Category: Webdesign Tips

Don’t Let Legacy Software Stop You from Adopting the Latest Web Technologies – Reasons why you may not need to hold back on implementing the web’s latest and greatest.

Algorithms in JavaScript with visual examples. – This guide will show you how to leverage algorithms to solve problems.

Blender 3.0 – Check out the latest version of the popular 3D/2D content creation app.

20 Free Bootstrap UI Kits – Use these Bootstrap 4 and 5 kits as a starting point for your projects.

Emoji to Scale – A unique library that displays emoji at scale.

2021 Design Tools Survey – A look at how the design industry continues to shift in the remote world.

a11y myths – This resource debunks some of the most common website accessibility myths.

The State of UX in 2022 – Designers in 2022 have a unique opportunity to rebuild our practice with a new perspective, incorporating all we’ve learned since the start of the pandemic.

What Are the Biggest Threats to Freelance Web Designers? – Long-term survival in this industry is not a guarantee. But there are things you can do to prepare yourself.

Open Props – This open-source library aims to “supercharge” CSS variables.

Printvetica – Download this sans-serif font with rough edges – perfect for a vintage look.

Top 50 Free Icon Sets for Web Designers – A collection of beautiful and modern icon sets worth downloading.

Modern CSS in a Nutshell – Vanilla CSS is incredibly powerful. So much that pre-processors may not be as necessary these days.

PlainAdmin – Need a dashboard template? Check out this Bootstrap 5 offering.

docs.page – Use this tool to instantly create GitHub docs with zero configuration.

10 Totally Free WordPress Backup Plugins – Prepare your website for mishaps or migration with these free backup plugins.

To the Third Dimension – A collection of free abstract 3D elements for designers and founders.

The post Weekly News for Designers № 622 appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

So, how did 2021 work out for you? For this grumpy designer, the year felt quite similar to 2020. Uncertainty, along with both personal and professional challenges were around every corner. Let’s pat ourselves on the back for making it this far.

Now it’s time to straighten up and get ready for another go. 2022 promises to be an eventful year – particularly for web designers.

Do you know what that means? Predictions! But these aren’t the play-it-safe, incremental types of prognostications you’ll see elsewhere. If you’ve read my past columns, you know that I aim for the moon. And this year will be no different.

In fact, let’s see what I can get away with up the ante. The following are the boldest (notice the bold type) predictions for 2022 you’ll find anywhere.

Google’s AMP Fiasco Will Be Resolved

It turns out that Google’s vision for AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) didn’t pan out quite the way the omnipresent company had anticipated. Instead of becoming a fast-loading proponent of the “open web”, the framework generally frustrated both developers and publishers alike.

But the real kicker has been the antitrust allegations put forth. Unredacted documents seem to indicate that the real goal was to crush competing advertisers while providing very little benefit to participating websites. Even the perceived speed benefits have come under fire.

These are very serious assertions that will likely play out in a courtroom. But I predict that everyone involved will come to a reasonable solution. One that not only gives AMP’s users some peace of mind but will also result in some major concessions from Google.

How Will It End?
To make up for allegedly slowing down competitor’s ads, Google will introduce “dialup mode”, a universal 10-second delay when loading all of its web properties. Think those ads at the beginning of your favorite YouTube videos are annoying? Imagine waiting 10 seconds for search results to pop up. It’ll be like 1997 all over again.

As an extra measure, irrelevant (and potentially inappropriate) emoji will be interspersed throughout Google’s API documentation.

The Web and Metaverse Will Become BFFs

Facebook’s embrace of the metaverse was a shock to the system. It was so out of the blue that, for some reason, it felt as though they were trying to change the subject. Hmmm…🤔

But there’s certainly intrigue with this virtual world. Watching an early commercial from Meta (oh, that’s Facebook’s name now), one can’t help but want to become fully immersed.

As I see it, this is bigger than just a single social network. The metaverse belongs to all of us. And the web will be the perfect place to give people what they want.

Thus, web designers had better get ready. Our clients are going to start asking us to implement these “Meta®” features into their sites. And just think of the possibilities:

• A convenience store website where users can simulate the experience of paying for bottled water;
• A “virtual ATM” that allows banking customers to enter their secret PIN while friendly forest creatures look on;
• Online events that teleport attendees to the surface of Mars – complete with space dust;

This new MetaWeb (that’s what I’m calling it) will place users anywhere and everywhere at once. After the initial confusion wears off, we’ll be in for quite a ride.

Unintended Side-Effect
All avatars within the MetaWeb will be non-fungible tokens (NFTs). As such, losing your password will also mean a loss of identity. Oh well, it’s always nice to start fresh. Try doing that in the real world!

