The best lightweight laptops in December 2022
Original Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/buying-guides/the-best-lightweight-laptops
Find the perfect lightweight laptop whether it’s for work, study or play.
5 Upcoming Web Design Trends for 2023
Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2022/12/06/5-upcoming-web-design-trends-for-2023/
With a new year comes new and improved ways to design websites. 2023 will bring us an interesting mix of website trends — ones that address larger scale scenarios and issues like accessibility, UX, and responsiveness.
In the following post, we’re going to look at the 5 newest web design trends along with 10 pre-built websites from BeTheme that demonstrate how to execute them.
BeTheme is one of the world’s most popular and highly-rated WordPress Themes with 268,000+ sales and a 4.83/5 star-rating.
5 new web design trends for 2023
In order to create more pleasant digital experiences, web designers need to think more broadly about what impacts (both positively and negatively) those experiences. The following web design trends for 2023 will address these larger issues:
1. Hoverable iconography
One of the main priorities in web design is to create interfaces that are so intuitive that anyone can interact with them. However, some of the shortcuts used in web design — especially when it comes to iconography — can create obstacles for certain users and inhibit accessibility.
Some icons have indisputable interpretations. For instance, icons used in website headers have become so commonplace that most, if not all, users know what purpose they serve and what will happen when they click on them.
On the BeBiker 4 website, for example, there are three icons on the left for:
Shopping bag/cart
Search
Account
So long as the same iconography is used from site to site, users will have little doubt about how to use this part of a website header.
When it comes to other, less frequently used icons, however, you have to think about the diversity of your users and how they may interpret them differently. In order to improve user confidence when interacting with website iconography in 2023, web designers will start to include hover-triggered helper text over icons when it’s needed.
You can see an example of this trend on the BeJeweler 2 site:
In addition to revealing helper text when users hover over product icons, the text also appears when users hover over variant swatches. This leaves no room for interpretation and will ensure that every user can confidently interact with website content going forward.
2. More social proof
Trust is an important element in relationship building — be it in personal relationships or the professional ones that brands have with customers.
With the website often serving as the first touchpoint between consumers and brands, trust building needs to begin there. In 2023, web designers will utilize social proof and trust marks to do this.
There are a variety of ways to use these trust builders on websites. One of the most common ways is to include a page on the site and a section on the home page dedicated to real customer testimonials and/or reviews, as the BeDoctor site does:
This particular example showcases three different types of content that can help build trust with website visitors:
An overall customer satisfaction rate
A customer testimonial
An average customer rating — which can link out to a ratings platform like Google or Yelp
For some businesses, it may be too early in the game to have generated a substantial amount of social proof and so you don’t have anything to show off on the site. If that’s the case, trust marks are the way to go.
Trust marks can come in the form of things like security seals — like an icon placed next to the “Checkout” button so you can assure visitors that their transactions will be secure. Another way to boost credibility and trust is to add context to website claims as BeMarketing 2 demonstrates:
The asterisk next to the headline’s claim is expanded upon down below. You could use this space to provide a disclaimer or to add a link to a page that provides proof of the claim.
3. Mobile-specific features
With each passing year, responsive design becomes easier to do as the general rules are well-known and easy to follow. Also, the vast majority of WordPress themes are built to be responsive, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of it for designers.
However, this has led to some stagnation when it comes to mobile web design. While responsive websites provide a good user experience, web designers aren’t really encouraged to come up with creative solutions to make them even greater.
In 2023, that’s going to change as more attention gets paid to the mobile experience. Specifically, how designers build out features that address mobile-specific friction and obstacles.
One way we’ll see this play out is in the navigation design. Take the BeLanguage 4 pre-built website, for example:
The page links from the regular, non-mobile website are all present. However, The “Call us” button appears at the top of the list of links on mobile. On desktop, it appears at the very end.
As designers evaluate the data they have on user habits and goals for the different devices they use, we’ll see small deviations in the way major components like the navigation are designed.
More and more websites will adopt mobile app-like features in 2023, too. BeFurnitureStore has done this. Rather than retain the multi-level header design from the desktop site, the top bar that contains the account, cart, and favorite links now appears as a sticky bottom bar:
Web designers that transform and revolutionize the mobile web experience will be able to position their websites as superior offerings in the years to come.
4. Shape texturization
Many years ago, skeuomorphism brought all kinds of real world textures to our computer and phone screens. However, those textured backgrounds soon became seen as extraneous and distracting, and so the design trend fell by the wayside.
Just because one web design trend fell out of favor doesn’t make the idea of digital texturization a bad one though.
In 2023, web designers will experiment with using organic shapes to add small and, more importantly, strategic textures to their designs. You’ll find an example of this on the BeRenovate 5 website:
Rounded shapes and lines appear in the background throughout the pages of the site. They make the UI visually interesting without overpowering the design.
Digital texturization can also be strategic. BeCoaching 3 is a good example of how to draw users’ attention to certain areas of your pages:
There are two shapes used throughout the one-page website. This consistency in texturization will make it easier to direct visitors’ eyes to where you want them to go.
The shapes often appear closer to the right margin of the page. Since users’ eyes are commonly attracted to the left margin, these shapes should increase how much content the users see and interact with.
5. Supplemental video
Users have different preferences when it comes to how they ingest content online. Blogs, for instance, are good for people who want to take the time to read something. Video posts or vlogs, on the other hand, are ideal for those who want to watch or listen along.
That said, it’s not like you can provide an audiovisual alternative to every piece of content you place on your web pages. For starters, the design could easily get out of hand as you try to deliver a personalized content consumption experience. What’s more, videos tend to be heavy files and they can easily degrade loading speeds as you add more of them.
What designers are going to do in 2023 is include a video alternative or supplemental video only when it matters.
For instance, halfway down the home page of the BeBusiness 6 site is a full-width video section. It’s impossible to miss:
This video section could be used for a variety of purposes. To show off video testimonials. To summarize all the content that came before it. To provide an easy-to-follow explainer for the product’s technical features. And so on.
Supplemental video doesn’t need to take up too much room in order to be effective either. For instance, the BePregnancy hero section has a small cutout where the video resides:
The instantly recognizable “Play” button lets visitors know there’s something to watch there (if that’s what they want to do). Again, this content can serve a wide variety of purposes.
