15 Must-Ask Interview Questions for WordPress Developers (and What to Look For)
Ralph Sanchez
15 Must-Ask Interview Questions for WordPress Developers (and What to Look For)
Setting the Stage: Before the Interview
Technical & Foundational WordPress Questions
What is the difference between an action and a filter hook?
Describe the WordPress template hierarchy.
How do you properly enqueue scripts and styles?
When would you create a custom post type or taxonomy?
Practical & Situational Questions
How would you approach optimizing a slow WordPress site?
Describe your process for securing a WordPress website.
Walk me through how you would migrate a WordPress site.
Soft Skills and Professionalism
How do you handle a situation where a client's request is technically challenging or not a best practice?
How do you stay up-to-date with WordPress trends and updates?
Conclusion
References
15 Must-Ask Interview Questions for WordPress Developers (and What to Look For)
The interview is your opportunity to dig deeper than a resume and confirm a developer's expertise. Asking the right questions is crucial to vetting their technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and professionalism. After you've crafted the perfect job post, this is the next critical step. And once you've interviewed your top candidates, you'll need to know how to evaluate their portfolios effectively. To start the process, find your ideal candidates by exploring how to hire freelance WordPress developers.
Setting the Stage: Before the Interview
A successful interview starts with preparation. Walking into an interview without a plan is like building a website without a blueprint—you might get somewhere, but it won't be pretty.
Before you even schedule that video call, take time to review the candidate's application thoroughly. Look beyond the resume bullet points. Check out their GitHub contributions, browse their portfolio projects, and read any blog posts they've written. This homework gives you context for deeper questions during the interview.
Create a consistent set of questions that you'll ask every candidate. This isn't about being rigid—it's about being fair. When you ask the same core questions, you can compare answers objectively. Plus, it helps nervous candidates when they know what to expect.
Set up a comfortable interview environment. Whether it's in-person or virtual, make sure the tech works, the lighting is good, and you won't be interrupted. Nothing kills interview momentum like spending 10 minutes troubleshooting audio issues.
Consider involving a technical team member if you're not a developer yourself. They can catch nuances in answers that might slip past a non-technical interviewer. But even if you're flying solo, the questions in this guide will help you spot the real deal from the pretenders.
Finally, prepare to take notes. You'll think you'll remember everything, but after three interviews in a day, candidates start to blur together. Simple notes about specific answers or red flags will be invaluable when making your final decision.
Technical & Foundational WordPress Questions
These questions are designed to test the developer's core knowledge of the WordPress platform. The answers will reveal their understanding of fundamental concepts and best practices.
What is the difference between an action and a filter hook?
This question assesses their understanding of the WordPress hook system, which is fundamental for custom development. Look for a clear explanation of how actions add or change functionality, while filters modify data.
A solid answer should explain that action hooks let you insert custom code at specific points in WordPress execution. They're like saying "when this happens, also do this." For example, using
wp_head to add tracking codes or save_post to trigger notifications when content is published.Filter hooks, on the other hand, let you modify data before it's used. They take something in, change it, and pass it along. A developer might use
the_content filter to automatically add social sharing buttons to every post, or wp_title to customize page titles for SEO.Watch out for developers who can't explain this difference clearly. If they struggle here, they'll struggle with custom functionality. The best candidates will give you real examples from their work, not just textbook definitions.
Describe the WordPress template hierarchy.
A developer's answer will show their knowledge of how WordPress chooses which template file to use for a specific page, a critical skill for theme development.
Listen for them to explain the cascade—how WordPress looks for the most specific template first, then falls back to more general ones. They should mention that for a single post, WordPress might look for
single-{post-type}-{slug}.php, then single-{post-type}.php, then single.php, and finally index.php.Strong candidates will talk about practical applications. Maybe they'll describe creating custom templates for different content types or explain how understanding the hierarchy helps them debug theme issues. They might mention the template hierarchy as a way to keep themes organized and maintainable.
If they just list template names without context, that's a yellow flag. You want someone who understands why the hierarchy exists, not just what it is. The best developers will explain how this knowledge helps them build flexible, scalable themes.
How do you properly enqueue scripts and styles?
This is a best-practice question. The correct answer involves using
wp_enqueue_script() and wp_enqueue_style() in the functions.php file, not hard-coding them into the header.A knowledgeable developer will explain that enqueueing prevents conflicts, manages dependencies, and allows for proper versioning. They should mention hooking into
wp_enqueue_scripts for the front-end and admin_enqueue_scripts for the admin area.Look for mentions of conditional loading—only loading scripts where needed to improve performance. They might talk about localizing scripts with
wp_localize_script() to pass PHP data to JavaScript safely.Red flags include developers who suggest adding scripts directly to header.php or those who don't understand why enqueueing matters. The best answers will include examples of handling jQuery dependencies or loading scripts in the footer for better performance.
When would you create a custom post type or taxonomy?
This question probes their ability to architect a content structure that is scalable and user-friendly, going beyond standard posts and pages.
A thoughtful answer might include examples like creating a "Portfolio" post type for a designer's website or a "Products" post type for an e-commerce site. They should explain that custom post types keep different content types organized and make the admin interface more intuitive for clients.
For taxonomies, they might mention creating a "Project Type" taxonomy for that portfolio or "Brand" for products. The key is understanding when WordPress's built-in categories and tags aren't enough.
