I have a 4 page HTML site that I want to add a blog to. There are some bewildering articles about the best way to do this. So I'm here just to ask advice. If I ignore all those confusing articles, it looks like the easiest way would be to install Wordpress into the main directory of my current site, then create 4 custom pages using: <?php /* Template Name: Snarfer */ ?> Code (markup): As described in the Wordpress codex. Then add the html for each of the 4 pages, to each of the custom wordpress pages. Then if I add the HTML code to the index.php for the Wordpress theme, and take out the get header and get footer code - I'd be close to having a Wordpress theme that looks like the HTML site, wouldn't I? Of course, I'd have to make sure the CSS stylesheet was amended, and make sure the column widths fit within the HTM. My HTML site is a basic one column set up with a sidebar menu so I figure I can imitate that with a basic Wordpress theme. But wouldn't that be about all? Am I overlooking anything?
if you just want to add a blog why would you install in the root directory? The easiest way is to install WP into a sub directory like /blog and link to it from your existing site. If you want WP to control your existing site as well as provide a blog you could install WP to the root directory and create pages for the existing site's content. And it sounds like you are making it more complicated than it has to be. Just add page for each existing page, if they use the same base layout then modify the default theme (or copy it over and change information at the top of styles.css to make it unique) to match the old site. Then you would use Posts for the blog and pages for the old Content. If you need special treatment for any particular page look into using a WP Page Template (which is what your code is for) to cover the exceptions.
Thanks for your post. I mispoke, I don't want to add a blog to my site, I want Wordpress to control my current site, as well as provide blogging features. So yes I do want it installed on my root directory. From what you describe, it sounds like I'm doing the right thing. I just wanted to make sure. The reason I am doing it the way I am is because my current html site has been designed especially and I want to keep the design.