As a bonus, designers can help improve page loading speeds by using video sparingly and strategically while moving away from autoplay video backgrounds and sections.
What do you think of these website design trends?
Often, lists of web design trends cover superficial changes that will take place on websites — fun color trends, experimental typography uses, animation and special effects, etc. In 2023, however, web designers are going to spend more time focusing on trends that improve the web as a whole and lead to more meaningful user engagements.
Accessibility, responsiveness, trust building — these are no simple matters. That said, when you use BeTheme to build websites, they will feel simple because they’ve already been accounted for in many of the 650+ pre-built sites included in the WordPress theme.
What is Node.js? Your Quick-Start Primer
Original Source: https://1stwebdesigner.com/what-is-node-js-your-quick-start-primer/
In today’s world of technology, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest programming languages. One language that has been growing in popularity over the past few years is Node.js. Node.js is built on the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine for running server applications. According to The Sass Way, Node.js “uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that makes it lightweight and efficient.”
Whether you’re familiar with other programming languages and want to get familiar with this one, or you’re brand new to the world of programming altogether — we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we will give you a quick introduction and provide some tips for getting started. Let’s go!
What is Node.js?
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that allows you to run server-side code. It is built on the V8 JavaScript engine, which is the same engine that powers Google Chrome. As mentioned earlier, it is a highly efficient platform that employs an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model. In addition, it has a large community of open-source modules and libraries that can be used to extend its functionality.
Why Use Node.js?
There are a few reasons why you might want to use Node.js for your next project. Let’s discuss those now.
It’s fast: The V8 JavaScript engine compiles and executes code quickly.
It’s scalable: It can handle a large number of concurrent connections with ease. And it has a large network of open-source modules and libraries for extending its baseline functionality.
It’s easy to get started: You can use it on your local machine without the need for a lot of setup.
But if you’re scratching your head as to how to put it to use, we’ve outlined that as well.
Practical Ways to Use Node.js
If you’re just getting started with Node.js, here are some practical ways that you can use it.
Create a basic web server: You can use it to create a simple web server that responds to requests from clients. This is a great way to get started with learning how to use the platform.
Build a CLI tool: It can be used to create command-line tools and utilities.
Create a web app: You can use it to create a web application that stores data in a database and serves content to users.
Build a desktop app: You can use it to build cross-platform desktop applications using tools like Electron.
These are just a few examples of how you can use Node.js. As you can see, it is a versatile platform that can be used for a variety of purposes.
Getting Started with Node.js
Now, we’ll walk you through the steps of setting up a development environment and creating your first program.
Step 1: Install Node.js
The first thing you need to do is install Node.js on your computer. You can do this by going to the website and downloading the appropriate installer for your operating system.
Step 2: Create a Node.js Program
Once it is installed, you can create a program in any text editor. We will use the built-in Node.js REPL (Read-Eval-Print-Loop) environment to run our program.
To launch the REPL, open your terminal or command prompt and type node. This will start the REPL environment where you can type JavaScript code and get immediate results.
Try typing the following code into the REPL:
console.log(‘Hello, world!’);
You should see the output Hello, world printed to the console.
To exit the REPL, type .exit.
Step 3: Run Your Program
Now that you’ve written a Node.js program, you can run it using the node command.
To do this, open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the directory where your program is saved. Then, type node filename.js, replacing “filename.js” with the name of your program.
For example, if your program is saved in a file called hello.js, you would type node hello.js to run it.
You should see the output of your program printed to the console.
And that’s it! You’ve successfully created and run your first Node.js program.
Get Started with Node.js Today
With this newfound knowledge about Node.js, why not give it a try? After all, it would just be yet another tool in your programming toolbox.
Exciting New Tools for Designers, December 2022
Original Source: https://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2022/12/exciting-new-tools-for-designers-december-2022/
Designing a website or app can be a daunting task. But with the right design tools, it can be a lot easier. In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the best tools, apps, and resources available right now. From client management to AI-powered design tools, there’s tons here to round out the year in style. Enjoy!
WelcomeSpaces
WelcomeSpaces is a collaborative tool for professional designers. Communicate with clients, share files, discuss revisions, and stay on track with an activity feed. Client collaboration has never been so simple.
html.to.design
html.to.design is an excellent plugin for Figma to help you quickly and easily create beautiful designs from existing websites. With just a few clicks, you can import the HTML code for any website and start designing your own version of it.
Squeaky
Squeaky is a privacy-friendly analytics suite that lets you capture up to 60% more data than legacy tools. With Squeaky, you can get insights into your customers’ behavior without compromising their privacy. Use Squeaky to make better decisions for your business.
AI Canvas
AI Canvas is an online collaborative platform that allows users to create and share AI artwork with other community members. Start your artwork with text prompts and watch it grow.
Magician
Magician is an AI-powered plugin for Figma that can create icons, images, and web copy from text prompts. It’s the perfect tool for designers who want to quickly and easily create beautiful designs.
Doughnut
Doughnut is a supportive design and freelancing community designed to help you succeed as a freelance designer. From finding new clients to managing your time, Doughnut has everything you need to make the most of your freelance career.
Deckset
Deckset is a simple way to produce great-looking presentations. Just write your thoughts in your favorite text editor and watch Deckset transform them into beautiful, persuasive presentations.
Vectormaker
With Vectormaker, you can easily convert pixel-based images into colorful vector graphics. Vectormaker uses the Potrace algorithm to trace the edges of your image. You can then choose the colors for your vector path based on the colors in the original.
Wrap
Wrap is a browser extension for capturing and editing product screenshots with ease. With a selection of carefully selected styles to choose from, you can create pixel-perfect designs in seconds—even if you’re not a designer.
Illustration Builder
The Illustration Builder digital designer toolkit is a Figma plugin for creating beautiful illustrations for your business website. You can create any illustration with a wide range of objects, backgrounds, characters, abstractions, and more.
OptiMonk
With OptiMonk, you can create beautiful pop-ups for Shopify, WordPress, MailChimp, and more that will help you increase your marketing reach, increase customer engagement and boost your conversions.
Jot
Jot is a marketing tool that uses OpenAI’s GPT-3 to generate human-like ad copy based on a single product description. With Jot, you can create engaging adverts quickly and easily.
Free Mockup Generator
Pixelied’s free mockup generator allows you to create stunning designs with editable mockups in minutes. With a wide range of customizable templates to choose from, you can design the perfect mockup for your project.
