Smashing WordPress by Thord Daniel Hedengren Summary

Smashing WordPress is a technical guide for customizing WordPress beyond basic blogging, focusing on advanced theme/plugin development, security best practices, and optimization strategies. It provides code-heavy tutorials for bending WordPress to specific needs, including portfolio integration, SEO enhancements, and feed customization. The book emphasizes practical techniques like modifying functions.php and using plugins over core edits.

This book targets intermediate-to-advanced WordPress developers and designers familiar with PHP/HTML/CSS. It’s ideal for those building custom themes, optimizing security (e.g., SSL encryption for admin logins), or integrating external services. Beginners seeking introductory content may find its code-centric approach challenging.

While some code examples may require updates for newer WordPress versions, the book remains valuable for its foundational insights into theme architecture, plugin development, and workflow optimization (e.g., separating functionality into plugins vs. themes). Critical reviews note occasional typos but praise its actionable strategies for customization.

Key strategies include:

• Adding secret keys to wp-config.php
• Removing WordPress version metadata from headers
• Creating secondary admin accounts and deleting the default admin user
• Forcing SSL encryption for dashboard access.

The book advocates keeping themes lightweight by:

• Centralizing functions in functions.php instead of template files
• Using hooks/actions to modify behavior without core edits
• Minimizing external scripts to improve load times
• Implementing breadcrumb navigation via plugins like Yoast.

Thord Daniel Hedengren recommends:

• Using tags alongside categories for keyword targeting
• Generating XML sitemaps with Google’s plugin
• Linking related posts through automated plugins
• Implementing full-post RSS feeds to boost engagement.

The book advises:

• Showcasing visual work prominently, not just text links
• Adding a blog to drive portfolio traffic
• Clearly displaying contact methods and services offered
• Using social proof elements like client testimonials.

Reviews note occasional typos and outdated code snippets, particularly in security examples. Some readers find the lack of screenshots limiting for visual learners, though developers appreciate its focus on technical depth over hand-holding.

While WordPress.org offers free, updated references, Smashing WordPress provides curated workflows and opinionated best practices (e.g., using TDO Mini Forms for frontend submissions). The book’s structured approach complements official docs for developers seeking implementation guidance.

Key plugins highlighted:

• Yoast Breadcrumbs for navigation
• Google XML Sitemap Generator for SEO
• TDO Mini Forms for user submissions
• Facebook Connect/OpenID for unified logins.

A veteran WordPress developer and former editor of Blog Herald, Hedengren has built themes, contributed to Smashing Magazine, and authored multiple WordPress guides. His technical expertise stems from 15+ years in web development and digital publishing.

The book advises:

• Using pages for static content (e.g., external service integrations)
• Reserving categories for broad topics and tags for keywords
• Encouraging user-generated content via frontend tools
• Promoting RSS/email subscriptions with full-post feeds.