Learn the Way of WordPress

Updated January 25, 2020 • 9 comments

[ The Tao of WordPress ] It’s been quiet around here, but I have a good excuse. I spent the last six months writing, designing, and publishing my third book, The Tao of WordPress. This is an excellent book for beginners, students, designers, and basically anyone who wants to learn how to get the most from WordPress. The book “soft-launched” last week, and now I want to share the news with readers here at Perishable Press.

The Tao of WordPress begins at zero and goes through everything needed to build awesome sites with WordPress. I actually wrote this book for my kids, so that they could benefit from my years of experience with WordPress and working on the Web. Sure, I could have told them to “go google it or whatever” and hope that they happen to find the best information regarding what they need to know. But why should they have to redo all of the work that I’ve been doing for the past 8+ years? So I took everything I knew about WordPress, picked out all the best stuff, and simplified it into a streamlined, easy-to-read guide. Hers’s a cover shot:

Each of the Tao of WP’s 300 pages is meticulously designed and highly focused on making the most of WordPress. Every lesson is explained in simple steps, with the amount of complex code kept to an absolute minimum (but there is plenty of code in the chapters on customization and WP techniques). The Tao of WordPress also includes its own starter template theme, which is responsive, lightweight, and used in examples throughout the book.

The Tao of WordPress begins with the basics and slowly ramps up to more advanced techniques. Along the way, the book provides tricks, tips, and links to over 600 resources. You get a complete, continuous journey focusing on WordPress essentials, and learn how to work with the software to maximize its full potential. It’s an ideal guide for users who want to build awesome sites and succeed with WordPress. The book contains 13 chapters, including:

Preparation & Installation – covers software, hosting, domains and more
Configuration & Customization – includes a complete guide to the WordPress Admin Area
Themes & Plugins – learn how to maximize WordPress’ potential, so you can create virtually anything
Security – covers everything needed to secure your WordPress site
SEO & Performance – succeed on the Web with blazing fast pages
Customization & Techniques – build forums, networks, shopping carts and much more

The book also includes a robust Appendix with information on getting help, troubleshooting and monitoring your WordPress-powered site. Along the way, the book showcases inspiring WP themes and is packed full of beautiful graphics and visualized information. I’m really proud of this book and hope that it will help you get the most from WordPress.

Get The Tao of WordPress at WP-Tao.com »

Bundle Deals

Bundle deals are now available to save big on my other books, Digging into WordPress and .htaccess made easy. Various bundles are available, visit the Tao Book Store to learn more.

As a way of showing my appreciation, here is a coupon code to save $5 on anything in the store: PERISHABLEPRESS (apply the code during checkout for instant savings).

As always, thank you for your generous attention :)

books tutorials

About the Author

Jeff Starr = Web Developer. Security Specialist. WordPress Buff.

9 responses to “Learn the Way of WordPress”

jo 2013/07/20 3:55 pm

Good to see you have a new book out.
I have your “Digging into WordPress” book.
Does your new book add considerably to what is contained in “Digging into WP”? Cheers.

Jeff Starr 2013/07/21 12:44 pm • Post Author

Hi jo, excellent question, allow me to explain about the difference between the two books..

Chris and I wrote Digging into WordPress in 2009 for beginners to intermediates to learn how to use WordPress. Since that time, I’ve continued working with WP and have gained more experience, knowledge and insight into how WordPress works, what’s important, and how to succeed on the Web. Although we try to keep Digging into WordPress updated with all the latest and greatest, it’s over 400 pages, which can be overwhelming to new users, beginners, admins, and so forth. So I decided to write a complete user’s guide that’s aimed at beginners and basically boils down my 8+ years of experience into a single focused guide that explains the entire process, from finding hosting, domains, and software all the way through securing, optimizing, and customizing WordPress. Further, The Tao of WordPress teaches how to get the most from WordPress through simplicity, working with the software instead of against it, and much more.

In many ways my new book on WP is a more sophisticated guide that’s more focused on the essentials to achieve a streamlined, lightweight, and complete guide for beginners and users. Bottom line is that Tao of WP is more for beginners and Digging WP is more for intermediates.

FYI, if you want to get both books, there are bundle deals available in the Bookstore :)

sam dreadthug 2013/08/01 3:52 am

Thanks jeff for the explanation. I was unable to decide but now i think i will have to get one for myself. And offcourse for my children too :)

Anirudh 2013/08/12 10:27 am

Well, the true fact is WordPress may look easy and it is still easy, but I understood there are still things which I have to know. Great Work! Cheers :) Thumbs up for this article.

Stuart Crawford 2013/08/18 5:50 am

Thanks for the coupon code – much appreciated.

