In this article, team has compiled an exhaustive list of 40+ WordPress Interview Questions and Answers that cater to both Freshers and Experienced Professionals. Check them out and prepare for your WordPress interview.
The WordPress content management system (CMS) is a free, open-source software application. With this tool, you can control the entire process of creating and publishing web content as well as managing their websites. You can easily manage content on your website using a content management system, even if you have no experience in programming. Therefore, WordPress makes it possible for anyone – even those who aren’t developers – to build a website. Almost all web hosts support PHP and MySQL, which are used by WordPress. WordPress is a flexible CMS that can be used for virtually any type of website, including blogging, e-commerce, government, and business sites. With its flexibility and usability, WordPress is a perfect solution for large and small websites.
The following are some of the essential features of WordPress:
WordPress plugins are individual pieces of software that allow you to add additional functionality to your website. All of these software pieces can be installed on your WordPress website. By using plugins, you can extend or add new functionality to your website, enabling you to easily create any type of website, from e-commerce to directories.
Plugins can tweak your site in minor ways or make massive changes, depending on the features. By using a plugin, you could, for example, create a fully multilingual site or add a WhatsApp share button. Many plugins can help you add a contact form to your website, create customizable image galleries, and link to social media. You have a lot of options to choose from, both free and premium.
The following are the top ten most popular WordPress plugins of all time, based on actual downloads from WordPress.org.
The following steps will guide you through creating your first plugin:
6. What limitations does the WordPress website have?
The use of WordPress is not limited. Depending on your needs, it can be used for anything, from e-commerce sites to membership sites. The downsides of WordPress include:
WordPress has the following minimal requirements:
In WordPress databases, the shelves are called tables. By default, WordPress websites contain 12 tables. Only certain data can be stored in each table. WordPress comments tables, for example, contain information regarding IP addresses, comment author slugs, etc., of people who have commented on a post. In this way, data can be stored and retrieved more quickly.
You can change and rename the WordPress database prefix in several ways.
Change the table prefix in wp-config.php
Go to the WordPress root directory and open the wp-config.php file. Change the prefix of the table “wp_” to whatever you wish, for example, “wp_a564356_”. Therefore, the line would look as follows:
$table_prefix = ‘wp_a564356_’;
Change the table prefix in the database
Since WordPress is one of the most popular CMS platforms on the web, its security is paramount. Upon analyzing the existing loopholes, standard security policies should be implemented in WordPress to protect WordPress data. The steps that must be taken when your WordPress platform is hacked are as follows:
Despite being a safe CMS (content management system), WordPress is susceptible to attacks, just like any other CMS. WordPress security can be enhanced in many ways, as follows:
The difference between posts and pages is that posts are more timely and regularly updated, while pages are static. It is possible to have any number of pages and posts on your website.
WordPress developers are able to create custom post types. The register_post_type() function may be used to add a custom post type. Plugins allow us to create custom post types as well.
Wp_posts is a table in your MySQL database that holds the content of your WordPress posts and pages. WordPress displays your content using dynamic PHP templates, so it doesn’t store a separate HTML file for each page. In the database, you can also find “Pages” (or other custom post types available in WordPress) in the wp_posts table. Typically, these can be accessed through phpMyAdmin.
No, Plugins that are inactive or deactivated don’t slow down WordPress. Deactivating a WordPress plugin simply turns it off. The plugin is still installed on your site, so you can activate it again if need be. Uninstalling a plugin, on the other hand, removes it from your website completely. If there are deactivated plugins preset, they will be treated as if they didn’t exist. WordPress will load only the active plugins.
A PHP code for displaying WordPress posts is referred to as a loop or WordPress code. The WordPress themes display posts using a loop on the web pages of the website. These loops include functions that display the posts. One of the most important components of the WordPress code is its Loop, which contains several Template Tags for publishing, formatting, and organizing post content. By default, the WordPress loop includes the following information for each post:
Disabling comments in WordPress can be done in several ways. You can disable comments in future posts, for instance.
Navigate to admin panel -> settings -> discussion tab. Uncheck the “Allow people to post comments on new articles” option and then click on “Save Changes”. By doing this, all comments on your future posts will be disabled.
Wp-config.php is a core WordPress file. Information pertaining to the database is contained in this file, such as its name, username, password, and host (typically localhost).
WordPress uses this information to store and retrieve data ( such as users, posts, settings, etc.) from the database. WordPress does not include the file wp-config.php in its default download package. It contains a file named wp-config-sample.php, that can be renamed to wp-config.php.
To make your static page a front page you have to follow these steps:
Creating custom templates can serve a number of purposes, such as making a different layout from the home page or displaying custom post types like news.
