Becoming a Junior Front End Developer: My Web Development Journey

Today, I officially became a Junior Front-End Developer — and yeah, it still feels kinda unreal.

What started as curiosity turned into late nights, messy code, broken layouts, and that one moment where nothing worked… until it suddenly did. I’ve spent months learning how the web actually works — from structuring pages with HTML, styling them with CSS, and bringing everything to life with JavaScript. Then, learning web development without coding in WordPress. Every bug taught me something. Every small win pushed me forward.

Becoming a junior developer doesn’t mean I know everything. It means I’m ready to keep learning, keep building, and keep improving. I’m excited to turn ideas into real interfaces, focus on clean design, smooth user experiences, and code that actually makes sense (most of the time).

This is just the beginning. More projects, more challenges, more growth ahead. But this Friday matters — it’s proof that consistency pays off.

Welcome to the next chapter 🚀


Best regards,

Roneda Osmani

Tutorial to Master WordPress Basics

 Introduction to WordPress

WordPress is one of the most popular Content Management Systems (CMS) in the world. It allows users to create, manage, and publish content easily without requiring advanced technical skills. Initially developed as a blogging platform in 2003, WordPress has now evolved into a versatile CMS that powers various types of websites, including portfolios, e-commerce stores, news portals, and business sites.

Features of WordPress

1. User-Friendly Interface: WordPress offers an intuitive dashboard that simplifies website management.

2. Open Source: It is free to use and can be modified as per user requirements.

3. Themes and Plugins: WordPress supports thousands of free and premium themes and plugins that allow users to customize their sites effortlessly.

4. SEO-Friendly: Built-in tools and plugins help optimize content for search engines.

5. Responsive Design: Most themes are mobile-friendly, ensuring a seamless experience across devices.

6. Community Support: A large global community contributes to WordPress, offering continuous updates and assistance.

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

Aspect	WordPress.org	WordPress.com
Hosting	Self-hosted; user provides hosting	Hosted by WordPress
Customization	Full access to themes, plugins, and code	Limited customization (depends on plan)
Monetization	Complete control over ads and revenue	Limited unless on premium plans
Cost	Free software; user pays for hosting/domain	Free with paid upgrade options
Flexibility	Suitable for advanced users and businesses	Best for beginners and casual bloggers

Interesting Facts About WordPress

• WordPress powers over 40% of websites globally.

• It’s available in more than 70 languages.

• Well-known organizations like BBC, TechCrunch, and The New Yorker use WordPress.

• The WordPress Plugin Directory contains over 60,000 plugins.

WordPress Pages to Demonstrate

Common pages used in WordPress include:

• Home Page: The front page that introduces your site.

• About Page: Describes you or your business.

• Blog Page: Displays your latest articles or posts.

• Contact Page: Provides visitors with ways to reach you.

• Services/Portfolio Page: Highlights your work or offerings.

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Installing WordPress on Localhost, XAMPP Server, Web Hosting & Domain

XAMPP Server

XAMPP is a free and open-source local server environment that allows you to run WordPress on your computer. It includes Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl—components necessary for WordPress to function.
To install:

1. Download XAMPP from apachefriends.org.

2. Install and start the Apache and MySQL modules.

Download WordPress Files

1. Visit wordpress.org/download.

2. Download the latest version of WordPress.

3. Extract the files into the htdocs folder in your XAMPP directory.

Create a Database

1. Open localhost/phpmyadmin.

2. Click on Databases → Enter a name → Click Create.

Install WordPress

1. Open your browser and type localhost/wordpress.

2. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect the database.

3. Enter a site title, username, and password to complete installation.

Web Hosting

When moving your site online, you’ll need a web hosting provider (e.g., Bluehost, SiteGround, or Hostinger). They store your website files and make your site accessible worldwide.

Domain

A domain is your website’s address (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com). You can purchase one from registrars like Namecheap or GoDaddy and link it to your hosting account.

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Pages, Posts, Categories, Tags, and User Accounts

Pages

Pages are static content sections such as Home, About, and Contact. They do not change frequently.

Posts

Posts are dynamic entries typically used for blogs, news updates, or announcements. They are displayed in reverse chronological order.

Categories

Categories help organize your posts into broad groups. Example: Technology, Lifestyle, Tutorials.

Tags

Tags are more specific keywords associated with posts to improve searchability and navigation.

User Accounts

WordPress supports multiple user roles:

• Administrator – Full access.

• Editor – Manage content.

• Author – Write and manage own posts.

• Contributor – Write but cannot publish.

• Subscriber – Read-only access.
  
  

  
  
  

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WordPress Features (Themes, Plugins)

What is a Theme?

A theme controls the design and layout of your website. It determines how your site appears to visitors.

Install Themes

Navigate to Appearance → Themes → Add New, then search and install a desired theme.

Customize Themes

Use the Customizer tool under Appearance to adjust colors, fonts, headers, and layout options.

Plugins

Plugins extend WordPress functionality. For example, you can add contact forms, SEO tools, or e-commerce features.

News Site using Newsberg Theme

Newsberg is a professional news and magazine WordPress theme. It offers pre-built layouts and widgets perfect for creating an online publication quickly.

