True to the Smashing Magazine's promise, Smashing WordPress smashes readers with the WordPress information they need to make their life easier. Really. Inside, WordPress expert Thord Daniel Hedengren takes readers beyond the basic blog, to push WordPress to its limits as a CMS, a forum, a photo gallery, an e-commerce site and more. Updated and revised to cover the changes to WordPress 3.x including new theming options, custom post types, custom headers, menus and backgrounds, and more. Along the way, readers will learn: The anatomy of a WP install and how WordPress actually works All about custom post types - how they work, what they can be used for, how you make them show up in your regular content flow, and how they make everything easier in the admin area. How to add and work with the new custom features. How to build beautiful WordPress themes - including child themes How to create custom login forms and admin themes How to use the Loop to control content, and even use alternatives to the Loop How to integrate theme options How to build plugins - including widget functionality How to build your WordPress projects for SEO Integrate WordPress with the social web How to create amazing navigation How to use conditional control elements and so much more.