Womp
Womp is a new way to create 3D images. Intuitive and easy to use. With Womp, you can create beautiful 3D designs. Everything you create in Womp is exportable for 3D printing, social media, or directly into a game. It’s a great way to produce 3D icons and illustrations for your website.
Tinkerwell
Tinkerwell is a must-have companion to your favorite IDE. Quickly iterate on PHP code within the context of your web application. There’s no need to waste time opening browsers, creating test URLs, and uploading apps to servers. Use Tinkerwell locally, via SSH, Docker, and even on Laravel Vapor.
Magical
Magical is a tool that helps you speed up the meeting scheduling process. With Magical, you can easily find time slots that work for everyone and create personalized links to those slots. With Magical’s Dynamic Availability feature, you and your attendees can always find the best meeting time.
Explain Code
Explain Code is a great way to understand complicated code. You can see how the code works line by line and learn about programming concepts. Gain in-depth knowledge of how and why code is constructed and fast-track your learning process.
Shuffle Alternatives
Shuffle Alternatives allows you to create multiple site styles with a simple drag-and-drop builder. Create your core design and then choose from different design styles for a site that best fits your brand approach.
Idea Clarity
Get help honing your ideas, perfecting your pitch, and targeting the most profitable directions. Idea Clarity is an app that gives you direct access to experts in your chosen field who will help you revise your rough idea into a concrete plan.
Graphicsly
Graphicsly is an all-in-one graphics assets plugin for WordPress that lets you import directly into your installation. There are 1000+ 3D assets, 3000+ illustrations, and 9000+ icons ready to use today.
Source
p img {display:inline-block; margin-right:10px;}
.alignleft {float:left;}
p.showcase {clear:both;}
body#browserfriendly p, body#podcast p, div#emailbody p{margin:0;}
The post Exciting New Tools for Designers, December 2022 first appeared on Webdesigner Depot.
11 Typography Styles to Consider for Your Next Design
Original Source: https://1stwebdesigner.com/11-typography-styles-to-consider-for-your-next-design/
When it comes to typography, there’s a seemingly infinite number of styles to choose from. But which one is the right one for your next design?
That is the ultimate question when it comes to typography. And, unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It all depends on the specific project you’re working on and what kind of message you’re trying to communicate.
However, we can narrow it down to a few general categories.
Here are 11 popular typography styles to consider for your next project.
UNLIMITED DOWNLOADS: 400,000+ Fonts & Design Assets
Starting at only $16.50 per month!
DOWNLOAD NOW
1. Serif
Serif fonts are the ones with the little feet (serifs) on the end of each letter. They are classic and elegant, and they have been around for centuries. Think of Times New Roman or Garamond – these are both serif fonts.
Serif fonts are generally seen as being more formal and traditional than other types of fonts. They are often used for headlines, logos, and other high-impact pieces.
2. Sans Serif
Sans serif fonts are the exact opposite of serif fonts. They have no little feet on the end of the letters, hence the name “sans serif.”
Sans serif fonts are generally seen as being more modern and clean than serif fonts. They are often used for body copy, menus, and other pieces where readability is key.
3. Script
Script fonts are designed to look like they were written by hand. They are usually very flowing and cursive, and they can be difficult to read if they are used for large blocks of text.
Script fonts are best used for small pieces, such as headlines or logos. They can also be used for body copy, but only if the design is very simple and easy to read. A good example would be the Adelia Font.
4. Display
Display fonts are any type of font that is designed to be used at large sizes. They are often very bold and eye-catching, and they can be difficult to read at smaller sizes.
Display fonts are best used for headlines, logos, and other short pieces of text. They should not be used for body copy or any other type of long-form text. A good example that shows how bold these fonts can be is Arbutus.
5. Decorative
Decorative fonts are just what they sound like – they are designed to be used for decorative purposes only. They are often very ornate and can be difficult to read.
Decorative fonts should only be used sparingly, if at all. They can be used for headlines or logos, but they should never be used for body copy. They are a lot of fun though. Just check out the Space Time font.
6. Blackletter
Blackletter fonts are a type of serif font that is designed to look like it was written in the Middle Ages. They are very ornate and can be difficult to read. It also goes by the name of gothic script or Old English.
Cloister Black is a great example of a blackletter font that encapsulates this old-fashioned style.
7. Handwritten
Handwritten fonts are designed to look like they were written by hand. They can be either serif or sans serif, but they usually have a more organic feel than other types of fonts.
Handwritten fonts are best used for small pieces, such as headlines or logos. The Autography Font illustrates this typography style well.
8. Slab Serif
Slab serif fonts are a type of serif font that is designed to be used at large sizes. They are often very bold and eye-catching, and they can be difficult to read at smaller sizes.
Slab serif fonts are ideal for headlines, logos, and titles. They should not be used for body copy or any other type of long-form text though as the line weight is too thick for the confined spaces of paragraphs. The Rosette Font has a chunky look that serves as a good example of a slab serif.
9. Geometric
Geometric fonts are designed to be very clean and simple. They often have straight lines and angles and rely on a geometric construction to achieve their letter shapes.
This kind of font is best used for headlines or logos, or any other spot where just a few words are needed. They can also be used for body copy, but only if the design is very simple, large, and easy to read.
10. Grotesque
Grotesque fonts are a type of sans serif font that is designed to be used at large sizes. Historically, they’re known for looking a bit awkward and unusual.
It is advisable to only use grotesque fonts for headlines, logos, and other brief pieces of text. They are not meant to be used for paragraphs or long stretches of text. Work Sans is a great example of a neo-grotesque style.
11. Humanistic
Humanistic fonts are sans serif fonts as well that are designed to look very natural and organic. They often have curved lines and softened edges.
Humanistic fonts are most successful when used for titles, headlines, or logos. They can also be readable if used sparingly in body copy with a simple design layout. You can look to the Centaur Font as a good example of this classic font style.
Let Typography Style Options Inspire You
There you have it! These are the 11 most common types of fonts that you’ll see used in graphic design. As you can see, each one has its own unique purpose and should be used accordingly.
When it comes to choosing the right font for your project, it’s important to think about the overall style you’re going for. Do you want something clean and modern? Or are you going for a more vintage or retro feel?