The Continued Gentrification of WordPress

Just like major cities around the world, WordPress has been dealing with gentrification. Out with the old way of doing things and in with the new. You can see it all around the community and ecosystem.

The shakeup started with the Gutenberg block editor, which is rapidly taking over various pieces of the content management system. It’s not just for editing posts. Indeed, it has now enveloped both the widgets screen and even the entire layout of a website via Full Site Editing (FSE).

Elsewhere, plugin and service provider acquisitions were everywhere. Many longtime community members sold off their products to larger firms, leaving users to wonder what it all means.

I don’t expect this to slow down in 2022. If anything, it’s going to ramp up to warp speed. Here are just a few major changes in store:

Competitor Site Editing (CSE)
Why stop at simply editing every aspect of your own website? That’s the idea behind CSE. The feature will provide site administrators access to the innards of a random competitor’s site. While any advantage you might gain is temporary, the ensuing game of tit-for-tat will be incredibly energizing.

The Plugin Acquisition Plugin
For those with a lot of cash or crypto in reserve, this will be a must-have plugin for 2022. And, unlike so many other areas of WordPress, the UI is dead simple.

First, connect your financial accounts via an API. Next, a checklist of WordPress plugins is displayed on the screen. Check off the plugins you want to own and…boom! They’re now in your portfolio.

It’s that easy. Just make sure to send out a reassuring press release to your new customers after each acquisition.

Final Prediction: Web Designers Will Adapt and Thrive

While the above predictions may be in jest, one thing is for certain. Web designers will continue to adapt to a changing landscape. That’s a safe bet in any year.

Thanks for reading. And here’s wishing you a happy, safe, and successful 2022!

The post The Grumpy Designer’s 2022 Preview appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Structured data (sometimes called “Schema” or “microdata”) has emerged as an important part of SEO strategy. Search engines are making use of this information to enhance listings and provide users with more immediate answers.

Even if you’re not 100% sure what structured data is, you’ve undoubtedly run across it in Google. For instance, a search for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” brings up a wealth of information. I can see where the movie is playing, its listing on IMDB, and aggregate reviews. Much of this comes from structured data that is being pulled from multiple websites.

But this goes beyond just finding the latest movie listings. Structured data can help almost any business, from restaurants to pet stores and everything in-between. Helpful info such as business hours, cafe menus and addresses are just a few examples of what can be mined. That’s really just the tip of the iceberg. To get a better sense of the types of data being used, check out Schema.org’s website.

So, how do you get started? In general, structured data requires adding some attributes to your site’s HTML tags. But thanks to some terrific WordPress plugins, we don’t have to do this manually. Instead, the plugins below provide an easy way to add your website to this data powerhouse.

WPSSO Core

With support for over 500 Schema types and sub-types, WPSSO core can provide structured data in many popular formats. It works with Facebook Open Graph, Google Rich Results/Knowledge Graph, Twitter Cards, oEmbed, Slack – among others.

The plugin will automatically read your site’s content and third-party APIs, then generate the appropriate data. A premium version adds support for WooCommerce, Google Merchant Feed, and several popular WordPress plugins.

Schema

Schema will add valid markup to your WordPress website and supports a variety of data types. It’s a great option for publishers, as it will enhance articles, blog posts, multimedia content and author profiles.

Need more? There are free extensions for marking up reviews and setting a default image.

Business Profile

Structured data spans a vast number of categories. But what if you just want to share basic business information? Business Profile will do exactly that, without all the extras you don’t need.

Enter your business name, hours, etc., and the plugin will generate a “Contact Card” widget that you can place anywhere via a shortcode. It’s an easy way to share your business info with search engines. Support for reviews can also be added via a free companion plugin.

WP SEO Structured Data Schema

For those who really want to micromanage their site, WP SEO Structured Data Schema offers options galore. An options panel will appear on individual pages and posts to let you tweak a plethora of items to your heart’s content.

The available pro version ups the ante by auto-filling page/post data, support for custom post types and more data types.

Markup (JSON-LD)

Though a little light on documentation, Markup (JSON-LD) is a fairly straightforward plugin for adding structured data. Within its settings panel, you can choose from a number of different types of data (Article, Blog Post, Event, Local Business, Site Navigation – among others).

Simply click on the data types you want, enable them and tweak settings. While there isn’t much in the way of plugin-specific info, each data type features some helpful Schema.org/Google links for further information.

Schema & Structured Data

With Schema & Structured Data for WP & AMP, you have a comprehensive plugin that is both highly-tweakable and easy to use. For instance, you can conditionally display markup fields based on a number of criteria, such as post type.

It’s also compatible with Google AMP, putting you into the good graces of the search behemoth.

