advanced_Use_of_WordPress"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Advanced Use of WordPress</span></h2> <p>Now that you are familiar with the basic features and functions of how WordPress works, it might be time for you to plunge deeper into the power of WordPress. The links below will expand your familiarity with PHP, HTML, XHTML, and CSS: </p> <ul><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons#Features_and_Functions" title="WordPress Lessons">Lessons: WordPress Feature and Functions</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Permalinks" title="Using Permalinks">Using Permalinks</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Photoblogs_and_Galleries" title="Photoblogs and Galleries">Photoblogs and Galleries</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Advanced_Topics#WordPress_Advanced_Techniques" title="Advanced Topics">WordPress Advanced Techniques</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Advanced_Topics#_WordPress_Plugins_and_Customization" title="Advanced Topics">Advanced Techniques for Plugins and Customization</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Advanced_Topics#Server_and_Database_Information" title="Advanced Topics">WordPress Server and Database Information</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Developer_Documentation" title="Developer Documentation">Developer Documentation</a> </li></ul> <a name="Need_More_Help" id="Need_More_Help"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Need More Help</span></h2> <p>As simple and easy as it is to use WordPress, if troubles arise, if something is confusing, if things aren't working, don't despair because help is available! Even though WordPress is free and open source, there are literally hundreds of volunteers eager to help you. Here are some helpful official resources for WordPress: </p> <ul><li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/" class="external text" title="http://codex.wordpress.org/">WordPress Codex</a> (where you are!) </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_More_Help" title="Getting More Help" class="mw-redirect">Getting More Help</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_the_Support_Forums" title="Using the Support Forums">Using the Support Forums</a> </li><li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://www.wordpress.org/support" class="external text" title="http://www.wordpress.org/support">WordPress Forum</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/IRC" title="IRC">IRC Freenode WordPress Support on channel #wordpress</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_IRC_Live_Help" title="WordPress IRC Live Help">WordPress IRC Live Help</a> </li><li> <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/FAQ" title="FAQ">FAQ</a> </li></ul> <a name="Giving_Back_to_WordPress" id="Giving_Back_to_WordPress"></a><h2> <span class="mw-headline">Giving Back to WordPress</span></h2> <p>Now that you're a full fledged WordPress user, <a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Codex:Community_Portal" title="Codex:Community Portal">consider contributing</a> to the WordPress Codex, Support Forum, Development, and other volunteer efforts that keep WordPress going. WordPress is free and totally supported by volunteers, and your help is needed. </p>  <div class="printfooter"> Retrieved from "<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start">http://codex.wordpress.org/New_To_WordPress_-_Where_to_Start</a>"</div> <div id="catlinks"><div id="catlinks" class="catlinks"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>: <span dir="ltr"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Category:WordPress_Lessons" title="Category:WordPress Lessons">WordPress Lessons</a></span> | <span dir="ltr"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Category:WordPress_Help" title="Category:WordPress Help">WordPress Help</a></span> | <span dir="ltr"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Category:Getting_Started" title="Category:Getting Started">Getting Started</a></span> | <span dir="ltr"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Category:Troubleshooting" title="Category:Troubleshooting">Troubleshooting</a></span></div></div></div>  </div> <div class="col-2"> <ul class="submenu"> <li id="n-mainpage"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page">Home Page</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons">WordPress Lessons</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Getting_Started_with_WordPress">Getting Started</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Working_with_WordPress">Working with WordPress</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Blog_Design_and_Layout">Design and Layout</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Advanced_Topics">Advanced Topics</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Troubleshooting">Troubleshooting</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Developer_Documentation">Developer Docs</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/About_WordPress">About WordPress</a></li> </ul> <h3>Codex Resources</h3> <ul class="submenu"> <li id="n-portal"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Codex:Community_Portal">Community portal</a></li> <li id="n-currentevents"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Current_events">Current events</a></li> <li id="n-recentchanges"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:RecentChanges">Recent changes</a></li> <li id="n-randompage"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Special:Random">Random page</a></li> <li id="n-help"><a href="/web/20130127233034/http://codex.wordpress.org/Help:Contents">Help</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <div class="wrapper"> <p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/about/privacy/">Privacy</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.org/about/license/">License / GPLv2</a>     See also: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.com/?ref=wporg-footer" title="Hassle-free WP hosting">Hosted WordPress.com</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://wordpress.tv/" title="Videos, tutorials, WordCamps">WordPress.TV Videos</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://central.wordcamp.org/" title="Find a WordPress event near your home">WordCamp Events</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://buddypress.org/" title="A set of plugins to transform your WordPress into a social network">BuddyPress Social Layer</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://bbpress.org/" title="Fast, slick forums built on WordPress">bbPress Forums</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://jobs.wordpress.net/" title="Find or post WordPress jobs">WP Jobs</a> | <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034/http://ma.tt/" title="Co-founder of WordPress, an example of what WordPress can do">Matt</a> </p> <br/> <iframe src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130127233034if_/http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?app_id=121415197926116&href=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwordpress&send=false&layout=button_count&width=150&show_faces=false&action=like&colorscheme=light&font=lucida+grande&height=21" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="border:none; 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