Capstone Checklist & FAQs
Before handing a site to a client or making it public, run through a consistent checklist. This catches the most common beginner mistakes in one pass.
Pre-launch checklist for a real WordPress site
Before handing a site to a client or making it public, run through a consistent checklist. This catches the most common beginner mistakes in one pass.
Real-life example: This checklist is like a pilot's pre-flight checklist — boring to repeat every time, but it is exactly what catches the one mistake that would otherwise cause a problem mid-flight.
- Uncheck “Discourage search engines” under Settings → Reading
- Set a Post name permalink structure before real traffic arrives
- Confirm SSL (https) is active and forced site-wide
- Set up automatic off-server backups (files + database)
- Install and configure an SEO plugin with a submitted sitemap
- Rename any default “admin” username and enable 2FA
- Test the contact form and confirm you actually receive submissions
- Check mobile responsiveness and page-load speed
Choosing WordPress.com vs WordPress.org — final guidance
If a project needs custom plugins, a specific theme, a WooCommerce store, or any real growth ambition, choose WordPress.org self-hosted — the flexibility pays off quickly.
If someone truly wants a simple personal blog with zero maintenance and does not mind platform limits, WordPress.com's paid plans can be reasonable — but for freelance and business work, self-hosted .org is almost always the right recommendation.
Frequently asked questions
A few questions come up again and again from students finishing this course — here are direct answers.
- Do I need to know PHP to use WordPress? — No, for day-to-day content work. PHP helps once you build custom plugins or themes (lesson 30).
- Is WordPress secure? — WordPress core is well-maintained, but sites get hacked mostly through outdated plugins, weak passwords, and poor hosting — the checklist above addresses this directly.
- Can I move a WordPress site to a different host later? — Yes, using a migration plugin (like Duplicator) or manual file + database export/import.
- What is the difference between a theme and a page builder? — A theme defines the base design; page builders (Elementor, Divi) add drag-and-drop layout tools on top of, or instead of, the Customizer/Site Editor.
- How many plugins is too many? — There is no fixed number; the real question is whether each plugin is actively used, updated, and not duplicating another plugin's job.