Once you have a general idea of the style you’re after, you can start browsing through different font options until you find one that fits your vision. Good luck!
Collective #741
Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/collective/collective-741/
Inspirational Website of the Week: Unseen Studio
A beautiful, immersive web experience with stunning animations. Our pick this week.
Get inspired
This content is sponsored via BuySellAds
Practical, no-nonsense UI design tips
The Design Hacks newsletter will help you create better designs (even if you’re not artsy). Over 50,000 readers.
Check it out
The large, small, and dynamic viewport units
Learn all about the new CSS units that account for mobile viewports with dynamic toolbars in this article by Bramus Van Damme.
Check it out
Color Formats in CSS
In this tutorial, Josh W Comeau takes you on a tour of all the different color options in CSS.
Read it
The easiest way to get started with CSS Grid
A simple, straightforward guide to CSS Grid using grid-template-areas property to visually set the grid structure.
Check it out
GenCup
A generative art project that combines graphic design, football, and data. Using the statics of FIFA World Cup games to generate abstract compositions. Every match is a new poster.
Check it out
D2
D2 is a domain-specific language (DSL) that stands for Declarative Diagramming where you describe what you want diagrammed and it generates the image.
Check it out
gpu-io
A GPU-accelerated computing library for physics simulations and other mathematical calculations. Read more in this thread and check out the examples.
Check it out
Inkbase: Programmable Ink
What would be possible if hand-drawn sketches were programmable like spreadsheets? An amazing project shows what can be achieved.
Check it out
Little Languages Are The Future Of Programming
Learn what “Little Languages” are, why they matter and how they will shape the future of programming.
Read it
What Is the Open Web?
A working definition of an Open Web and what we can strive for to building an open and sustainable internet.
Read it
The BBC’s 15 Web Principles – 15 years later
Back in 2007 the BBC published a document showing their 15 Web Principles. Terence Eden takes a look at how they stack up today.
Read it
FFmpeg – Ultimate Guide
This guide covers the ins and outs of FFmpeg starting with fundamental concepts and moving to media transcoding and video and audio processing along with practical example.
Read it
Score
Score is an open source, platform-agnostic, container-based workload specification.
Check it out
You don’t need HTML!
Sir Tim lied to you, you only need Unicode! 
Check it out
Infisical
An open source, end-to-end encrypted tool that lets you securely sync secrets and environment variables across your team and infrastructure.
Check it out
Llama
A simple and minimalistic terminal file manager.
Check it out
Act
Run your GitHub Actions locally for fast feedback and replacing your makefile.
Check it out
Sekisui House Fact Book 2022
A beautiful interactive web experience with creative transitions powered by Three.js.
Check it out
Three.js and Sobel
Jesper Vos explains how he coded very interesting portal effect.
Check it out
Three CSS tips for working with inconsistently sized logos
Some super useful CSS to work with logos that are of a different size. By Wes Bos.
Check it out
From Our Blog
Sketchy Pencil Effect with Three.js Post-Processing
A tutorial where you’ll learn how to create a pencil effect with a sketchy look using Three.js post-processing.
Read it
Bypassing Google Lock on Any Samsung Phones with UnlockGo
Original Source: https://www.hongkiat.com/blog/remove-samsung-frp-unlockgo/
Google Account Verification, also known as the FRP (Factory Reset Protection), is vital in preventing unauthorized access to your phone. However, it is also a double-edged sword; if you forget your password, you will, too, be locked out of your phone.
To prevent the latter from happening, you must guard yourself with the knowledge of how to regain access to your phone again.
In this post, I’m going to share some tips on bypassing FRP on your Samsung model Android phone shall you forget your password and get locked out.
Image: Google FRP lock after factory reset
Features of iToolab UnlockGo for Android
AFAIK Samsung hasn’t developed a tool to help bypass FRP, and if you are to regain access to your locked phone, a 3rd party app could be your solution.
Enter iToolab’s UnlockGo for Android.
This app works without requiring any root permission from your device. Within clicks – literally five – it removes Google’s lock entirely.
Here are more features of this app that make it a great Samsung FRP unlocker:
It has 99.3% effectiveness in bypassing Google FRP lock on Samsung devices from android version 5 to 12.
it is compatible with most Samsung phone and tablet models.
It is easy to use for novice users.
Completes job fast.
How to Unlock Samsung Phone with UnlockGo (Android)?
Below is a step-by-step guide to using iToolab UnlockGo to bypass the Samsung FRP lock. If you are not into reading, there’s a video guide too.
Step 1: Download UnlockGo on Your PC
Download the UnlockGo app from its official website. Install and run the app. UnlockGo is available for both Windows and Mac.
Download iToolab UNlockGo (Android)
Step 2: Start the Process
Connect the locked Samsung device to your PC via a USB cable. Click “Remove Google Lock (FRP)” and then “Start” to continue.
Image: Remove Google lock with Samsung FRP bypass tool
Select “All Android Versions” on the next screen, then click “Next”.
Image: One-click Samsung FRP bypass solution for all models
Step 3: Open Samsung Diagnostics Menu
A pop-up window will appear with instructions on how to enter the Samsung Diagnostic menu. Follow the on-screen instructions, then click “Next” to enable “USB Debugging” on your device.
Image: Enter Samsung Diagnostics menu with FRP lock
Step 4: Remove Google FRP
The app will take a couple of seconds to bypass, and the device will be rebooted once the process is complete.
Image: Remove Google lock
Unlocking Samsung Phone w/o Password or Google Account
Additionally, the UnlockGo app provides a simple way to unlock your android phone without needing a password.
Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Connect Your Device
Connect your Samsung device to your PC or Mac via a USB cable. Click on the “Unlock Screen Lock”, then click “One-click remove screen lock from Samsung”.
Image: Unlock Samsung phones without password or Google account
Step 2: Unlock Your Device
Follow the on-screen instructions and click the “Unlock” button to continue. The lock screen then goes away, and your device will restart.
Image: Unlock Samsung screen locks
When Bypassing Google Lock is Needed?
I’ve shown you the how; now let’s take a look at the when. Here are some possible scenarios when you will need to bypass Google lock on your Samsung device.
1. Selling a Samsung device, but forgot the password
You can’t and shouldn’t sell your current Samsung device without removing your Google account. If you intend to sell but forgot the password to your Google account, then the bypassing operation will be needed.