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WordPress General Settings and Tools

Create a Navigation Bar (Menu)

Go to Appearance → Menus, create a menu, and add pages or links. Assign it to your primary navigation location.

General Settings

Includes site title, tagline, timezone, and date format. Accessible via Settings → General.

Tools

WordPress provides import/export tools to transfer data between sites.

All-In-One Migration Plugin

A backup and migration plugin that simplifies site transfer between local and live servers.

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Plugins

How to Install Plugins

Go to Plugins → Add New, search for a plugin, and click Install Now, then Activate.

Some of the Most Important Plugins

• Yoast SEO – Optimize your content for search engines.

• Contact Form 7 – Create contact forms.

• WP Super Cache – Speed up your website.

• UpdraftPlus – Backup and restore your site.

• Elementor – Drag-and-drop page builder.
  
  

  
  
  

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Multilingual WordPress

Plugin for Multilingual

To create multilingual sites, you can install translation plugins.

Polylang Plugin

A free plugin that allows you to translate posts, pages, categories, and tags into multiple languages.

Weglot Plugin

A premium plugin that automatically translates your content and provides a simple interface to manage translations.

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Widgets

Widgets

Widgets are small blocks that perform specific functions such as displaying recent posts, a search bar, or social media links.

10 Most Useful WordPress Widgets for Your Site

1. Recent Posts

2. Categories

3. Calendar

4. Custom HTML

5. Social Media Icons

6. Text/Info Widget

7. Search Widget

8. Image Widget

9. Tag Cloud

10. Custom Menu
    
    

    
    
    

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Visual Composer & Elementor

Why WordPress Page Builders Are Popular

They allow users to design professional websites visually without coding, using drag-and-drop functionality.

Visual Composer

A powerful page builder plugin offering design flexibility with responsive templates.

Elementor

Another leading page builder with a real-time editing interface and a vast collection of templates and widgets.

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How to Use Astra Theme

Intro to Astra Theme

Astra is a lightweight, highly customizable WordPress theme ideal for blogs, portfolios, and business websites. It integrates seamlessly with Elementor and Gutenberg.

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Booking Calendar, Chatbot/LiveChat

Booking Calendar Plugin

Allows users to schedule appointments directly on your website.

Chatbot Plugin for WordPress

Plugins like Tidio or WP-Chatbot provide automated chat features for customer engagement and support.

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CSS Editor, Simple CSS, Smart Slider

CSS Editor

You can modify your site’s CSS by navigating to Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS.

Simple CSS

A plugin that allows you to add custom CSS directly from the dashboard.

Smart Slider

A plugin used to create responsive image sliders or carousels with animation effects.

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WordPress SEO, Google Webmaster Tool

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) improves your website’s visibility on search engines like Google.

SEO Tips

• Use descriptive titles and meta descriptions.

• Optimize images.

• Use internal and external links.

• Publish high-quality content consistently.

Download Yoast SEO

Go to Plugins → Add New, search Yoast SEO, and install it.

Using Yoast SEO

Yoast helps analyze content readability, keyword usage, and provides on-page optimization tips.

Webmaster Tools

Submit your site to Google Search Console to monitor performance, fix indexing issues, and track search traffic.

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LearnPress LMS Plugin

Intro to LearnPress Plugin

LearnPress is a free Learning Management System plugin for creating and managing online courses.

How to Create a Course in LearnPress

1. Go to LearnPress → Courses → Add New.

2. Add lessons, quizzes, and course details.

3. Publish the course.

How to Take a Course

Users can register on your site and enroll in available courses directly through the front end.

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WooCommerce

What is WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is a powerful WordPress plugin that transforms your site into an online store.

Benefits

• Free and open-source.

• Supports physical and digital products.

• Secure payment gateways.

• Extendable with plugins.

Install WooCommerce

Go to Plugins → Add New → Search “WooCommerce” → Install → Activate.

Using WooCommerce

Set up products, payment methods, and shipping options through the setup wizard.

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Five Star Restaurant Plugins

Five Star Restaurant Plugins

This suite of plugins is designed for restaurant websites. They include features like:

• Restaurant menu display

• Online reservation system

• Review management
  These plugins enhance the user experience for food service websites built on WordPress.
  
  

  
  
  
  Best regards,
  Roneda Osmani

🌐 HTML & CSS – Web Development: A Beginner’s Guide

Introduction to Web Development

Web development is the art and science of building websites and web applications. It involves using programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to bring content to life on browsers. Front-end development focuses on what users see and interact with, while back-end development powers the server, databases, and logic behind the scenes. This post is dedicated to the front-end, where we learn how to structure and style web content using HTML and CSS.

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History of the WWW and Introduction to HTML

The World Wide Web (WWW) was invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989. It started as a way for researchers to share documents online. The first websites were simple text pages using HTML (HyperText Markup Language), the core language that structures content on the web.