You can update your WordPress site in two simple ways: automatically and manually.
Automatic Method (One-click update): This is the easiest way to upgrade your WordPress version. It is as easy as clicking a button, and the installation will take only a few minutes.
Manual Method: You will need to manually upload WordPress files using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). In case the first method doesn’t work, you can use this method.
Template tags are an immensely valuable part of WordPress, especially when developing themes. A WordPress template tag is a PHP function that generates and displays content dynamically on a website. Themes in WordPress contain different templates that theme developers use to display dynamic data. The WordPress themes can use several built-in template tags. The template tags are contained in 9 files in the wp-includes directory.
The following are some template tags you can use in WordPress.
Both WordPress and Wix are platforms for building websites, but each has completely different approaches. while Wix is a website builder.
| WordPress | Wix |
|---|---|
| WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) that lets you easily create content pages and publish them online. | A simple and easy-to-use website builder, Wix allows you to build your website from scratch with flexible designs, which makes it ideal for portfolio-style websites. |
| As you begin using the CMS, it may be intimidating since it does not hold your hand too much. | Getting started with Wix is a straightforward process. |
| WordPress offers only a few official themes on its site. | There are hundreds of website templates offered by Wix – all of which are responsive – and its editor enables users to add their personal touches, so that is an excellent start. |
| As a WordPress user, you bear the brunt of the responsibility of securing your website. Essentially, you need to stay on top of core updates, watch out for various errors, choose the right host, and take care of everything else. | In terms of security, Wix goes ahead and takes care of it all on its own, aside from the basics such as choosing a strong password or using two-factor authentication. It is highly secure because Wix is a closed system and Wix’s able team provides server maintenance and script updates. |
| Besides its knowledge base, WordPress doesn’t provide any specialized support. | Wix provides both a comprehensive knowledge base as well as telephone support. |
Whenever you wish to alter or customize something in WordPress, you can almost certainly make use of a hook. WordPress hooks enable you to manipulate the behavior of a procedure without having to modify the WordPress core files. With hooks, you can modify or add new features to WordPress without modifying the core files.
Action and Filter are types of WordPress Hooks.
do_action( 'action_name', [optional_arguments] );Here, the ‘action_name’ string represents the name of the action. If you would like to pass additional arguments to the callback function, you can specify the [optional_arguments] variable. When no value is specified, this field is empty by default.
apply_filters( 'filter_name', 'value_to_be_filtered', [optional_arguments] );Here, the ‘filter_name’ string represents the name of the filter. ‘value_to_be_filtered’ represents the value that has to be filtered and returned. In the same way as actions, the [optional_arguments] variable can pass additional arguments.
WordPress is the most popular platform because it’s easy to use for non-developers to create professional websites. In comparison with most CMS, it is easier to master WordPress; anyone can build a powerful website that is easy to maintain without much effort. A wide range of organizations uses it, from the Rolling Stones to MSNBC to the Sweden government.
Differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com are as follows:
| WordPress.org | WordPress.com |
|---|---|
| WordPress.org allows you to host your site. You’ll have to buy your hosting service and install WordPress on that server. | WordPress.com, on the other hand, handles all of this for you. All you have to do is register/create an account and you can begin building. |
| WordPress.org is likely the better choice if you are interested in making money from your website. There are no restrictions on how you can monetize your content, such as adding affiliate links or creating a membership website. Also, you can use advertising plugins like Advanced Ads to manage your campaigns directly from your WordPress dashboard. | WordPress.com, however, makes monetizing your website more difficult. First and foremost, you will need to subscribe to the Business plan or higher to access features such as Google Adsense or eCommerce capabilities. Furthermore, WordPress.com limits affiliate marketing. Users have been prohibited from using the platform to promote affiliate products primarily. |
| Technical support is not provided by WordPress.org. If you prefer, you can browse the support forums or read the documentation. | Depending on the plan you choose, WordPress.com provides you with varying levels of technical support. While all plans include email assistance, you’ll need a Premium plan to access live chat assistance. |
| You can choose from thousands of plugins and themes on WordPress.org. | With WordPress.com, you can only use plugins if you have a Business plan or higher. Advanced customization features are not available without a Premium package. |
| You can almost completely control your SEO strategies with WordPress.org. Yoast SEO is a plugin that can help you optimize your posts and pages for selected keywords. | WordPress.com, on the other hand, has limited options for SEO. For Google Analytics integration, you will need a Premium subscription. Further, advanced SEO tools aren’t available without a Business plan or higher. Thus, your website can’t be optimized by cheaper packages. |
Importers are WordPress tools that can move content from an existing WordPress site to a new one. A site can also be moved from localhost to an online server with this tool. Different data can be migrated using the WordPress importer. A few examples include:
Excerpts are parts of posts linking to full articles. In this way, readers are enticed to continue reading. It is helpful to highlight the important parts of your content since titles alone are not enough to capture readers’ attention. Excerpts are limited to the first 55 words of your posts, but you can change the excerpt length either manually or with a WordPress plugin. The manual method usually involves editing the code, but you don’t need to be an expert in any programming language to do this. Changing the default length of the excerpt in WordPress requires us to add the following syntax to the functions.php file and edit the number of words we wish to appear in the excerpt.
