Watch the whole course free on YouTube
FreeAll 3 lessons, with captions and chapters. Open the playlist on YouTube →
- Add Custom Code Safely with the Code Snippets Plugin
From the lesson
“Plenty of tutorials tell you to open one of your theme's code files and paste something in. The trouble is, that file is fragile: a single typo can knock your whole site down, and the very next theme update quietly wipes out whatever you added. The better way is a snippets plugin, which keeps each piece of code in its own safe, labelled box.” Watch the full lesson →
- Create a Snippet: Disable XML-RPC in WordPress
From the lesson
“In this lesson you'll meet your very first snippet, learn what every part of it does, and switch it on with confidence. Our example switches off XML-RPC, an old remote-access door most sites never use and a common target for attacks. You'll tour every part of the snippet editor and see exactly how a snippet is put together.” Watch the full lesson →
- Deactivate, Clone, and Export Code Snippets Safely
From the lesson
“Before we touch the screen, let's see what safe snippet management really means. Turning a snippet off stops it running right away, with nothing left behind. Make a copy before you tinker, so the working original stays safe. Exporting saves a small file you can carry to any other site. Trashing only removes the stored code; the rest of your site is untouched.” Watch the full lesson →
Following along on your own site and stuck on something the video doesn't cover? Book a WordPress tutor — a live session on your own website, $85 an hour.
Code Snippets is a free WordPress plugin that lets you add custom PHP and handy site tweaks without ever editing your theme's files. This short course shows why that's safer, how the snippet library works, and how to add and manage your own tweaks with an on/off switch for each one. You'll come away able to extend WordPress without the fragile copy-into-theme approach.
What you'll learn
Countless tutorials tell you to paste code into a theme file, where one typo can take your site down and the next update quietly erases your work. Learning how to use Code Snippets removes that risk: each tweak lives in its own labelled record that survives theme and WordPress updates and can be switched off in a click. After this course you'll be able to add, organize, and safely manage custom PHP and site tweaks, and undo any change instantly if something misbehaves. It's the sane way to extend WordPress without touching core files.
Inside the course
- Why Snippets? Touring the Library and Activating Your First One
- Creating Your First Snippet
- Managing Snippets Safely: Deactivate, Clone, Export & Good Habits
Who this course is for
This is for confident beginners who don't mind following a tutorial that includes a bit of code, and for anyone who has been warned against editing theme files directly. You don't need to write PHP from scratch. If you're brand new to WordPress, our Fundamentals course is a better place to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is Code Snippets free?
Do I need to know PHP to use Code Snippets?
Is Code Snippets safer than editing theme files?
Every one of the 3 lessons is free to watch — you just need a free WP Tutoring account. No card, no trial clock.
- All 3 lessons in this course
- Follow along on a clean WordPress install
- Keep your free account forever