Welcome! I'm HTMLOnline, your WordPress and freelancing learning companion.
We explain new ideas in plain language, practise repeatedly and build useful projects. No programming course is required; basic comfort using a browser and managing files is enough.
Clear learning order Practise every chapter Projects and exams
WordPress and freelancing STARTER EXAMPLEDiscover → propose → build → launch → maintainYour first useful result is only a few careful steps away.
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EXPLORE BEFORE YOU START
WordPress and Freelancing Path: course outline
Learn domains, hosting, WordPress, themes, plugins, SEO, accessibility, client communication, pricing and maintenance.
8 sections · 64 chapters · 16 project chapters
Before you begin
No programming course is required; basic comfort using a browser and managing files is enough.
You can read this outline without signing in or completing onboarding. Start with the welcome screen above when you are ready to practise. Use a current browser; a keyboard and larger screen can make longer coding tasks easier, but the lesson interface also adapts to phones.
Practice and assessment
The in-page coding tasks use pattern checks to confirm required pieces. They do not replace installing the relevant framework, design application, Python environment or hosted service for full execution. Each section includes guided practice, projects and a ten-question exam.
Read an explanation, study the example, try the task and review feedback. Keep your own project files and test them in their intended environment. Completing an activity or a course certificate is not an accredited qualification or a guarantee of employment.
What each section covers
Expand a section to read its chapters and projects. This is the actual course curriculum, not a separate list of promised future topics.
01How websites, domains and hosting work8 chapters
Understand the system you are selling before opening WordPress.
Section outcome: Select and document an appropriate domain, hosting and email setup.
Domains and DNS
Explain how a human-readable domain points visitors toward a hosting service.
Hosting and HTTPS
Compare hosting needs and require encrypted connections.
Practice lab: Hosting and HTTPS
Rebuild and vary the hosting and https example until every important piece feels familiar.
Business email and records
Plan professional addresses and know which DNS records support email.
Backups and ownership
Keep client ownership, access and recovery responsibilities explicit.
Practice lab: Backups and ownership
Rebuild and vary the backups and ownership example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Domain and hosting comparisonProject
Compare three realistic service packages against one client brief.
Unit project: Website infrastructure planProject
Produce a complete domain, DNS, hosting, email and recovery plan.
02WordPress setup and content structure8 chapters
Install safely and organise pages, posts, media and navigation.
Section outcome: Create a clean content structure before visual styling.
Dashboard and settings
Configure identity, URLs, language, time and privacy deliberately.
Pages, posts and taxonomies
Choose the content type that matches permanence and organisation.
Practice lab: Pages, posts and taxonomies
Rebuild and vary the pages, posts and taxonomies example until every important piece feels familiar.
Media and image preparation
Upload appropriately sized, named and described media.
Navigation and users
Create understandable menus and grant only necessary roles.
Practice lab: Navigation and users
Rebuild and vary the navigation and users example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Content inventoryProject
Sort existing client content into pages, posts, media and missing items.
Unit project: Structured WordPress starter siteProject
Configure a complete site map, navigation, users and sample content.
03Themes, blocks and responsive design8 chapters
Customise visual identity without making the site fragile.
Section outcome: Build a responsive page system using theme and block patterns.
Theme selection and child themes
Evaluate support, accessibility and update safety before visual novelty.
Block editor foundations
Compose sections from meaningful blocks and reusable patterns.
Practice lab: Block editor foundations
Rebuild and vary the block editor foundations example until every important piece feels familiar.
Global styles and typography
Apply consistent type, colour and spacing across templates.
Responsive content checks
Test real text, images and controls on narrow and zoomed screens.
Practice lab: Responsive content checks
Rebuild and vary the responsive content checks example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Reusable service patternProject
Build one responsive service section and test long content.
Unit project: Branded five-page theme buildProject
Create a consistent responsive website from global styles and patterns.
04Plugins, performance and security8 chapters
Add capabilities carefully while reducing update and attack risk.
Section outcome: Create a lean plugin plan and a repeatable safety checklist.
Plugin evaluation
Check necessity, maintenance, reputation and overlap before installation.
Updates and staging
Test important changes away from the live site before release.
