Get To Know John Locke
John Locke is an independent WordPress developer from Sacramento, CA doing business as Lockedown Design.
We’re thrilled John will be speaking at WordCamp Sacramento 2015 about the iThemes Security plugin.
Speaker Q&A With John
Why do you think security is important?
My session is a walk through of the iThemes Security plugin. Website security is the number one issue facing not only WordPress, but websites of all varieties, sizes, and platforms. Many website owners don’t think much about security, because they don’t think they are a target, but that isn’t true. No matter what size your site is, someone is looking to infiltrate it.
What is your history or experience with security?
I’m merely a web consultant who is trying to help clients keep their sites more secure. People like Tony Perez are the real experts on security. What I can tell you is almost every client that has ever installed security measures — whether that’s Sucuri Security, iThemes Security, or something else — has been shocked to realize that bad guys have been trying to infiltrate their site for without them even knowing it.
How did you get started with WordPress? Why WordPress?
When I first started with web development, I was coding in flat HTML files. About a year in, I was starting to check out different CMS, and WordPress is the one that seemed like it had the most documentation. My first WordPress project was in 2011. At that moment, I was just happy to figure out how to make it work. What I eventually discovered is WordPress is incredibly versatile and extensible. I’ve stuck with it since then because there are very few limits to what it can do. That, and it doesn’t seem like it’s falling off anytime soon.
What is your favorite thing about WordPress?
Far and away, the greatest strength of WordPress is the community. I don’t think the platform would have gotten to the size it has without the willingness of the community members to help each other. WordPress is like a very large family. When things really count, everyone comes together like Voltron.
Can you share a couple WordPress plugins that you love or recommend?
WordPress SEO by Yoast is a plugin I use almost universally on sites. It helps site authors focus each page to a single point, which is good not only for search rank, but for clients and their customers. Gravity Forms, Types, and Advanced Custom Fields Pro are plugins that come in very handy for all kinds of WordPress development.
Resources or recommendations?
For those just starting out, the WordPress Codex is a great resource for learning what each function does. For more experienced developers, the WP Developers Club on Slack has a lot of great video tutorials that will help you expand your understanding of WordPress.
Check Out The Speakers
WordCamp Sacramento 2015 is bringing you an awesome line up of speakers from not only our greater Sacramento region, but throughout California and beyond. Check out our speakers page to see the 2015 WordCamp Sacramento Speakers, and be sure to follow them on Twitter.