Schema App Structured Data

Schema App Structured Data is another great choice if you prefer something that doesn’t require a complicated setup. Once you activate the plugin and fill out a few basic details, all of your pages, posts, categories, and more will be automatically marked up with compliant Schema.

Optionally, you can also display breadcrumb navigation that will further enhance both your site and your SERP listing.

Enjoy the Benefits of Structured Data

Adding structured data markup to your website helps users get the information they need with less hassle. Instead of having to comb through your website to find business hours, they can simply ask Google. This is especially important as voice-based search becomes more prevalent.

Users no longer have to attempt the dangerous combination of typing and driving. Talking to whichever virtual assistant they’re using will provide the answers they’re looking for.

While there are certainly some concerns that users will bypass your site altogether, providing access to this data at least keeps your business in the game. If your competitors share structured data and you don’t, you could lose some potential customers. Plus, the fact that website navigation can be mined could be of some benefit as well.

In short, structured data is too important to ignore. Thankfully, the plugins above can help make the process quick and easy.

The post 7 Free Plugins for Adding Structured Data to Your WordPress Website appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

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Distorted, irregular, and beautifully imperfect. Every individual character is unique and carefully created by hand. Rustic in style yet seamlessly blends in with modern design.

Yes, we’re talking about paint brush-style typography, and it is currently enjoying a revival in popularity. And, we love it!

If you’re looking to jump on the brush-style typography bandwagon, in this article, we have a curated collection of our favorite brush fonts that you can freely download and use in your own creative design projects.

All of the fonts have been created by professional designers and can be used to create something truly unique.

As already mentioned, all of the below fonts are free, but please double-check the license before usage as they can change from time to time.

Zallord Brush Font Free, by Husain Assyahid

Namashte Brush Font on Envato Elements

Perfect Moment Handwritten SVG Font Free, by Ivan Rosenberg

Besom Brush Font Free, by Krišjānis Mežulis

Northen Brush Font on Envato Elements

Hensa Hand-Painter Brush Script Font Free, by Vlad Cristea

Hey October Brush Font Free, by Khurasan

Shuttles Brush Font on Envato Elements

Painter Brush Font Free, by Jammy Creamer

Kust Brush Font Free, by Krisjanis Mezulis

Mighty Brush Font on Envato Elements

Crocky Brush Font Free, by Creatype Studio

Better Hobby Highlighter Font Free, by Letterhend Studio

Flat Brush Font on Envato Elements

True South Brush Font Free, by Stefie Justprince

Debby Hand-Drawn Brush Font Free, by Artimasa Studio

Mazak Hand-Drawn Brush Font Free, by Ewelina Gąska

Lemon Tuesday Brush Font Free, by Daria Kwon

Chiesty Script Font Free, by CreativeTacos

Thorn Brush Font Free, by Stefie Justprince

Chocoleta Brush Font Free, by CruzineDesign

Willful Handwritten Brush Sans Font Free, by Mr.Typeman

Wildrock Brush Font Free, by Creatype Studio

Brush King Font Free, by Subectype

The post 20 Beautifully Imperfect Free Brush Fonts for Designers appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

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Just as food brings people together, you can bring audiences to your clients with a stunning food and drink logo. If you’re working with restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, or bars, you have to make their logos as delicious as their dishes. How? Well, you can take the long route, trying to come up with every idea yourself (and spend hours trying). Or… you can let our collection of the best food and drink logo templates inspire you.

These logo templates have something for everyone: Fun and vibrant logos for street food spots that want to showcase their down-to-Earth vibes. Logos for restaurants with a long tradition that want to be even more recognizable. Vintage-inspired logos for hipster coffee shops that want a new generation of writers to pen their first scripts on their premises (while sipping their mocha latte). And so much more!

Let’s be real: no one can resist good food. But it takes a while to convince people to come and try your clients’ dishes. As the designer in charge of creating the logo, you’ve got a say in how much foot traffic your clients get. Since the logo is the foundation of great visual identity, make sure you take the audience’s needs and preferences into account. And from there, it’s time to find the perfect logo template for your next project!

Winery Logo Templates & Badges (PSD, SVG, PNG, AI & EPS)

Make your winery’s logo as delicious as your wine! This winery logo template collection was inspired by vintage typography and iconography, but it works perfectly for wineries that want to highlight their old-school charm. You’ll get over 40 templates and elements for wineries to work with!

Craft Beer Logo Template (PSD, AI & EPS)

Create a brewery logo that stands out from the crowd with this craft beer logo template, perfect for branding, labels, and more! This highly editable brewery logo template incorporates the best of Gothic-style typography and symbols with contemporary design trends. Showcase your clients’ tradition with just a few clicks!

