WordPress is an effective platform for powering large web sites with various types of content and structured data. In this case study, Randy Hoyt will share from his experience developing a network of shopping center web sites on WordPress for a large property management company. He will explore the newer WordPress 3.x features, its child theme architecture, custom plugins, caching techniques, and cloud hosting infrastructure used to extend and scale WordPress for this project.

1. About Me Web Developer – imaginuity.com Extending &Scaling WordPress By Randy Hoyt @randyhoyt#dallasphp

2. @randyhoyt#dallasphp About Me Randy Hoyt randyhoyt.com @randyhoyt Presentation randyhoyt.com/lonestarwp #dallasphp

3. About Me Web Developer – imaginuity.com Case Study @randyhoyt#dallasphp

5. Consistent templates, allow customization

6. Content updates by marketing managers

15. Example:

16. the_content()

17. applied to the post content retrieved from the database, prior to printing on the screen

18. Function:

19. add_filter( $tag, $function, $priority, $args );

20. Applies a function to a filter hook

22. Screenshot TwentyTen @randyhoyt#dallasphp 198 add_filter('the_content', 'tw_update'); 578 function tw_update($content) { 612 $button = tw_generate_button(); 621 return $button . $content; 634 }

24. Examples:

25. init

26. runs after the WordPress environment has been loaded

27. admin_head

28. runs after outputting the common HTML header for admin area

29. Function:

30. add_action( $tag, $function, $priority, $args );

31. Applies a function to a filter hook

33. @randyhoyt#dallasphp add_action( 'init', 'create_post_type' ); function create_post_type() { register_post_type( 'imag_store', array( 'labels' => array( 'name' => __('Stores'), 'singular_name' => __('Store') ), 'public' => true ) ); } WordPress Codex: Post Types > Custom Types http://codex.wordpress.org/Post_Types#Custom_Types

34. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Custom Taxonomies A taxonomy is a way to group things together. In WordPress, a taxonomy is a grouping mechanism for posts or links or custom post types. WordPress Codex: Taxonomies http://codex.wordpress.org/Taxonomies

35. @randyhoyt#dallasphp add_action( 'init', 'create_taxonomy' ); function create_taxonomy() { register_taxonomy( 'imag_store_category', 'imag_store', array( 'label' => __('Categories') ) ); } WordPress Codex: Taxonomies > Registering a Taxonomy http://codex.wordpress.org/Taxonomies#Registering_a_taxonomy

36. About Me Web Developer – imaginuity.com @randyhoyt#dallasphp Plugin: Custom Post Type UI http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/custom-post-type-ui/

38. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Custom Fields

41. Custom Field Templates

42. Custom Meta Boxes

45. function file (functions.php)

46. template filesWordPress Codex: Theme Development http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development

47. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Child Themes A WordPress child theme is a theme that inherits the functionality of another theme, called the parent theme, and allows you to modify or add functionality. Making a child theme is very simple. Create a directory, put a properly formatted style.css file in it, and you have a child theme! WordPress Codex: Child Themes http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes

48. @randyhoyt#dallasphp

49. @randyhoyt#dallasphp WordPress Codex: Template Hierarchy http://codex.wordpress.org/Template_Hierarchy

51. Asingle-imag_store.php

53. Aarchive-imag_store.php, taxonomy-imag_store_category.php

54. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Page-Specific Custom Fields

55. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Custom Settings A taxonomy is a way to group things together. In WordPress, a taxonomy is a grouping mechanism for posts or links or custom post types.” WordPress Settings API Tutorial http://ottopress.com/2009/wordpress-settings-api-tutorial/

56. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Smashing Magazine: Mastering WordPress Shortcodes http://coding.smashingmagazine.com/2009/02/02/mastering-wordpress-shortcodes/

58. @randyhoyt#dallasphp WordPress Network As of WordPress 3.0, you have the ability to create a network of WordPress sites in a single installation. WordPress Codex: Create A Network http://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network

60. Subfolder Configuration

62. Network-Activate Plugins With Caution

63. Create Additional Site for Shared Content Retailer Information, Social Updatesswitch_to_blog(7);restore_current_blog();

64. About Me Web Developer – imaginuity.com Scaling: Architecture @randyhoyt#dallasphp

65. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Server Architecture

66. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Uploaded Images Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3) Amazon S3 is storage for the Internet. It’s a simple storage service that offers software developers highly-scalable, reliable, and low-latency data storage. Plugin: W3 Total Cache Improve site performance and user experience via caching: browser, page, object, database, minify and content delivery network support. Plugin: W3 Total Cache http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/w3-total-cache/

67. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Query Caching The query cache can have an astonishingly positive impact on the response time. MySQL stores the query’s result set. The results are extremely fast response times where clients are repetitively executing the same queries. A Practical Look at the MySQL Query Cache http://dev.mysql.com/tech-resources/articles/mysql-query-cache.html

68. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Page Caching WP Super Cache generates static HTML files from your dynamic WordPress blog. After an HTML file is generated your webserver will serve that file instead of processing the WordPress PHP scripts. Plugin: WP Super Cache http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/

69. About Me Web Developer – imaginuity.com Extending to Mobile @randyhoyt#dallasphp

71. Domain MappingPlugin: WordPress Mobile Pack http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-mobile-pack/

72. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Mobile Theme Theme: Carrington Mobile http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/carrington-mobile

73. @randyhoyt#dallasphp Think Vitamin: Getting Started With WordPress Custom Menus http://thinkvitamin.com/code/getting-started-with-wordpress-custom-menus/

74. @randyhoyt#dallasphp

75. About Me Web Developer – imaginuity.com Some Final Remarks @randyhoyt#dallasphp

77. Network activation does not activate site settings

78. W3 Total Cache’s page caching did not work with subfolders

83. Analytics 360°

84. Yoast SEO

85. Yoast Google Analytics

86. Relevanssi