WordPress is much more than a blogging platform. If you have basic PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript experience you can use WordPress to develop fast, scalable, secure, and highly customized web apps, mobile apps, web services, and multisite networks of websites. Along with core WordPress functions and database schema, you’ll learn how to build custom plugins, themes, and services for just about any kind of web or mobile application.In this updated second edition, Brian Messenlehner and Jason Coleman cover new features and functionality added to WordPress up to version 5.4. All code examples in the book are available on GitHub.Compare WordPress with traditional app development frameworksUse themes for views and plugins for backend functionalityGet suggestions for choosing or building WordPress pluginsRegister custom post types (CPTs) and taxonomiesManage user accounts and roles, and access user dataBuild asynchronous behaviors with jQueryUse WordPress to develop mobile apps for iOS and AndroidIntegrate PHP libraries, external APIs, and web service pluginsCollect payments through ecommerce and membership pluginsLearn how to speed up and scale your WordPress appExtend the WordPress REST API and create custom endpointsLearn about WordPress Gutenberg blocks developmentAbout the AuthorBrian Messenlehner started his career as a software developer for the United States Marine Corps in 2000. Brian is the co-founder of AlphaWeb.com, AppPresser.com, and SchoolPresser.com, all web based companies that specialize in custom WordPress and mobile app development. Brian has been working with WordPress at an expert level since 2008 building custom web and mobile solutions for clients such as TIME Magazine, NBC, Microsoft, Discovery Channel, Constant Contact, Uber, Campbells Soup, HEB, Starbucks, YMCA, Newark New Jersey Public Schools, and The National Park Services, to name a few. Find Brian on Twitter: @bmessJason Coleman has been pushing WordPress to its limits for years and has helped launch several startups using WordPress as an application framework. Jason now leads development for Paid Memberships Pro, a membership-focused ecommerce plugin that powers many software as a service companies. Find Jason on Twitter: @jason_coleman