Practice lab: Updates and staging
Rebuild and vary the updates and staging example until every important piece feels familiar.
Performance essentials
Optimise images, caching and plugin weight based on measurements.
Security and recovery
Use strong access, limited roles, backups and restoration drills.
Practice lab: Security and recovery
Rebuild and vary the security and recovery example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Plugin auditProject
Remove or replace unnecessary, overlapping or abandoned plugins on a sample plan.
Unit project: Secure performance baselineProject
Measure, harden and document a WordPress site before launch.
05SEO, accessibility and local discovery8 chapters
Make useful content understandable to people and search engines.
Section outcome: Publish an accessible local-business content and metadata plan.
Search intent and useful pages
Answer the real questions customers ask instead of stuffing repeated keywords.
Titles, descriptions and internal links
Give each important page a distinct purpose and path.
Practice lab: Titles, descriptions and internal links
Rebuild and vary the titles, descriptions and internal links example until every important piece feels familiar.
Local business information
Keep name, service area, contact and opening details consistent.
Accessibility review
Check headings, keyboard use, forms, alternatives and contrast.
Practice lab: Accessibility review
Rebuild and vary the accessibility review example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Local search content briefProject
Plan one service page around customer questions and evidence.
Unit project: Accessible local SEO foundationProject
Create and audit core pages, metadata and consistent business details.
06Client discovery, scope and pricing8 chapters
Turn conversations into clear needs, boundaries and fair proposals.
Section outcome: Prepare a professional proposal and change-control process.
Discovery interviews
Ask about users, business goals, content, constraints and success measures.
Scope and deliverables
State what is included, excluded and supplied by each party.
Practice lab: Scope and deliverables
Rebuild and vary the scope and deliverables example until every important piece feels familiar.
Pricing and payment stages
Price the value and work with deposits and milestones.
Feedback and change requests
Collect decisions and price work outside the agreed scope.
Practice lab: Feedback and change requests
Rebuild and vary the feedback and change requests example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Discovery call scriptProject
Prepare questions and a meeting summary for one local business.
Unit project: Freelance website proposalProject
Write scope, timeline, price, assumptions and approval process.
07Launch, analytics and maintenance8 chapters
Release carefully and create recurring value after launch.
Section outcome: Deliver a launch checklist and sustainable maintenance plan.
Pre-launch quality checks
Verify content, forms, devices, accessibility, search and backups.
Analytics and consent
Measure agreed outcomes while respecting privacy and consent needs.
Practice lab: Analytics and consent
Rebuild and vary the analytics and consent example until every important piece feels familiar.
Maintenance agreements
Define updates, backups, monitoring, support and response times.
Client training and handover
Teach safe content updates and transfer recoverable access.
Practice lab: Client training and handover
Rebuild and vary the client training and handover example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Launch rehearsalProject
Run a complete checklist on a staging site and record failures.
Unit project: Maintenance service packageProject
Create tiered maintenance, reporting and support boundaries.
08Freelance business capstone8 chapters
Deliver one complete client-style project from discovery to handover.
Section outcome: Publish a case study and reusable delivery system.
Lead and qualification workflow
Decide which enquiries fit your skills, schedule and ethics.
Complete delivery process
Use repeatable discovery, build, review and launch stages.
Practice lab: Complete delivery process
Rebuild and vary the complete delivery process example until every important piece feels familiar.
Portfolio case study
Present the problem, decisions, evidence and client outcome.
Referrals and responsible growth
Ask for testimonials or referrals without promising unrealistic results.
Practice lab: Referrals and responsible growth
Rebuild and vary the referrals and responsible growth example until every important piece feels familiar.
Mini project: Client handover meetingProject
Prepare a clear agenda, access transfer and training checklist.
Unit project: Local-business website and handoverProject
Complete discovery, build, testing, launch, training and a professional case study.
Progress, accounts and certificates
Guest progress is saved in this browser on this device. Clearing site data or switching browsers can remove access to that local progress. An optional account can synchronize supported course progress; it is not required to access the lessons. Download or back up project work separately.
Certificates recognize completion of the course activities on this site. They are not university credit, professional accreditation or proof that every program you write is correct.