Food, Bakery & Kitchen Logo Templates (AI & EPS)

Create the cutest logo on the block with these food, bakery, and kitchen logo templates. Featuring 15 illustrated logos with handwritten typography, these logos are perfect for mom and pop restaurants, or the friendly pizza place in the neighborhood. Even hipster brands will love these charming food and drink templates!

Burgers and Co Logo Template (AI & EPS)

If your clients value their tradition and meat quality, they’ll love these logos! Inspired by retro steakhouse signs, these restaurant logo templates offer seamlessly blended serifs and sans-serifs with enough room for explaining what makes the brand different from others. You can customize every part of the template!

6 Vintage Beer Badges (AI & EPS)

If you’re working with breweries, you can’t go wrong with vintage! These 6 beer badges (that work like a charm as logos) offer traditional icons (kegs, saloons, anchors, and more) and retro typography. They’re perfect for breweries that plan on sticking around for centuries!

Coffee Shop & Restaurant Logo & Badge Templates (AI & EPS)

Create gorgeously illustrated coffee shop logos, badges, and other branding materials with these templates. Featuring those charming (and very Instagrammable) coffee shop motifs such as: coffee cups, latte art, and tea pots, this collection has everything you need to establish engaging visual identity for a charming coffee (or tea) shop.

Organic Farm Logo & Eco Food Retro Badges (PSD, PNG, SVG, AI & EPS)

There’s nothing like farm-to-table and everyone knows it! If you’re working with a brand that takes pride in their organic and eco food, make sure the logo shows it. These 9 organic farm and eco food logo templates are handcrafted, icons included. You can customize everything!

Minimal Hand-Drawn Food & Drink Logo Set (PSD, AI & EPS)

Create elegant and feminine food and drink logos with these minimalist and hand-drawn logo templates. Perfect for bakeries, coffee shops, and friendly local businesses, these 9 logo templates offer a seamless blend of cute icons and handwritten typography. Who can say no to a business with a logo this charming?

Retro Restaurant Vector Logo Templates (AI & EPS)

Some things never go out of style. If your clients want a retro-inspired logo for their brand, it’s time to take a peek at this restaurant logo template pack. You’ll get 40 logo options – there’s something for BBQ places, restaurants, bakeries, and more.

Beer Hops Multiply Badges & Logos (AI & EPS)

Help audiences understand the process behind brewing with these stunning beer hop logo templates. You’ll get 5 brewery badges that work perfectly for logos and other branding materials. From vintage logos, to modern and hipster logos with script fonts, there is plenty to pick from in this collection!

Organic Food & Drink Logo Templates (AI & EPS)

Evoke health and nature with a single logo – pick your favorite from this gorgeous organic food and drink logo template collection. With a natural color palette (greens and browns) and a variety of diverse icons (apples, leaves, and more), these logo templates are sure to attract loads of customers!

Craft Beer Logo Templates (AI & EPS)

It’s time to show customers how much fun they’ll have sipping their beer or wine! Everyone’s gonna have the time of their lives with these brewery and winery logo templates. You’ll get plenty of beautifully illustrated (and fun) icon and typography options.

Unique & Minimal Food Logos (PSD, AI & EPS)

Organic and personal, these unique and minimalist food logo templates are perfect for food brands, as well as restaurants, bloggers, chefs, and more. The handwritten script fonts give a dash of personality to your brand, while the icons such as peppers and leaves instantly evoke feelings of comfort and delight.

Fast Food Logo Collection (AI & EPS)

Create a memorable fast or street food logo with these fast food logo templates! Featuring 8 beautiful logos with icons and typography outlined in red, they look as perfect as the red checkered tablecloths everyone associates with hearty food. From sandwiches to ramen, there’s plenty to pick from!

Vintage Cooking Classes Logo Templates (AI & EPS)

Share some of your personality with your cooking class and turn it into a brand! These gorgeous vintage logo templates are perfect for increasing your cooking class brand awareness, as well as attracting more people to your cooking blog. Share the knowledge and charm your customers with these adorable logos!

Chat Food Logo Template (AI & EPS)

Launching a food app, or starting a business geared towards techies and Gen-Z? Pick this chat food logo template! Combining noodles with the chat icon, and sealing the deal with sans-serif typography, this logo template is definitely the perfect choice for businesses who are keeping an eye on current trends.

Cafe, Bar & Restaurant Vintage Logo Kit (AI & EPS)

If your clients take pride in their coffee, they’re going to love this vintage logo kit. These cafe logo templates emphasize the ‘coffee’ in ‘coffee shop.’ You’ll love vintage-style coffee leaf and coffee cup icons, as well as vibrant typography and compositions.

