John G: It’s interesting to think how Exercise 1, the button project mirrors real world website functionality. It makes me think that there must be broad ‘tools’ that most digital websites or apps etc are based on. By that I mean the counter ‘tool’ is used to track items in a cart etc, so there must be a series of common ‘tools’ that form the backbone of most digital apps and websites?
ChatGPT:
You’re absolutely right! Most digital apps and websites are built on a set of common “tools” or “building blocks”—these are fundamental functionalities that appear across different industries and use cases. While they might look different on the surface, the underlying logic remains similar.
Here are some of the core “tools” that form the backbone of most digital apps and websites:
🔢 1. Counters & Tracking (Your Button Project!)
What it does: Keeps count of things and updates dynamically.
📌 Used in:
- Shopping carts (items added) 🛒
- Social media (likes, upvotes) 👍
- Task managers (completed tasks) ✅
- Fitness apps (step tracking) 🏃♂️
📋 2. Forms & User Input Handling
What it does: Collects and processes user input.
📌 Used in:
- Sign-up & login forms (authentication) 🔑
- Search bars 🔍
- Contact forms 📩
- Polls & surveys 🗳️
🔹 Your Next Challenge: Build a simple form that takes user input and displays it on the page.
📂 3. Data Storage & Persistence
What it does: Saves and retrieves data for later use.
📌 Used in:
localStorage(like your counter) for temporary storage 💾- Cookies (saving login sessions, preferences) 🍪
- Databases for larger-scale data storage (e.g., saving user profiles)
🔹 Your Next Challenge: Modify your counter so that it resets automatically after 24 hours.
🔄 4. Conditional Logic (If This, Then That)
What it does: Controls what happens based on conditions.
📌 Used in:
- Showing different menus for logged-in vs. logged-out users 🔑
- Showing/hiding error messages ❌✅
- Changing button colors based on status
🔹 Your Next Challenge: Make your counter change color when it reaches 10.
📡 5. APIs & Data Fetching
What it does: Connects websites/apps to external data.
📌 Used in:
- Weather apps (fetching live weather data) ⛅
- Stock market tickers 📈
- Google Maps (fetching locations) 🗺️
- Chatbots (fetching AI-generated responses) 🤖
🔹 Your Next Challenge: Fetch a random fact from an API when a button is clicked.
🔄 6. Timers & Scheduled Actions
What it does: Runs actions at specific times.
📌 Used in:
- Auto-refreshing dashboards 📊
- Countdown timers ⏳
- Session expiration (auto logout after inactivity) 🚪
🔹 Your Next Challenge: Add a countdown timer next to your counter.
🎨 7. Dynamic UI Changes (DOM Manipulation)
What it does: Changes the page without reloading.
📌 Used in:
- Expanding/collapsing menus 📂
- Interactive animations 🎭
- Dark mode toggles 🌙
🔹 Your Next Challenge: Add a “Dark Mode” toggle to your WordPress site.
🚀 The Big Picture: Websites = Different Combinations of These Tools
Most websites and apps don’t “reinvent the wheel”—they just combine these core tools in different ways.
For example:
✅ E-commerce store = Counters + Forms + Data Storage + Payment API
✅ Social media = Forms (posts/comments) + Counters (likes) + APIs (fetching feeds)
✅ Dashboard app = Timers + Data Fetching + Dynamic UI
By understanding these fundamental building blocks, you can start breaking down any website or app into its key parts—and build your own!
Would you like to try another real-world tool challenge? Maybe a form that saves user input or a dark mode toggle? 🚀
John G: Yes we will try to build all of those tools. In the meantime, I assume it’s because so many websites rely on the functionality you’ve listed above that so many plugins exist. They are pre-coded elements that perform the function webmasters are after but maybe don’t know how to code themselves?
ChatGPT:
Exactly! That’s precisely why so many plugins exist—because they provide pre-built solutions for the most common website functionalities.
Most websites rely on the same core functionalities, but not every webmaster wants (or knows how) to code them from scratch. Plugins bridge that gap by letting people add advanced features with just a few clicks instead of writing JavaScript, PHP, or database queries manually.
Why Plugins Exist & How They Work
1️⃣ They solve common problems – Most website owners need contact forms, SEO tools, analytics, e-commerce features, etc. Instead of reinventing the wheel, they install a plugin.
2️⃣ They bundle code into easy-to-use packages – A plugin is basically a pre-written collection of code that runs when installed.
3️⃣ They abstract complexity – Instead of coding a form and handling submissions manually, a plugin hides the complicated code behind an easy settings panel.
4️⃣ They extend WordPress without modifying core files – You can add new features without messing with WordPress’s core structure.
Examples of Plugins That Use the Core “Building Blocks”
| 🔧 Plugin Type | 🔹 Uses These Core Tools |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce (E-commerce) 🛒 | Counters (cart items), Forms (checkout), APIs (payment processing), Data Storage (orders) |
| Contact Form 7 / WPForms 📩 | Forms (collect user input), Data Storage (email submissions) |
| Yoast SEO / Rank Math 🔍 | Conditional Logic (analyzing content for SEO suggestions), Forms (meta data input) |
| Elementor / Divi 🎨 | Dynamic UI Changes (drag-and-drop builders), Data Storage (saving layouts) |
| Google Analytics Plugin 📊 | Data Fetching (API) (retrieving visitor stats), Timers (session tracking) |
What This Means for Your Learning Journey
Since plugins are just pre-packaged versions of JavaScript, PHP, and APIs, learning even a little bit of coding means you can:
✅ Customize plugins beyond their default settings
✅ Create your own mini plugins for personal use
✅ Understand what’s happening behind the scenes when you install a plugin
✅ Automate simple tasks instead of relying on third-party solutions
For example:
🔹 Instead of using a plugin for dark mode, you could code a simple JavaScript toggle yourself.
🔹 Instead of relying on a plugin for a basic counter, you’ve already coded it from scratch!
Your Next Step?
Since you’re thinking like a developer now, would you like to:
1️⃣ Modify an existing plugin (e.g., tweak how a plugin works)?
2️⃣ Build a simple custom plugin (even if just a tiny one for fun)?
3️⃣ Create another JavaScript feature (like a light/dark mode toggle)?
Let me know which direction interests you most! 🚀