2. Bought a pre-owned locked Samsung device
If you have unfortunately sold a locked Samsung device from a merchant or seller, then bypassing it yourself may save you a lot of hassle.
3. Running a phone buyback and re-selling business
If you are in the buyback and pre-owned phone-selling business, you will encounter various problems with the phones you acquire. And the Google FRP problem is definitely one of the most common ones. The ability to bypass FRP yourself should be one of the knowledge you should know.
Bonus: Prevention
Last but not least, if you want to avoid being locked-out entirely, it is recommended that you remove the Google account first before performing a factory reset. And to do that:
Go to “Settings” > “Accounts and Backup”
Tap “Manage Accounts”, then select your Google account
Select “Remove Account”, then confirm it.
When prompted, verify your identity and get rid of the Samsung FRP lock.
The post Bypassing Google Lock on Any Samsung Phones with UnlockGo appeared first on Hongkiat.
Sketchy Pencil Effect with Three.js Post-Processing
Original Source: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2022/11/29/sketchy-pencil-effect-with-three-js-post-processing/
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a sketchy, pencil effect using Three.js post-processing. We’ll go through the steps for creating a custom post-processing render pass, implementing edge detection in WebGL, re-rendering the normal buffer to a render target, and tweaking the end result with generated and imported textures.
This is what the end result looks like, so let’s get started!
Post-processing in Three.js
Post-processing in Three.js is a way of applying effects to your rendered scene after it has been drawn. In addition to all the out-of-the-box post-processing effects provided by Three.js, it is also possible to add your own filters by creating custom render passes.
A custom render pass is essentially a function that takes in an image of the scene and returns a new image, with the desired effect applied. You can think of these render passes like layer effects in Photoshop—each applies a new filter based on the previous effect output. The resulting image is a combination of all the different effects.
Enabling post-processing in Three.js
To add post-processing to our scene, we need to set up our scene rendering to use an EffectComposer in addition to the WebGLRenderer. The effect composer stacks the post-processing effects one on top of the other, in the order in which they’re passed. If we want our rendered scene to be passed to the next effect, we need to add the RenderPass post-processing pass is passed first.
Then, inside the tick function which starts our render loop, we call composer.render() instead of renderer.render(scene, camera).
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer()
// … settings for the renderer are available in the Codesandbox below
const composer = new EffectComposer(renderer)
const renderPass = new RenderPass(scene, camera)
composer.addPass(renderPass)
function tick() {
requestAnimationFrame(tick)
composer.render()
}
tick()
There are two ways of creating a custom post-processing effect:
Creating a custom shader and passing it to a ShaderPass instance, or
Creating a custom render pass by extending the Pass class.
Because we want our post-processing effect to get more information than just uniforms and attributes, we will be creating a custom render pass.
Creating a custom render pass
While there isn’t much documentation currently available on how to write your own custom post-processing pass in Three.js, there are plenty of examples to learn from already inside the library. A custom pass inherits from the Pass class and has three methods: setSize, render, and dispose. As you may have guessed, we’ll mostly be focusing on the render method.
First we’ll start by creating our own PencilLinesPass that extends the Pass class and will later implement our own rendering logic.
import { Pass, FullScreenQuad } from 'three/examples/jsm/postprocessing/Pass'
import * as THREE from 'three'
export class PencilLinesPass extends Pass {
constructor() {
super()
}
render(
renderer: THREE.WebGLRenderer,
writeBuffer: THREE.WebGLRenderTarget,
readBuffer: THREE.WebGLRenderTarget
) {
if (this.renderToScreen) {
renderer.setRenderTarget(null)
} else {
renderer.setRenderTarget(writeBuffer)
if (this.clear) renderer.clear()
}
}
}
As you can see, the render method takes in a WebGLRenderer and two WebGLRenderTargets, one for the write buffer and the other for the read buffer. In Three.js, render targets are basically textures to which we can render the scene, and they serve to send data between passes. The read buffer receives data in from the previous render pass, in our case that is the default RenderPass. The write buffer sends data out to the next render pass.
If renderToScreen is true, that means we want to send our buffer to the screen instead of to a render target. The renderer’s render target is set to null, so it defaults to the on-screen canvas.
At this point, we’re not actually rendering anything, not even the data coming in through the readBuffer. In order to get things rendered, we’ll need to create a FullscreenQuad and a shader material that will take care of rendering. The shader material gets rendered to the FullscreenQuad.
To test that everything is set up correctly, we can use the built-in CopyShader that will display whatever image we put into it. In this case, in this case the readBuffer‘s texture.
import { Pass, FullScreenQuad } from 'three/examples/jsm/postprocessing/Pass'
import { CopyShader } from 'three/examples/jsm/shaders/CopyShader'
import * as THREE from 'three'
export class PencilLinesPass extends Pass {
fsQuad: FullScreenQuad
material: THREE.ShaderMaterial
constructor() {
super()
this.material = new THREE.ShaderMaterial(CopyShader)
this.fsQuad = new FullScreenQuad(this.material)
}
dispose() {
this.material.dispose()
this.fsQuad.dispose()
}
render(
renderer: THREE.WebGLRenderer,
writeBuffer: THREE.WebGLRenderTarget,
readBuffer: THREE.WebGLRenderTarget
) {
this.material.uniforms['tDiffuse'].value = readBuffer.texture
if (this.renderToScreen) {
renderer.setRenderTarget(null)
this.fsQuad.render(renderer)
} else {
renderer.setRenderTarget(writeBuffer)
if (this.clear) renderer.clear()
this.fsQuad.render(renderer)
}
}
}
Note: we’re passing the uniform tDiffuse to the shader material. The CopyShader already has this uniform built in and it represents the image to be displayed on the screen. If you’re writing your own ShaderPass, this uniform will be passed in to your shader automatically.
All that’s left is to hook the custom render pass into the scene by adding it to the EffectComposer—after the RenderPass of course!
const renderPass = new RenderPass(scene, camera)
const pencilLinesPass = new PencilLinesPass()
composer.addPass(renderPass)
composer.addPass(pencilLinesPass)
View the Codesandbox example
Scene with a custom render pass and the CopyShader
Now that we have everything set up, we can actually get started with creating our special effect!
Sobel operator for creating outlines
We need to be able to tell the computer to detect lines based on our input image, in this case the rendered scene. The kind of edge detection we’ll be using is called the Sobel operator, and it only consists of a few steps.
