In order to develop a killer theme for WordPress, developers need to have a solid understanding of all aspects of theme development. There is more to a theme that the technologies you use to develop it or shiny features that you decide to add to it. Here are just a few items theme developers need to pay attention to:



* Theme navigation

* Templates

* Sidebars (single or multiple)

* Media integration (galleries, videos, ...)

* Theme usability

* Comments section

* Theme back-end

* Site layout

* Search Engine Optimization



WordPress 2.8 Themes Cookbook takes a divide and conquer approach to theme development. Instead of throwing you in deep waters from the get go, the authors focus on each of the above-mentioned topics to help you become a more well-rounded theme developer. This book may not cover everything there is to know about WordPress, but it gets you on your way towards developing killer themes.



WordPress 2.8 Themes Cookbook, as the name suggests, is written for those of you who respond better to a more practical approach. It has over 100 effective tips that you can take advantage of to design your own WordPress theme or take an existing one to the next level. The book reads like one of those "top 100 tips" lists, but it does provide enough details for you to keep up. The code snippets, demonstrations, and tips discussed in this work make the learning process even easier.



There is no better way to learn theme development than actually seeing things done in practice. That's what this book offers. I was also impressed with the coverage of advanced topics and layouts in the last two chapters. While more topics could have been covered, the chapters still have enough information to point developers to the right direction. If you are just getting started with WordPress development or want to take your existing work to the next level, this book is for you.