Dustin 2013/09/18 5:16 pm

I would have liked to use the coupon code as an additional discount for a combo purchase, however, it wasn’t valid for that. I just purchased .htaccess Made Easy along with Tao of WordPress. I also have Digging into WordPress. Looking forward to reading all three books. Thank you.

Jeff Starr 2013/09/19 12:15 pm • Post Author

Thank you Dustin! And just to note that the coupon expired in July and so wouldn’t have worked on any purchase after that time. In any case, I hope you enjoy the book!

cliff 2013/09/18 10:25 pm

I am serious considering purchasing this book. The digging into WP book is very solid with full of information, esp on good at explaining WP functions and theme customization. Two question in my mind: 1. what we expect to learn from the exclusive starter theme? 2. the website of “Tao” is really really amazing, do you have a tutorial on how to make this? I am definielty interest to pay and learn how to do something like this.
I would recommend Jeff to write another book of theme design and customization, This is what people like me a looking for and I don’t need too much of basic things like installation of WP.
In general, your book is top 3 in the market I can find.
good work.

Cliff

Jeff Starr 2013/09/19 12:18 pm • Post Author

The starter theme is designed to go along with the book and serves as a starter template with inline comments, clean code, and simple structure for easy learning. Thanks for the kind words on the Tao site, currently no tutorial for it, but that is an excellent idea indeed :) Thanks for the feedback!

Comments are closed for this post. Something to add? Let me know.

jo 2013/07/20 3:55 pm

Good to see you have a new book out.
I have your “Digging into WordPress” book.
Does your new book add considerably to what is contained in “Digging into WP”? Cheers.
- Jeff Starr 2013/07/21 12:44 pm • Post Author
  
  Hi jo, excellent question, allow me to explain about the difference between the two books..
  
  Chris and I wrote Digging into WordPress in 2009 for beginners to intermediates to learn how to use WordPress. Since that time, I’ve continued working with WP and have gained more experience, knowledge and insight into how WordPress works, what’s important, and how to succeed on the Web. Although we try to keep Digging into WordPress updated with all the latest and greatest, it’s over 400 pages, which can be overwhelming to new users, beginners, admins, and so forth. So I decided to write a complete user’s guide that’s aimed at beginners and basically boils down my 8+ years of experience into a single focused guide that explains the entire process, from finding hosting, domains, and software all the way through securing, optimizing, and customizing WordPress. Further, The Tao of WordPress teaches how to get the most from WordPress through simplicity, working with the software instead of against it, and much more.
  
  In many ways my new book on WP is a more sophisticated guide that’s more focused on the essentials to achieve a streamlined, lightweight, and complete guide for beginners and users. Bottom line is that Tao of WP is more for beginners and Digging WP is more for intermediates.
  
  FYI, if you want to get both books, there are bundle deals available in the Bookstore :)
sam dreadthug 2013/08/01 3:52 am

Thanks jeff for the explanation. I was unable to decide but now i think i will have to get one for myself. And offcourse for my children too :)
Anirudh 2013/08/12 10:27 am

Well, the true fact is WordPress may look easy and it is still easy, but I understood there are still things which I have to know. Great Work! Cheers :) Thumbs up for this article.
Stuart Crawford 2013/08/18 5:50 am

Thanks for the coupon code – much appreciated.
Dustin 2013/09/18 5:16 pm

I would have liked to use the coupon code as an additional discount for a combo purchase, however, it wasn’t valid for that. I just purchased .htaccess Made Easy along with Tao of WordPress. I also have Digging into WordPress. Looking forward to reading all three books. Thank you.
- Jeff Starr 2013/09/19 12:15 pm • Post Author
  
  Thank you Dustin! And just to note that the coupon expired in July and so wouldn’t have worked on any purchase after that time. In any case, I hope you enjoy the book!
cliff 2013/09/18 10:25 pm

I am serious considering purchasing this book. The digging into WP book is very solid with full of information, esp on good at explaining WP functions and theme customization. Two question in my mind: 1. what we expect to learn from the exclusive starter theme? 2. the website of “Tao” is really really amazing, do you have a tutorial on how to make this? I am definielty interest to pay and learn how to do something like this.
I would recommend Jeff to write another book of theme design and customization, This is what people like me a looking for and I don’t need too much of basic things like installation of WP.
In general, your book is top 3 in the market I can find.
good work.

Cliff
- Jeff Starr 2013/09/19 12:18 pm • Post Author
  
  The starter theme is designed to go along with the book and serves as a starter template with inline comments, clean code, and simple structure for easy learning. Thanks for the kind words on the Tao site, currently no tutorial for it, but that is an excellent idea indeed :) Thanks for the feedback!