Barbecue & Grill Logo Templates (AI & EPS)

Paint a vivid picture with these barbecue and grill logo templates, perfect for restaurants serving the best dishes ever! From icons such as barbecues, to steaks, ovens, and more, you’ll have plenty of options to pick from. The vintage aspects give your clients’ brands even more charm!

Food & Cafe Logo & Badge Templates (PSD, AI & EPS)

From organic, across vintage, and all the way to elegant, this collection of logo templates for restaurants and cafes has it all! These 10 logos are perfect for diverse projects, so you might want to add them to your design kit. They feature charming icons, as well as vibrant typography.

50 Vintage Food & Restaurant Badges & Logos (PSD, AI & EPS)

If you often work with restaurants and other food brands, it’s time to invest in a logo template collection. And if your clients love vintage, this pack is perfect. You’ll get 50 badges and logos for different niches; from bakeries specializing in cupcakes, to seafood restaurants.

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Food and drink logo templates so good they’ll make you lick your fingers! These 20 food and drink templates are perfect for your next project. If you often work with clients who own restaurants and coffee shops, these logo templates will be a perfect addition to your standard design kit.

From vintage logos perfect for breweries to elegant logos for restaurants on their way to getting that Michelin star, there’s plenty to pick from in this list, and we hope you’ve found the perfect logo for your next project.

Once you’ve downloaded the logo template you like, you can easily customize it in Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. And of course, don’t forget to bookmark this page. Avoid long brainstorming sessions and get straight to work, giving your clients even more options for the foundation of their brand identity. Bon appetit!

The post The 20 Best Food & Drink Logo Templates for 2021 appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

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https://www.1clanek.info/?p=1392

Microinteractions, those tiny details revealed when someone hovers or clicks on an item, is key to a successful user experience. They provide a hint as to what a specific design element does, thus making it more intuitive.

These little gems are especially important on eCommerce websites. We can use them to reinforce user actions and remove any chance of confusion. When done right, they fit seamlessly into a design.

What do eCommerce microinteractions look like in practice? We’ve rounded up a collection of unique code snippets that serve as prime examples. They utilize CSS and JavaScript to add something extra to the online shopping experience. Let’s get started!

Animated SVG Icons by Joni Trythall

Icons are used on all manner of websites but have particular importance for eCommerce.

This set of animated SVG animated icons can serve as confirmation for adding products to a cart, wish list, and more. Even better is that each icon has three variations to choose from.

See the Pen Animated Shopping Cart Icons by Joni Trythall

Rolling Shopping Cart by Aaron Iker

The simplicity of this animated button is wonderful. One click and a shopping cart icon rolls in and “fills up” with color. There’s a lot of movement, yet it doesn’t feel the least bit overwhelming. It would fit in with virtually any type of online store.

See the Pen Add to cart animation by Aaron Iker

Add a Product with Text Confirmation by Lance Jernigan

Fans of Google’s Material Design will want to check out this snippet. The look adheres to the design language, while the microinteraction is slick and informative.

Clicking the “Add To Cart” button results in a spinning loader graphic. From there, a text confirmation ensures that shoppers will know that their item has been successfully added.

See the Pen Material Add To Cart Animation by Lance Jernigan

Docking Product Image by Filip Danisko

Looking for a unique microinteraction? This snippet sends a product thumbnail image to a sidebar dock when a user adds it to their cart. And it’s not just for show. Hover on the thumbnail and you can easily remove the product as well.

See the Pen Add to cart animation by Filip Danisko

Multi-Step Cart Process by Marcus Forsberg

Here’s an example that treats eCommerce as a step-by-step process. Adding a product to your cart brings up an attractive quantity UI. Select the amount you want, click on “GO,” and the fun really begins.

A visual confirmation appears, then floats over to the cart icon on the upper right of the screen. The overall functionality is great, and the animation successfully ties it all together.

See the Pen Add to cart animation by Marcus Forsberg

Going to Checkout by Richik SC

This animated checkout button sends users onto the next step in style. It utilizes a simple CSS animation to confirm their choice and show that the redirection is underway.

See the Pen Animated Checkout Button by Richik SC

Simple Add to Cart Button by Rune Sejer Hoffmann

Simplicity is the name of the game here. Add a product to the cart, and you’ll see a quick change in both the button background color and adjacent icon. This one gets the job done nicely and without any unnecessary theatrics.

See the Pen Ecommerce animations by Rune Sejer Hoffmann

Add and Remove Items by Amirtha Shankari

Here’s a snippet that focuses on the shopping cart icon itself. Adding a product unleashes an animated box icon. It ricochets off the cart as if it were a basketball hoop.