Great candidates will discuss the user experience angle—how custom post types and taxonomies make content management easier for non-technical users. They might also mention using plugins like ACF or coding them manually, showing flexibility in their approach.
Practical & Situational Questions
These questions move from theory to practice, asking the developer to describe how they would handle real-world scenarios. Their responses will demonstrate their problem-solving skills and experience.
How would you approach optimizing a slow WordPress site?
Look for a multi-faceted answer that includes image optimization, caching, database cleanup, and choosing a good hosting environment.
A comprehensive answer should start with diagnosis. They might mention using tools like GTmetrix, Pingdom, or Chrome DevTools to identify bottlenecks. Then they should outline a systematic approach.
Image optimization usually comes first—using proper formats, lazy loading, and serving scaled images. They should mention caching at multiple levels: browser caching, page caching with plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache, and possibly server-level caching.
Database optimization is crucial too. Look for mentions of cleaning up post revisions, spam comments, and transients. They might talk about optimizing database tables or using plugins like WP-Optimize.
The best answers will prioritize solutions based on impact. A developer who jumps straight to "get better hosting" without investigating might be taking shortcuts. You want someone who understands that optimization is detective work, not guesswork.
Describe your process for securing a WordPress website.
A strong answer will mention regular updates, strong passwords, security plugins, and changing default settings.
Security-conscious developers will start with the basics: keeping WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated. They should mention changing the default "admin" username, using strong passwords, and implementing two-factor authentication.
Look for mentions of security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri, but they shouldn't rely solely on plugins. They might discuss file permissions, disabling file editing in wp-config.php, or moving wp-config.php above the web root.
Advanced answers might include implementing SSL certificates, setting up a Web Application Firewall (WAF), or creating regular backups as part of a security strategy. They should understand that security isn't a one-time setup but an ongoing process.
Be wary of developers who only mention installing a security plugin and calling it done. Security requires a layered approach, and good developers understand this.
Walk me through how you would migrate a WordPress site.
This question tests their practical skills and attention to detail, including database migration, file transfer, and post-migration checks.
A methodical developer will outline a clear process. First, they'll mention creating a complete backup of both files and database. Then they'll describe exporting the database, usually with phpMyAdmin or WP-CLI.
The file transfer process should include moving all WordPress files, themes, plugins, and uploads to the new server. They should mention updating wp-config.php with new database credentials and possibly the new site URL.
Database updates are critical. They should explain running search-and-replace to update URLs throughout the database, being careful with serialized data. Tools like WP-CLI or plugins like Better Search Replace might come up.
Post-migration checks separate pros from amateurs. They should test all pages, forms, and functionality. Updating DNS, setting up redirects, and monitoring for 404 errors show attention to detail.
The best candidates might mention staging environments, minimizing downtime, or handling migrations for large sites differently than small ones. Real-world experience shows in the details they consider.
Soft Skills and Professionalism
Technical skills are only part of the equation. These questions help evaluate a developer's communication skills, work ethic, and ability to collaborate.
How do you handle a situation where a client's request is technically challenging or not a best practice?
This assesses their communication and problem-solving skills. A good developer will explain the issues and propose alternative solutions rather than just saying no.
The ideal answer shows empathy and education. They might describe first understanding why the client wants this feature—what problem are they trying to solve? Often, clients request specific implementations when they really just want to achieve a goal.
Look for developers who talk about explaining technical concepts in simple terms. They might say something like, "I explain why their approach might cause problems, using analogies they can understand. Then I propose alternatives that achieve their goals without the downsides."
Great candidates will share specific examples. Maybe they talked a client out of auto-playing videos by showing conversion data, or suggested a better solution than the popup nightmare the client envisioned.
The key is balance. You don't want a developer who just says yes to everything, creating technical debt. But you also don't want someone who shoots down ideas without offering solutions. The best developers are educators and problem-solvers, not just coders.
How do you stay up-to-date with WordPress trends and updates?
This question shows their commitment to their craft and continuous learning in the ever-evolving WordPress ecosystem.
Passionate developers will have multiple sources. They might mention following the official WordPress blog, participating in WordPress communities, or attending WordCamps. Look for specific resources like WP Tavern, Post Status, or prominent WordPress developers they follow.
Active learning matters more than passive consumption. Do they experiment with new features in development environments? Do they contribute to open-source projects? Maybe they maintain their own plugins or themes.
The best answers show curiosity beyond just WordPress. They might mention keeping up with PHP developments, JavaScript frameworks, or general web performance trends. WordPress doesn't exist in a vacuum, and well-rounded developers understand this.
Watch for developers who seem stuck in their ways or can't name any recent WordPress features they're excited about. The platform evolves quickly, and you need someone who evolves with it.
Conclusion
Finding the right WordPress developer isn't just about checking technical boxes. It's about finding someone who combines solid technical skills with problem-solving abilities and professional communication.
Use these questions as a starting point, but don't be afraid to dig deeper based on their answers. Ask for specific examples from their experience. Request code samples if something sounds too good to be true.
Remember, the best interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. Let candidates ask you questions too. Their questions often reveal as much as their answers.
After the interview, trust your gut alongside your notes. Sometimes a technically perfect candidate isn't the right fit for your team or project. The ideal WordPress developer for you is one who not only knows their stuff but also meshes well with your work style and project needs.
Take your time with the decision. A great WordPress developer can transform your web presence, while a poor choice can create headaches for months. These questions will help you spot the difference.
References
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Posted Jul 6, 2025
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