function changed_excerptlength($length){
return X;
}
add_filter(‘excerpt_length’, ‘changed_excerptlength’);Here, X is the number of excerpt words to be displayed.
In the case of WordPress blogs or business websites, putting a face to your content will help your visitors connect and become more engaged. A good way of accomplishing this is with an avatar, a picture identifying you across your website. An avatar gives your site a more personal touch and lets users get to know you better. Using Gravatar, WordPress provides its users with avatars. Gravatar is an acronym for Globally Recognized Avatar. The Gravatar platform allows users to upload an image and use that image as their avatar on various websites. Gravatar images are displayed alongside comments, posts, and various other website activities.
To add a widget, users must first verify that the themes they are using support it. It is possible that the problem could be caused by the absence of function.php or a file similar to it. Another possibility is that the user forgot to save the changes they made to the widget or did not refresh the older page display.
A shortcode is a small chunk of code, placed between brackets like [yourshortcode], that performs a specific function for your site. It can be placed anywhere to provide a specific feature to a page, post, or other content. WordPress shortcodes make it easy to add dynamic content to pages, posts, and sidebars. Several WordPress plugins and themes offer shortcodes for adding specialized content to websites, such as sliders, image galleries, contact forms, and more.
Shortcodes are convenient, but they require you to add them to every page that has a parent or a child page. You may end up using shortcodes on a lot of pages, and you may even forget to do it. It would be beneficial to alter the page template file in your theme so that child pages will be displayed automatically. This can be achieved by editing the main page.php template, or by creating a custom page template in your theme.
The has_post_thumbnail() method can be used to determine whether the featured image is present.
Example:
if ( has_post_thumbnail() )
{
the_post_thumbnail();
} A user meta in WordPress is a set of distinct, different, and customized text fields for each user according to his or her preferences. In other words, WordPress user meta allows you to add whatever information you wish about your users. Update_user_meta() is the function you use to add or update a user’s metadata. It looks as follows:
update_user_meta( $user_id, $meta_key, $meta_value, $prev_value );Here,
A WordPress widget can be used to add specific content or features to a website. Website widgets can be added to various parts of a site, such as the sidebars or footer, or any other areas. Widgets allow you to add features and functions to your site with no programming required. There are many widgets you can add to your site, including menus, banner ads, calendars, popular posts, and social icons.
When using free wordpress.com, users can’t see the plugin menu because it’s limited in plugin usage. Even users who do not have an administrator account will not be able to access the plugin menu.
In WordPress, a theme consists of a collection of files (stylesheets, graphics, and code) that dictate what your blog or website will look like. Depending on your theme, you can tweak everything from your site’s layout to the link colors. While a theme can be thought of as a ‘skin’ for your site, they are incredibly powerful. Your website theme affects the appearance of your site, including the typography, layout, color scheme, and other design elements.
When you create a new WordPress website, it comes with a pre-installed theme, but you can change it in WordPress to match your industry and needs. The right theme can improve visitors’ engagement, enhance the appearance of your website, and make it easier to use. Divi, Astra, OceanWP, etc., are the most popular and best WordPress themes available for download.
A child theme inherits the functionality, features, and styling of the parent theme (WordPress theme). Child themes let you change small details of your site’s appearance while still preserving the parent theme’s appearance and functionality. The child theme is designed to inherit the features and appearance of the parent theme, while also enabling the user to make modifications/alterations to any part of the theme.
WordPress Taxonomies group content or data together in WordPress. Shortly, it allows you to organize/group your posts based on what they have in common (characteristics). Several default taxonomies are available, and you can also design your own. WordPress’s Categories and Tags are two of its most popular taxonomies.
Categorization and tags play a much greater role in the content organization as well as SEO.
Meta tags are snippets of HTML code that describe the content of a website or a specific webpage. Search engines use these bits of data to determine what a page is about, and they provide the content that shows up in search results. Although meta tags still provide the description displayed in search engine results, they contribute greatly to improving CTRs (Click-Through Rates).