Remove an item and just the opposite happens. While it would be great to see some microinteractions on the buttons themselves, the cart effects are brilliant.

See the Pen Add to Cart Animation by AmirthaShankari

Improving eCommerce through Microinteractions

When it comes to improving the user experience of your online store, microinteractions are a great feature to consider. They’re an easy means to make an instant impact. And, because they often rely on CSS, you don’t have to sacrifice performance.

The snippets above demonstrate how even small enhancements make for a more intuitive UI. Want to go further? Check out our CodePen collection for more fantastic ideas.

The post 8 Outstanding eCommerce Microinteraction CSS & JavaScript Snippets appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

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https://www.1clanek.info/?p=1391

MDEditorsy – This GUI-based tool enables you to build a Markdown/GitHub README profile.

A Handy Little System for Animated Entrances in CSS – Check out this set of CSS utilities for animating elements as they enter into view.

50 Free Christmas Templates & Resources for Designers – A fantastic collection of free Christmas and holiday season resources and templates we know you will love.

Responsive Layouts, Fewer Media Queries – Some tricks and techniques for reducing (or even eliminating) the number of media queries in your CSS.

Image Optimizer – Reduce load times with this open-source tool for optimizing images and vector graphics.

How Web Designers Can Cope with Situations Out of Their Control – Exploring a few difficult-to-control situations that typically impact web designers and ways to let go.

Dynamic Color Manipulation with CSS Relative Colors – A look at some new ways to manipulate colors using CSS.

2022 Color Trends – What colors will rule the new year? Shutterstock provides their best guesses.

50 Free High-Resolution Photoshop Brushes – Create stunning image effects with this collection of Photoshop brushes.

SVGcode: a PWA to convert raster images to SVG vector graphics – Turn your standard GIF, JPG, PNG & WebP images to vectors with this handy tool.

My Custom CSS Reset – A CSS reset with modern web features in mind.

Testing Your Marketing Efforts as a Freelancer Designer – How to test your marketing until you get it just right.

I made a working Gameboy CSS art: try it out – How one developer created a working replica of the iconic game system.

Equinox – Drag and drop your images to make a macOS native wallpaper.

30 Free Responsive Email & Newsletter Templates – Browse our collection of easy to edit and free responsive newsletter templates that work well on all email clients and devices.

nnnoise – Create subtle (or not-so-subtle) SVG noise textures with this online generator.

How to design great keyboard shortcuts – Considerations for creating keyboard shortcuts that are discoverable, memorable, and conflict-free.

The post Weekly News for Designers № 621 appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

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I make no secret of my love for the web design community. There’s something both unique and beautiful about sharing code, assets, and advice.

But, just as a community can lift you up, certain dark corners of it can put you down. Intentional or not, some commentary can bring about a number of negative feelings. So much so that even an experienced designer can feel them.

People who work in technology tend to put forth some harsh judgements. I’m not talking about direct personal attacks, mind you. Rather, it’s the negativity surrounding the tools, languages, and services we utilize.

What we often don’t realize is how these words can impact other people. When we trash, say, CSS, the message we send can go beyond a simple complaint about the language itself. There may also be a personal toll that goes along with it. Social media and its rapid-fire quickness only serve to exacerbate the issue.

So, how can you deal with all of the noise out there without taking it personally? Here’s some advice for tuning out the darkest parts of the web design community.

Take Opinions for What They Are

Online gathering places such as forums and social media feeds are rife with hot takes. Some designers and developers (myself included) are all too happy to share their thoughts on virtually every facet of the industry.

That’s all well and good. But it’s easy to take things a little too far. For example, it’s one thing to have an opinion on WordPress. But deriding those who use it is something else entirely. The same goes for any content management system (CMS), language, or tool out there.

Seeing these sorts of statements on your screen may lead you to believe that you’re doing something wrong. Or that you’re not a “real” developer because you don’t work with tool x, y and z.

The bottom line is that one person’s opinion, even if they’re considered an influencer, is just that. If they don’t happen to be a fan of the same technologies as you, too bad for them.

Websites are built in all manner of different ways. We can argue the virtues of a specific approach until the sun burns out. But it’s ultimately a personal and professional choice. If it serves both you and your clients well, that’s all that really matters. Let them have their opinions – you keep being you.

Avoid Negative People and Places

Sometimes it can feel impossible to get around all of the negativity out there. Perhaps the only way to do so is by shutting yourself off from online communities. But that would be a shame.

Instead, look to surround yourself with those you can converse with and learn from. On platforms such as Twitter, it’s easy enough to go through your follow list and remove those who don’t fit that profile.