The Sobel operator does edge detection by looking at the gradient of a small section of the image—essentially how sharp the transition from one value to another is. The image is broken down into smaller “kernels”, or 3px by 3px squares where the central pixel is the one currently being processed. The image below shows what this might look like: the red square in the center represents the current pixel being evaluated and the rest of the squares are its neighbors.
3px by 3px kernel
The weighted value for each neighbor is then calculated by taking the pixels value (brightness) and multiplying it by a weight based on its position relative to the pixel being evaluated. This is done with weights biasing the gradient horizontally and vertically. The average of both values is taken, and if it passes a certain threshold, we consider the pixel to represent an edge.
The horizontal and vertical gradients for the Sobel operator
While the implementation for the Sobel operator follows the image representations above almost directly, it still takes time to grasp. Thankfully we don’t have to implement our own as Three.js already provides us with working code for one in the SobelOperatorShader. We’ll copy this code over into our shader material.
Implementing the Sobel operator
Instead of the CopyShader, we’ll now need to add our own ShaderMaterial so that we have control over the vertex and fragment shaders, as well as the uniforms sent to those shaders.
// PencilLinesMaterial.ts
export class PencilLinesMaterial extends THREE.ShaderMaterial {
constructor() {
super({
uniforms: {
// we'll keep the naming convention here since the CopyShader
// also used a tDiffuse texture for the currently rendered scene.
tDiffuse: { value: null },
// we'll pass in the canvas size here later
uResolution: {
value: new THREE.Vector2(1, 1)
}
},
fragmentShader, // to be imported from another file
vertexShader // to be imported from another file
})
}
}
We’ll get to the fragment and vertex shaders soon, but first we need to use our new shader material in the scene. We do this by swapping out the CopyShader. Don’t forget to pass the resolution—the canvas size—as a the shader’s uniform. While outside the scope of this tutorial, it’s also important to update this uniform when the canvas resizes.
// PencilLinesPass.ts
export class PencilLinesPass extends Pass {
fsQuad: FullScreenQuad
material: PencilLinesMaterial
constructor({ width, height }: { width: number; height: number }) {
super()
// change the material from to our new PencilLinesMaterial
this.material = new PencilLinesMaterial()
this.fsQuad = new FullScreenQuad(this.material)
// set the uResolution uniform with the current canvas's width and height
this.material.uniforms.uResolution.value = new THREE.Vector2(width, height)
}
}
Next, we can start on the vertex and fragment shaders.
The vertex shader doesn’t do much except set the gl_Position value and pass the uv attribute to the fragment shader. Because we’re rendering our image to a FullscreenQuad, the uv information corresponds to the position on the screen of any given fragment.
// vertex shader
varying vec2 vUv;
void main() {
vUv = uv;
gl_Position = projectionMatrix * modelViewMatrix * vec4( position, 1.0 );
}
The fragment shader is a fair bit more complicated, so let’s break it down line by line. First we want to implement the Sobel operator using the implementation already provided by Three.js. The only difference is that we want to control how we calculate the value at each pixel, since we’ll be introducing line detection of the normal buffer as well.
float combinedSobelValue() {
// kernel definition (in glsl matrices are filled in column-major order)
const mat3 Gx = mat3(-1, -2, -1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 2, 1);// x direction kernel
const mat3 Gy = mat3(-1, 0, 1, -2, 0, 2, -1, 0, 1);// y direction kernel
// fetch the 3×3 neighbourhood of a fragment
// first column
float tx0y0 = getValue(-1, -1);
float tx0y1 = getValue(-1, 0);
float tx0y2 = getValue(-1, 1);
// second column
float tx1y0 = getValue(0, -1);
float tx1y1 = getValue(0, 0);
float tx1y2 = getValue(0, 1);
// third column
float tx2y0 = getValue(1, -1);
float tx2y1 = getValue(1, 0);
float tx2y2 = getValue(1, 1);
// gradient value in x direction
float valueGx = Gx[0][0] * tx0y0 + Gx[1][0] * tx1y0 + Gx[2][0] * tx2y0 +
Gx[0][1] * tx0y1 + Gx[1][1] * tx1y1 + Gx[2][1] * tx2y1 +
Gx[0][2] * tx0y2 + Gx[1][2] * tx1y2 + Gx[2][2] * tx2y2;
// gradient value in y direction
float valueGy = Gy[0][0] * tx0y0 + Gy[1][0] * tx1y0 + Gy[2][0] * tx2y0 +
Gy[0][1] * tx0y1 + Gy[1][1] * tx1y1 + Gy[2][1] * tx2y1 +
Gy[0][2] * tx0y2 + Gy[1][2] * tx1y2 + Gy[2][2] * tx2y2;
// magnitude of the total gradient
float G = (valueGx * valueGx) + (valueGy * valueGy);
return clamp(G, 0.0, 1.0);
}
To the getValue function we pass in the offset from the current pixel, thus identifying which pixel in the kernel we are looking at to get that value. For the time being, only the value of the diffuse buffer is being evaluated, we’ll add the normal buffer in the next step.
float valueAtPoint(sampler2D image, vec2 coord, vec2 texel, vec2 point) {
vec3 luma = vec3(0.299, 0.587, 0.114);
return dot(texture2D(image, coord + texel * point).xyz, luma);
}
float diffuseValue(int x, int y) {
return valueAtPoint(tDiffuse, vUv, vec2(1.0 / uResolution.x, 1.0 / uResolution.y), vec2(x, y)) * 0.6;
}
float getValue(int x, int y) {
return diffuseValue(x, y);
}
The valueAtPoint function takes any texture (diffuse or normal) and returns the grayscale value at a specified point. The luma vector is used to calculate the brightness of a color, hence turning the color into grayscale. The implementation comes from glsl-luma.
Because the getValue function only takes into account the diffuse buffer, this means that any edge in the scene will be detected, including edges created by both cast shadows and core shadows. This also means that edges which we would intuit, such as the outlines of objects, could get missed if they blend in too well with their surroundings. To capture those missing edges, we’ll add edge detection from the normal buffer next.
