Web Design: Trial and Error

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When it comes to creating something out of nothing, it can be truly challenging. And when it comes to teaching yourself about web design, it’s all a matter of trial and error, seeing what works , and what doesn’t. At times, it can be a tough pill to swallow. Especially, when you put so much hard work into what you’re trying to accomplish. In order to have success at web design, you not only have to try different things, but you also need to do an extensive amount of research, and be willing to put in a lot of time and hours until you finally achieve your desired results.


When it comes to choosing a theme for your website, it can be challenging, because not all themes will have the same features. And although there are ways to check what your preferences are in a theme, there’s still the issue of what plugins will work for what theme. Yep, plugins can be a real hassle. We all want certain plugins that will enhance the look and functions of our websites. Having said that, some plugins simply aren’t compatible with our themes, or at least they haven’t been tested for compatibility yet.


It’s always the preferred method to try out the plugins that specify that they’re compatible and tested with your theme. But unfortunately, many times we want to use plugins that are more of the rare types which are untested. At least, as of yet. So many people wonder if they should use them. I mean, knowing that there is really only one or two options of a specific plugin at times, what choice do they really have, right? The answer is YES, you can use those plugins for your website, even when they’re untested. But you should do so with caution. And by be cautious, I mean that if a plugin says that it hasn’t been updated for approximately two years, DON’T — USE IT.


It’s always best to use plugins that are tested and compatible with your theme. But for those times that they’re not, and you see that they haven’t been tested for two years, suck it up the best that you can, and either wait until some incredible genius creates one, someone tests that plugin, create one yourself, or find another solution. But don’t use it, because the damage that a plugin could cause can be truly unpleasant , and cause you a lot of unnecessary stress. And yes, I’m well aware that web design is stressful enough, even when you’re a pro at it.


It’s one of the worst feelings when your site suddenly goes slower than a turtle on the ever so popular medical marijuana. But what’s even worse sometimes, is that using an incompatible plugin might not only make your site slower on the backend, but on the front end, and heavens forbid, for that moment when your site won’t even connect so that you can deactivate and delete the plugin. Yikes! Been there, done that, and it’s completely stressful.


For those that are very new at web design and testing out plugins, it’s important to know that no one is any better at what you’re doing than you. You can accomplish anything that even your own hosting company can, but sometimes, you will still need to contact them for assistance. That is, if you have a hosting company that you like. Which by the way, can be a whole other issue.


You see, sometimes, even hosting has issues on their end, and when your site seems slower than usual or not working properly, it might not actually be your fault or that cool new plugin that you’re trying out. It might simply be an issue on your hosting company’s end. Which is another reason that you should reach out to hosting if you have any real issues, because they will immediately be able to tell you what’s going on. Having said that, many times, even they will be mistaken about what they say. But if you’re lucky enough, some crazy-intelligent, tech savvy person will answer your call, and then you’ll definitely have a better idea of what’s going on.


Last but not least, one of the most important things to know when learning about web design, is that nearly everything that you do as you’re building your website is all about trial and error. Most web designers usually learn more after they’ve made mistakes. Don’t give up when things get hard. And trust me, especially to all of those newbie web designers out there, it can be truly stressful and challenging at times. However, people that give up don’t succeed. And you want to be a winner, so be patient, give it your all, and keep fighting forward. You will get there, and when you do, building websites will not only become a breeze to create, but you will look at what you’ve created from “nothing,” and be very proud.

Anne Cohen
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