Top 10 Must-Know WordPress & Coding Tricks to Speed Up Your Workflow

ByMr. HR

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, mastering WordPress with smart coding tricks can save you hours of work every week.

In this article, we’ll uncover 10 practical WordPress and programming tricks that can help you streamline your workflow, troubleshoot faster, and build better websites.

1. Use Code Snippets Instead of Full Plugins

Many plugins slow down your site. Use simple PHP snippets in your functions.php or through the Code Snippets plugin for lightweight customization.

add_filter('login_errors', '__return_empty_string');

This removes WordPress login error hints to improve security.

2. Enable Debug Mode the Right Way

Turn on debugging in wp-config.php for development without showing errors to visitors.

define('WP_DEBUG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

3. Quickly Test Design Changes Using Browser Dev Tools

Use Chrome DevTools (right-click > Inspect) to test CSS changes live before updating your theme or customizer.

4. Use WP-CLI for Speedy Site Management

Instead of logging into the dashboard, use WP-CLI to update plugins, create posts, and manage users via terminal.

wp plugin update --all

5. Speed Up Development with LocalWP or DevKinsta

Use tools like LocalWP or DevKinsta to create a local WordPress environment with just a few clicks.

6. Use Custom Post Types for Better Content Organization

Avoid bloated plugins—register your own post types:

register_post_type('projects', [...]);

Great for portfolios, testimonials, or case studies.

7. Add Lazy Loading for Images

For better performance, add this attribute to <img> tags:

<img src="image.jpg" loading="lazy" />

8. Use jQuery Selectors to Add Dynamic Effects

Example: Highlight a menu item on scroll

$(window).scroll(function() {
  if($(window).scrollTop() > 100) {
    $('#menu-item').addClass('highlight');
  }
});

9. Backup Your Site with a Single Command

Using WP-CLI:

wp db export backup.sql

10. Clean Up Your WordPress Header

Remove unnecessary tags:

remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_generator');
remove_action('wp_head', 'rsd_link');

Conclusion

By implementing even a few of these tricks, you’ll improve your development speed, code quality, and site performance. These techniques are perfect for WordPress enthusiasts, freelance developers, and tech-savvy site owners alike.

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