The same thing goes for communities themselves. If you see a lot of nonsense in a particular space, you might save yourself the headache by avoiding it altogether. There are better alternatives.

For example, there are some well-moderated Facebook groups for web professionals where members are expected to behave themselves – and held to account when they don’t.

One of the best aspects of the web design community is that it’s a big place. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to connect with others. It could be online or in-person. Either way, it’s worth exploring.

Remember, We’re All on a Unique Journey

Self-worth can be a fragile thing. And seeing someone else criticize something you’re invested in can cause doubt. You may start to wonder if you’re wasting precious time with an “inferior” tool.

But the road to a career in web design isn’t the same for everyone. Some study it in school while others learn on their own. There’s no singular “right” way to do it.

That’s important to remember, as our personal journey informs how we view the world. These different experiences can lead us to form strong opinions about a specific tool or technology. It’s not necessarily a negative. I think it’s just part of being human.

Negativity is all around us. Yet, no rule says we have to let it affect who we are. The beauty is that we get to decide our own path. If you enjoy working within your niche, keep on doing it!

As for the naysayers, let them continue shouting into the void.

The post Navigating Harsh Judgements and Self-Worth in Web Design appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.1clanek.info/?p=1371

Backing up your precious data is a common best practice these days. But, what about your WordPress-powered website? Yes, most web hosting companies do perform regular system backups.

But beware – not every host is reliable when it comes to backups. And you certainly don’t want to wait until disaster strikes to find out how they did.

You’ll get much more peace of mind if you perform regular site backups yourself. Luckily, there are several outstanding free plugins that will do the job for you.

Note that there are some differences in what various plugins will backup. A WordPress website is comprised of both a database (usually MySQL) and a set of files that sit on the webserver.

You’ll really only need to worry about the /wp-content/ folder, which contains your theme, plugins, and file uploads. Some plugins backup both the database and files.

Others will handle one of the two. Keep in mind that you’ll need both the database and the /wp-content/ folder to have access to all of your site’s data.

Now, let’s check out some plugins to keep your site backed up. We’ll take note of whether they back up a site’s database, file system, or both.

Total Upkeep – WordPress Backup Plugin Plus Restore & Migrate

WordPress software updates can sometimes cause problems. That’s why it’s important to have backups that can be restored immediately.

Total Upkeep’s auto rollback feature will create backups before you run updates, allowing you to easily restore the site to its previous state. A Pro version also enables cloud-based backups and staging sites.

Backs Up: Database and File System (with an option to customize what gets backed up)

WP Staging – Backup Duplicator & Migration

Having a staging environment for your WordPress website is always a good idea. But if your web host doesn’t offer this functionality, WP STAGING can help.

The plugin makes it easy to clone your site and into a subfolder (or a subdomain, if you opt for the Pro version).

Backs Up: Database and File System

WordPress Backup & Migrate Plugin

Backup, restore or even migrate your site. Also available is the ability to download a copy of a backup to keep on your local machine. A pro version lets you schedule backups and connect to various cloud storage services.

Backs Up: Database and File System (with an option to customize what gets backed up)

WP-DBManager

Schedule regular backups of your WordPress database and have it both emailed to you and stored on your web server. Restore a backup with just a couple of clicks.

Also, you can schedule automatic database optimization and repair.

Backs Up: Database Only

WP Time Capsule

Rather than doing a time and resource consuming full backup each time, WP Time Capsule will perform an incremental backup of just the files that have changed.

You have the ability to schedule backups and connect to Dropbox, Amazon S3 and Google Drive.

Backs Up: Database and File System

WPBackItUp

WPBackItUp touts its ease of use – just one click to backup your entire site. The plugin compresses the backup into a .zip file stored on your web server. Backup status notifications will arrive via email.

Backs Up: Database and File System

UpdraftPlus

Automatically or manually backup your entire site to your web server, multiple cloud services, email or even an FTP server. Restore backups directly from inside WordPress. Site migration packages can also be downloaded.

Backs Up: Database and File System (with an option to customize what gets backed up)

WP Database Backup

Backup your site’s database to the cloud, email, or FTP. Set up a schedule to run on a routine basis. The ability to exclude specific database tables is included.

Backs Up: Database Only

BackWPup

You can schedule complete automatic backups for your site and store them in the cloud. Backups can be compressed into .zip, .tar, tar.gz or tar.bz2 formats. BackWPup will also check, repair, and optimize your database.

Backs Up: Database and File System

BackUpWordPress

This plugin is all about simplicity – there is no setup required. Backup your entire site on a schedule and optionally have the archives emailed to you. Backups will run even on low-powered web hosting accounts.

