Accurately defining all the responsibilities and skills associated with WordPress development is not as easy as it may seem. WordPress developers can specialize in a variety of things related to web development. Their job includes creating custom websites for clients, developing new features on existing websites, making custom plugins and modules, etc.
- WordPress websites represent around 35% of all websites in the world.
- 60% of CMS-built websites are WordPress.
- About 30% of e-commerce goes through WooCommerce.
What is WordPress?
WordPress.org represents an open-source CMS (content management system) written in PHP. WordPress initially served to enable blog publishing, but it has evolved. Its first version was released in 2003, and today we have more than 455.000.000 websites using WordPress, according to some recent surveys.
WordPress has a plugin architecture which allows users to expand and improve the features and functionalities of websites or blogs. Each of the plugins offers custom functions and allows the users to adjust their websites with their features to their specific needs. There are more than 54k free WordPress plugins available on the WordPress Plugin Directory.
WordPress themes are templates and stylesheets that define the appearance of a WordPress website. Each theme comes with different design and features and customizes the website or blog.
WordPress makes web publishing uncomplicated because it only takes five minutes to install it.
More importantly, WordPress has a remarkable community. And it’s still growing. WordPress content is published in 120+ languages, which contributes to its accessibility and internationalization.
WordPress Developer technical skills
Most of the WordPress developers choose between being dedicated to themes or to plugin development. Still, some skills are unavoidable in both cases.
Technical competences that are a must-have:
- HTML – HTML is a markup language that displays the content on a webpage. Knowing how to work with HTML is inevitable for a WordPress developer.
- CSS – CSS controls the way an element looks on a webpage. Proficiency in CSS is mandatory for WordPress development.
- Text Editor – All developers need to use a text editor. They can choose one that suits their needs. WordPress developers must be familiar with some of them. Notepad ++ is usually recommended for beginners. It is the easiest one to use. Other text editors that can be used are Sublime, Atom, or Brackets.io.
- Basic Photoshop – Converting PSD to HTML is one of the responsibilities of a WordPress developer.
- PHP – PHP powers WordPress’s backend. Developing WordPress themes, plugins, or modifying the default behavior of WordPress by using actions and filters requires the knowledge of the syntax of PHP
- JavaScript – This language is necessary for Front End development. It’s responsible for making themes or plugins interactive. WordPress developers who are focused on the Front End know at least one Js framework (Vue.js, Angular, Next.js) and are familiar with JavaScript libraries (jQuery, Backbone).
- Bootstrap – This framework helps developers save time and avoid coding from scratch. It includes all standard HTML, CSS, and Js components.
- Databases – A database is a structured set of organized data. A WordPress developer should work with MySQL. Those developers who are working on the Back End part of the site should be more proficient in this area. MySQL manages user data, user meta, posts, comments, and other components of the WordPress database.
More about WordPress developer’s knowledge
In addition to purely (or mostly) tech skills, here are some other things WordPress developers should wrap their minds about:
- Time Management & Planning
- Marketing & Business skills
- SEO
- Motivation & dedication – continuous learning and improvement
The usage of GitHub & BitBucket is the way to get into the correct mindset. WordPress developers must be curious by nature and eager to learn.
WordPress Developer salary
WordPress developer’s salaries vary according to the type of engagement and according to their location. Salaries expected by freelancers are different from the salary range suitable for an in-house developer.
Some studies from the last year have shown that even popular websites in charge of gathering this kind of data obtain different results.
Once the experts combined those results, they calculated that the average salary or full-time WordPress developers in the United States equals $63,348.
Another piece of information shows that the average freelance WordPress developer on Upwork charges anywhere between $20-$100.
Upon analyzing this topic more thoroughly, the results suggested that the majority of freelance WordPress developers earn less than $15 per hour while, 2% of freelancers charge over $60 per one hour.
Specialized Freelance Marketplaces like Codeable have different salary ranges. A desirable salary for a WordPress developer is usually above $60 per hour.
The salary expectations go higher if you limit your search to North America alone.
As for Europe, the salaries are a bit lower than in the US. Senior WordPress developers in Western Europe make $5,800 per month, while Central European Seniors make around $3,000 per month. The numbers go lower for Eastern Europe with a monthly salary of $2,200.
Hiring WordPress Developers remotely
Developers love to work remotely. Many companies offer their employees the opportunity to work from home at least 3-5 times a month.
Flexibility is one of the main qualities developers look into when discussing job opportunities.
Developers from Balkan countries are very comfortable with working remotely. This way of work helps them obtain the perfect balance between their free time and their jobs.
Hiring a WordPress developer from Balkans benefits you for several reasons. IT experts from this area are well informed about new technologies and trends.
The majority of WordPress developers in the Balkans have a strong technical background and experience working with foreign clients – both remotely and on-site. They are familiar with the European and US market, and they speak excellent English.
