WordPress Codex has the most extensive documentation and Tools for Building a WordPress Site
So you want to build a website and you have heard about this great content management platform called WordPress. Well, I have to say you have picked a great platform and I will give you some tools I use to create a WordPress Site.
Hosting Services
First of all, you can host your site on your own server or on a commercial server e.g.( GoDaddy, Hostgator, DreamHost, Rackspace or MediaTemple to name a few of the thousand out there). To build you can setup a testing localhost. But, to be visible to everyone on the internet this is essential you have some type of internet hosting provider. You will also need a Domain Name, also. So, start looking for a hosting solution that is right for your personal or business website. These are not immediately necessary to build your site but will be important as soon as you want to be seen on the internet.
FTP
File transfer Protocol is something you will need if you are moving files to a commercial hosting service.
Here are a few FTP with and without editors available for you to use:
[table caption=”FTP and Editors” width=”500″ colwidth=”50|100|50″ colalign=”left|left|center|left|left”]
Mac,PC,Application,FTP,Editor
X,X,Aptana,X,X
X,X,Bracket,X,X
X,X, DreamWeaver,X,X
X,,Coda 2,X,X
X,X,SubLime Text 2,,X
X,,Text Wrangler,,X
X, ,TextMate,,X
X,X,FileZilla,X
X,X,CyberDuck,X
X,X,CuteFTP,X
X,X,Expandrive,X
X,,Transmit,X
[/table]
Self Hosting or Local Hosting
I have a PC and a mac and I have use Desktop Server, I like the premium version, because I can use it will my dreamweaver application to design/create new templates for my site. If you go the route to invest in the premium version of desktop server you will also have the ability to push your sites live to a hosting service.
I think the free version is also pretty great as it allows one to locally host and build a WordPress site.
[table caption=”LocalHosting” width=”500″ colwidth=”50|50|100″ colalign=”right|right|center|left|left”]
Mac,PC,Application
X,X,XAMP
,X,WAMP
X,,MAMP
X,X,Desktop Server
[/table]
Plug-Ins
Duplicator: to move the WP files and Database, and/or create Adhoc backups
The right Tools
So now you have the right tools, you can go design and build your own WordPress Websites.