Backs Up: Database and File System (with an option to customize what gets backed up)

No More Excuses – Backup Your Site!

A WordPress site can break for many reasons, including a database crash, theme or plugin incompatibility, or a failed web host. But you don’t have to leave things to chance.

There are free WordPress backup plugins that cater to every need. It’s time to be proactive with your website and prepare for the worst. If something does happen, you’ll be glad that you took steps to regularly backup your website.

The post 10 Totally Free WordPress Backup Plugins appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.1clanek.info/?p=1360

Whether you’re a web designer serving various clients or a developer who offers products, utilizing your website for customer support makes sense. It provides users with a way to both help themselves and receive help directly from you. Plus, it can serve as a means to organize support requests in a neat and tidy manner.

If your website runs on WordPress, then you have a wide selection of support-related plugins to choose from. They run the gamut from building a simple FAQ or knowledgebase all the way to full-blown ticketing systems. This allows you to build a support area that fits virtually any type of business.

With that in mind, here are 8 WordPress plugins that you can use to provide excellent customer service and support.

Tawk.To Live Chat

This plugin will enable you to place a widget from the free Tawk.To chat application onto your WordPress website (a free account is required). You can customize the widget’s look, which pages it displays on, and embed it anywhere with the included shortcode.

A handy scheduler is also included, which will display the widget only during your operating hours. As a bonus, you can use the service’s mobile app to answer queries from wherever you are.

SupportCandy – Helpdesk & Support Ticket System

With just a few clicks, SupportCandy will add a ticketing system to both the front and back ends of your website. Create an unlimited number of support agent users and assign them tickets, while premium add-ons enable you to automate the process.

Customers can submit tickets via their account or as guests. The plugin also supports custom fields, file attachments, and email notifications.

Knowledge Base for Documents and FAQs

One of the simplest ways to provide support is through a knowledge base. Knowledge Base for Documents and FAQs is a free plugin that will enable you to build up a support section in very little time.

Create up to three levels of categories and sub-categories, choose from a plethora of pre-defined styles and even implement an AJAX live search. Premium add-ons allow for features like custom layouts and hosting multiple bases on the same site.

Quick and Easy FAQs

FAQs are a great option for services or products that don’t need overly in-depth documentation. They’re also handy for providing useful pre-sales information. Quick and Easy FAQs creates a custom post type on your site that lets you add as many questions and answers as you need.

You can display your FAQs in various styles, including a simple list, filterable section-based list, and toggle. The display is handled through a WordPress Shortcode.

Ultimate FAQ

Ultimate FAQ will, like other FAQ plugins on this list, allow you to create an archive of questions and answers easily. You can create categories, display questions in various ways and even export them all to a PDF. But the bonus here is that the plugin can integrate with WooCommerce.

This could be quite a powerful feature for stores looking to offer pre-sales information to users. The premium version of the plugin enables a FAQs product tab to make things even easier.

WP Live Chat Support

In the right situation, live chat can be a very effective means of helping customers. It provides both a personal touch and an immediate response that helps to build brand loyalty. Using WP Live Chat Support, you can hold multiple one-on-one chats with customers – hosted right there on the same server with your WordPress site.

There are plenty of options, and no third-party subscriptions are required. However, if you want to have features like multiple agents (team members) or data trigger automations, you’ll need the pro version.

Awesome Support

If you’re looking for a full-fledged support ticketing system, you’ll want to check out Awesome Support. Use it to run a WordPress-based helpdesk that, between the free version and premium add-ons, has just about every feature you’ll need.

By default, you’ll have the ability to create an unlimited number of departments, agent accounts, custom priority levels, and more. Add-ons do things such as syncing product lists with either WooCommerce or Easy Digital Downloads, user reply via email, and Slack notifications – among others. There’s a lot of room to build a system that meets your needs.

weDocs

weDocs is a free plugin that caters to those who want to build and organize vast amounts of documentation on their WordPress website. The plugin UI sports a handy drag-and-drop feature for organizing items – great for getting articles in just the right order.

There is even a way to bring in documentation from an outside source, which could be a really huge help for those moving in existing content from somewhere else.

Support Options

What’s so nice about the plugins above is that they offer you different ways to provide support. You don’t necessarily need a big, complicated system to help customers. In some cases, a simple FAQ will do the trick. But it’s also great to know that more robust options exist if you need them.

The key is in helping people to help themselves first. This will cut down on the number of support requests you receive, and the hope is that if they do reach out to you for further assistance, you’ll be farther ahead by having resources readily available on your website.

Whichever path you choose, look for solutions that will make life easier for everyone involved. The choices above should get you off to a running start.

The post 8 Best WordPress Plugins for Providing Customer Support appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.