CHAPTER 1 • The Anatomy of a WordPress Install 23
Finally, making sure that your files and folders have the appropriate permissions will go a long
way. Files should be owned and writable by the user account and be set to 644. Folders should
be set to 755. You’ll need to be able to use CHMOD or use FTP software that can set file and
folder permissions to get these settings right. Ask your host if you’re uncertain about these
things. You can read more about files, folders, and permissions in the Codex at http://
codex.wordpress.org/Changing_File_Permissions. The Hardening WordPress
Codex page, http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress, is a good
place to start as well, with some additional hands-on tips on how you can make your install
more secure.
LOOKING AHEAD
It doesn’t matter if this is your first foray into the wonderful world of WordPress or if you’re
an experienced user and developer. The important thing is that you have the basic installation
figured out, have made it secure, and understand the publishing beast that is WordPress.
From here on, you’ll start building sites and creating plugins to achieve your goals.
Next up is diving into what makes WordPress tick. This means that you’ll get to play with the
loop, start looking at themes and plugins, and activate that idea machine in the back of the
head that comes up with all those cool adaptations. The brilliance of WordPress is that it is
very flexible, so you can build many things with it; just thinking about the possibilities will
undoubtedly inspire you.
If you have a WordPress install to play with (preferably something that isn’t too public because
you may break something), get your sandbox set up and get ready to dive into the WordPress
syntax.