Over the last year or so I have set up quite a few websites using WordPress. It’s easy to use, easy to set up, and has such a huge open source community that I’ve found that I can solve almost any problem using free themes and free plugins. In the rare cases that I need something more in a website than I can hack together on my own in WP, I buy a custom theme for $100 bucks or less.
As successful as I have been with this method, I do not have quite enough control as I would like. I have started to learn how to add simple functionality such as additional page templates for my themes, additional style sheets that can be selected from a theme options page, and stuff like that. And now I’m diving all the way in!
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve started learning PHP and have already put together my very own theme from scratch with the help of some of these tutorials. I also managed to add a Theme Options page to a theme following this tutorial. So needless to say, I’m pretty excited. Learning WordPress will help me with marketing, give me a new source of income, and give me more stuff to blog about 
And it just so happens that the TUTS PLUS network just launched WP TUTS in the last few weeks. I think they did it just for me Especially because the first tutorial they are starting is how to develop your own wordpress theme.
So here I go.
Hi Matt,
Am trying to use the Classipress theme for a site am trying to build. Am unable to make the dropdown work. Could you please guide me on how I could do that?
Hey Arul,
What isn’t working? The category drop-down box on the navigation or the normal menu drop downs? or what?
I’ll be glad to help you if I can.
- Matt
This is a wonderful comment