Finally, we call the Sobel operator in the main function like this:
void main() {
float sobelValue = combinedSobelValue();
sobelValue = smoothstep(0.01, 0.03, sobelValue);
vec4 lineColor = vec4(0.32, 0.12, 0.2, 1.0);
if (sobelValue > 0.1) {
gl_FragColor = lineColor;
} else {
gl_FragColor = vec4(1.0);
}
}
View the Codesandbox example
Rendered scene with edge detection using the Sobel operator
Creating a normal buffer rendering
For proper outlines, the Sobel operator is often applied to the normals of the scene and the depth buffer, so the outlines of objects are captured, but not lines within the object. Omar Shehata describes such a method in his excellent How to render outlines in WebGL tutorial. For the purposes of a sketchy pencil effect, we don’t need complete edge detection, but we do want to use normals for more complete edges and for sketchy shading effects later.
Since the normal is a vector that represents the direction of an object’s surface at each point, it often gets represented with a color to get an image with all the normal data from the scene. This image is the “normal buffer.”
In order to create a normal buffer, first we need a new render target in the PencilLinesPass constructor. We also need to create a single MeshNormalMaterial on the class, since we’ll be using this to override the scene’s default materials when rendering the normal buffer.
const normalBuffer = new THREE.WebGLRenderTarget(width, height)
normalBuffer.texture.format = THREE.RGBAFormat
normalBuffer.texture.type = THREE.HalfFloatType
normalBuffer.texture.minFilter = THREE.NearestFilter
normalBuffer.texture.magFilter = THREE.NearestFilter
normalBuffer.texture.generateMipmaps = false
normalBuffer.stencilBuffer = false
this.normalBuffer = normalBuffer
this.normalMaterial = new THREE.MeshNormalMaterial()
In order to render the scene inside the pass, the render pass actually needs a reference to the scene and to the camera. We’ll need to send those through the constructor of the render pass as well.
// PencilLinesPass.ts constructor
constructor({ …, scene, camera}: { …; scene: THREE.Scene; camera: THREE.Camera }) {
super()
this.scene = scene
this.camera = camera
…
}
Inside the pass’s render method, we want to re-render the scene with the normal material overriding the default materials. We set the renderTarget to the normalBuffer and render the scene with the WebGLRenderer as we normally would. The only difference is that instead of rendering to the screen with the scene’s default materials, the renderer renders to our render target with the normal material. Then we pass the normalBuffer.texture to the shader material.
renderer.setRenderTarget(this.normalBuffer)
const overrideMaterialValue = this.scene.overrideMaterial
this.scene.overrideMaterial = this.normalMaterial
renderer.render(this.scene, this.camera)
this.scene.overrideMaterial = overrideMaterialValue
this.material.uniforms.uNormals.value = this.normalBuffer.texture
this.material.uniforms.tDiffuse.value = readBuffer.texture
If at this point you were to set the gl_FragColor to the value of the normal buffer with texture2D(uNormals, vUv); this would be the result:
Normal buffer of the current scene
Instead, inside the custom material’s fragment shader, we want to modify the getValue function to include the Sobel operator value from the normal buffer as well.
float normalValue(int x, int y) {
return valueAtPoint(uNormals, vUv, vec2(1.0 / uResolution.x, 1.0 / uResolution.y), vec2(x, y)) * 0.3;
}
float getValue(int x, int y) {
return diffuseValue(x, y) + normalValue(x, y);
}
The result will look similar to the previous step, but we will be able to add additional noise and sketchiness with this normal data in the next step.
View the Codesandbox example
Sobel operator applied to the diffuse and normal buffers
Adding generated and textured noise for shading and squiggles
There are two ways to bring noise into the post-processing effect at this point:
By procedurally generating the noise within the shader, or
By using an existing image with noise and applying it as a texture.
Both providing different levels of flexibility and control. For the noise function, I’ve gone with Inigo Quilez’s gradient noise implementation, since it provides nice uniformity in the noise when applying to the “shading” effect”.
This noise function is called when getting the value of the Sobel operator and is specifically applied to the normal value, so the getValue function in the fragment shader changes like so:
float getValue(int x, int y) {
float noiseValue = noise(gl_FragCoord.xy);
noiseValue = noiseValue * 2.0 – 1.0;
noiseValue *= 10.0;
return diffuseValue(x, y) + normalValue(x, y) * noiseValue;
}
The result is a textured pencil line and stippled effect on object curves where the normal vector values change. Notice that flat objects, like the plane, do not get these effects, since they don’t have any variation in normal values.
The next and final step of this effect is to add distortion to the lines. For this I used a texture file created in Photoshop using the Render Clouds effect.
Generated clouds texture created in Photoshop
The cloud texture is passed to the shader through a uniform, the same way that the diffuse and normal buffers are. Once the shader has access to the texture, we can sample the texture for each fragment and use it to offset the location we’re reading from in the buffer. Essentially, we get the squiggled line effect by distorting the image we’re reading from, not by drawing to a different place. Because the texture’s noise is smooth, the lines don’t come out jagged and irregular.
float normalValue(int x, int y) {
float cutoff = 50.0;
float offset = 0.5 / cutoff;
float noiseValue = clamp(texture(uTexture, vUv).r, 0.0, cutoff) / cutoff – offset;
return valueAtPoint(uNormals, vUv + noiseValue, vec2(1.0 / uResolution.x, 1.0 / uResolution.y), vec2(x, y)) * 0.3;
}
You can also play around with how the effect is applied each buffer individually. This can lead to lines being offset from one another, giving an even better hand-drawn effect.
View the Codesandbox example
Final effect including normal buffer based “shading” and line distortion
Conclusion
There are many techniques to create hand-drawn or sketchy effects in 3D, this tutorial lists just a few. From here, there are multiple ways to go forward. You could adjust the line thickness by modulating the threshold of what is considered an edge based on a noise texture. You could also apply the Sobel operator to the depth buffer, ignoring the diffuse buffer entirely, to get outlined objects without outlining shadows. You could add generated noise based on lighting information in the scene instead of based on the normals of the objects. The possibilities are endless, and I hope this tutorial has inspired you to pursue them!
5 Ways to Make Your JavaScript More Functional
Original Source: https://www.sitepoint.com/make-javascript-functional/?utm_source=rss
We explain what functional programming is, with five examples of how you can make your JavaScript more functional in style.
Continue reading
5 Ways to Make Your JavaScript More Functional
on SitePoint.
