Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes when a WordPress page loads? As developers, we often take this process for granted, but understanding the core loading sequence is crucial since it is more than just code.

Let’s break down the key files in the process:

1. index.php: The entry point. It’s the first file to be executed in the root folder, defining a core constant and loading wp-blog-header.php
2. wp-blog-header.php: This file loads the entire WordPress environment by including wp-load.php. It then runs the wp() function to set up the query and finally loads the correct template.
3. wp-load.php: This file finds wp-config.php, which contains all of your site’s essential configuration details, from database credentials to unique security keys. It’s a key file you can edit without “hacking the core” as it remains untouched during WordPress updates.
4. wp-settings.php: This is where the magic happens. This file is a long chain of require statements that loads all the core files needed for initialization. More importantly, it’s where all the hooks fire, from mu_plugin_loaded at the very beginning to wp_loaded at the very end.

Let’s stop here to see why does this matter? While you can always Google or ask an AI, true mastery comes from a deeper understanding. The real takeaway from the loading sequence isn’t just knowing the order of files, but realizing the importance of reading more code ✔️

Just like you first learned many letters, basically to read before you learned to write, reading is a receptive skill – it involves understanding and decoding information and reading code is essential for becoming a better developer. You don’t have to start with the entire WordPress core. Start small. Read a colleague’s code, a simple plugin, or a theme’s functions file. Try to understand why it was written that way and how it could be improved

Embracing this process is about overcoming your fears – the fear that you won’t understand it, that you aren’t smart enough, or that you’ll waste your time. Every line of code you read is a valuable experience that makes you a more capable developer 👨🏻‍💻