HTML uses tags to define elements such as paragraphs, links, images, and more. For example:

html
<p>This is a paragraph.</p>
<a href="https://example.com">Click me</a>

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Headings and Lists

HTML allows us to structure our content using headings (<h1> to <h6>) and lists, including:

• Ordered lists (<ol>) for steps or rankings

• Unordered lists (<ul>) for bullet points

Example:

html
<h2>My To-Do List</h2>
<ul>
  <li>Learn HTML</li>
  <li>Practice CSS</li>
</ul>

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Digital Footprint & Mini HTML Web Page

Your digital footprint is the trail of data you leave behind while using the internet. Building your own mini HTML page is a great way to understand this:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>My Digital Self</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Welcome to My Page</h1>
  <p>This is where I share my hobbies and interests.</p>
</body>
</html>

Be mindful of what you post—every bit adds to your online identity.

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Introduction to CSS

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) gives your HTML style and design. It lets you control colors, fonts, spacing, layout, and more.

html
<style>
  body {
    background-color: #f0f0f0;
    color: #333;
  }
</style>

CSS can be added inline, internally, or via external files (.css).

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Image Licensing and Intellectual Property

Using images online requires understanding image licensing and respecting intellectual property. Always check if an image is:

• Public domain

• Creative Commons licensed (with or without attribution)

• Copyrighted (requiring permission or payment)

Use websites like Unsplash, Pexels, or Pixabay for free licensed images.

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Web Design: Styling Elements

Good web design combines structure and style. With CSS, you can:

• Change colors: color, background-color

• Adjust text: font-family, font-size, text-align

• Style borders, margins, and padding

Example:

css

h1 {
  color: teal;
  font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
}

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Box Model and Element Styling

In CSS, every element is a box:

• Content (text/image)

• Padding (space around content)

• Border

• Margin (space outside the border)

Example:

css
div {
  padding: 20px;
  border: 2px solid black;
  margin: 10px;
}

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Introduction to Classes, IDs, div, span, and Tables

To style specific elements, we use:

• .class – reusable styles

• #id – unique styles

• <div> – block container

• <span> – inline container

• <table> – tabular data

html
<div class="box">Content here</div>
<span id="highlight">Highlighted text</span>

Tables organize data:

html
<table>
  <tr><th>Name</th><th>Age</th></tr>
  <tr><td>Alice</td><td>25</td></tr>
</table>

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Flexbox

Flexbox is a powerful layout tool in CSS that arranges elements in rows or columns, and easily handles spacing, alignment, and reordering.

Example:

css
.container {
  display: flex;
}

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Flexbox Properties

Important properties of Flexbox include:

• justify-content: aligns items horizontally

• align-items: aligns items vertically

• flex-direction: sets row or column layout

• flex-wrap: allows wrapping items

Example:

css
.container {
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: row;
  justify-content: space-between;
  align-items: center;
}

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Linking Pages and Pseudo-classes

To create a multi-page website, use links:

html
<a href="about.html">About Me</a>

Pseudo-classes style elements based on user interaction:

css
a:hover {
  color: red;
}

Other pseudo-classes include :active, :visited, :first-child, etc.

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Final Thoughts

Mastering HTML and CSS opens the door to endless creativity on the web. Whether you want to create a personal blog, a portfolio, or a business website, these building blocks are essential. Start experimenting, keep learning, and build something amazing!

If you're learning this in a classroom setting, platforms like Code are a great place to practice. Complete your assigned web development level there! If you're learning independently, you can watch online tutorials on YouTube or sites like Khan Academy and FreeCodeCamp to guide you through the basics.

For writing code, we recommend using Notepad++, a free and simple text editor that supports HTML and CSS syntax. It makes your coding cleaner and easier to read.

Code

                                                                                 Notepad++

Best regards,

Roneda Osmani

Embracing the Digital Era: The Power of ICT and Programming

 In today's fast-paced digital world, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become an integral part of our lives. From smartphones to cloud computing, from online educations to smart homes, ICT is the driving force behind our modern lifestyle.

But what makes ICT even more powerful is its partnership with programming.

The Role of Programming in ICT

Programming is the language of computers, the bridge that allows humans to interact with technology. Whether it's developing websites, building mobile apps, or automating tasks with scripts, programming skills have become essential for anyone interested in the ICT field. 

Some of the most popular programming languages in ICT include:

• Python - Known for its simplicity and versatility,

• JavaScript - Essential for web development,

• Java - Widely used in enterprise environments, 

• C++/C# - Powerhouses in system and application development.

                                                                            Python

                                                                    

                                                                              Java

                                                                            JavaScript

                                                                     

                                                                          C++/C#

                                                              

Why Learn Programming?

Here are a few reasons why learning programming is a smart move:

• Career Opportunities: The demand for programmers and IT professionals continues to grow across industries.

• Problem-Solving Skills: Programming teaches you how to break down complex problems and find efficient solutions. 

• Innovation: With coding skills, you can bring your own tech ideas to life.

Getting Started

You don't need a computer science degree to start coding. There are plenty of free and paid platforms like Codecademy, freeCodeCamp, and Coursera that offer beginner-friendly lessons in programming and ICT concepts.

                                   

                                                                         Codecademy

                                                                   freeCodeCamp

                                                   

                                                                   Coursera

                                                      

Best regards,

Roneda Osmani