LearnDash Review (Nov 2022): An Introduction to Learndash
Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/learndash-review
In this LearnDash review, we’ll be exploring why the WordPress plugin has emerged as one of the most popular tools for educators hoping to share their knowledge online. Though relatively streamlined and simple for beginners to use, LearnDash benefits from a huge variety of features intended to empower today’s online educators.
LearnDash is an award-winning application for the WordPress ecosystem, targeted at anyone who wants to publish a course online quickly and effectively. You can choose whether you want to add some simple educational resources to your existing website, or design a full learning platform with quizzes and immersive training experiences.
Because it’s a plugin for WordPress, LearnDash is a fantastic choice for those who have already begun to build their online presence using the world’s most popular CMS. What’s more, the diverse tool integrates easily with a range of tools already used by business leaders, including Slack, WooCommerce, Stripe, Mailchimp, ConvertKit and many others.
Let’s take a closer look at what LearnDash can do.
LearnDash Review: What is LearnDash
Let’s start by exploring what LearnDash actually is. Introduced in 2013, and created by the Liquid Web company, LearnDash is a comprehensive all-in-one tool for learning management, specifically designed to plug into your WordPress site. This means content creators and educators don’t have to build a new site from scratch if they’re already using WordPress.
The tool provides everything business leaders need to produce an online course, including a drag-and-drop builder, so you can quickly organize content without the need for any coding experience. LearnDash has a rich feature set, which focuses on producing a compelling and engaging learning experience for students, helping you market and sell your courses, and ensuring you can manage your entire workflow in one place.
LearnDash competes with other well-known course creation tools like Udemy, LifterLMS, Teachable, and many others, by giving creators the option to design unlimited courses with their own custom pricing plans, and unique components. You can even integrate with other tools if you want to link your website to webinars, email marketing tools, and other features for training organizations.
There are simple payment integrations with PayPal already available, as well as options to connect to third-party solutions for memberships, subscriptions, and discount courses. Plus, LearnDash also has a fantastic selection of “add-ons” available, so you can expand your functionality whenever you choose.
Go to the top
LearnDash Review: Features
As mentioned above, LearnDash has quite a comprehensive feature set. On the one hand, this means you should be able to create pretty diverse learning experiences using the platform. However, it could also indicate you’ll need to spend a little extra time learning to use all the features.
Let’s take a quick look at the various features you can explore:
Go to the top
LearnDash Learning Experience Features
The features offered by LearnDash to enhance the “learning experience” for students are intended to boost your relationship with your learners, and make it easier to engage online customers. Business leaders and educators can create comprehensive online courses using the drag-and-drop ecosystem within WordPress, and there’s no limit on how many courses you can create.
The drag-and-drop interface is fantastic for beginners, as it means you don’t need any coding or programming knowledge to get started. You can simply pull the modules and features you need into the right place, and add your content wherever you see fit.
LearnDash also allows content creators to build their own unique learning portal via focus mode, which means you can provide your students with a distraction-free environment for their education. Dynamic content delivery means you can drip-feed your lessons to students at the pace that makes the most sense, and even require certain videos to be viewed before someone starts a new section.
There’s the option to switch between linear and open progression options, and you can set prerequisites for your courses too. For instance, you might allow some students to only access one course after they’ve completed another.
Perhaps the most compelling feature offered to enhance the learning experience on LearnDash is the dynamic quizzing solution. The quiz and assessment components allow you to switch between 8 question types, create dedicated question banks, and insert video, audio and images to both question and answer choices. Other features include:
Flexible question display, so you can show questions however you like
Randomize to allow you display different questions in different ways
Limits on the number of attempts a students can make to answer correctly
Blocked progression so students have to pass one quiz to start another
Time limits and tracking to see how long customers spend on quizzes
Hints with video, text, and image inserts.
Leader boards for gamification
Certificates and levels upon quiz completion
Answer statistics and dynamic results displays
Question reviews and category scoring
Email results
Compatibility with any WordPress theme
The versatile feature set included with LearnDash also ensures you can keep your students engaged every step of the way. There’s the option to design your own discussion forum where customers can interact about courses, as well as various badges, certificates, leader boards, and course points for gamification among your students.
Go to the top
LearnDash Marketing and Sales Features
LearnDash doesn’t just make it easy to create your courses and engage your learners, it also ensures you can attract new students to your content too. With this plugin, course creators can choose exactly how they want to promote and sell each course. There’s the option to set one-time purchasing prices, and integrate PayPal, Stripe or 2Checkout into your course for an immediate transaction.
If you need help convincing your customers to buy, you can offer free samples of your content, to provide students with an insight into what they can expect. If you’re offering a range of educational content pieces, or you want to keep students coming back for longer, you can also create subscriptions with recurring payment options. You’ll be able to create course bundles, or apply subscriptions to each course individually, depending on your needs.
Other sales features include:
Custom shopping carts: You can add a shopping cart to your online courses with a free WordPress integration like Easy Digital Downloads or WooCommerce. This allows you to use just about any payment gateway you like, as well as adding coupons, sales, course bundles, tax rules, sales funnels, and custom receipts into the mix.
Memberships: For your most loyal customers, you can create membership accounts in different tiers. Different members will be able to access specific courses and resources. You can also choose to sell memberships for a one-time price, or charge a monthly subscription fee. This gives you more freedom on how you’re going to make a profit.
Course bundles: If you have various courses available with related information, you’ll be able to combine them together into bundles. There’s also the option to run flash sales for different bundles, to give customers access to more tools, or provide them with a discount when they buy multiple courses at the same time.
Bulk access controls are also available, so you can allow customers to purchase licenses in bulk, and grant access to staff members. This is ideal if you’re going to be selling your courses on a B2B basis. There’s even access to built-in reporting, so business leaders can track the progress of their staff.
From a marketing perspective, LearnDash ensures you can attract and nurture your audiences through a range of integrations with leading tools. You can use MailChimp or Convertkit to send automated emails to your customers every step of the way. Plus, you’ll be able to create landing pages so you can collect as many contact details as possible for potential customers.
Go to the top
LearnDash Administrative and Management Features
LearnDash also makes managing your courses as straightforward and convenient as possible. A comprehensive backend environment means you can track all kinds of information about your learners and courses in one convenient place. You can segment users into groups and sub-groups, and even bring other members of your team into the ecosystem.
You’ll have complete control over how courses and assignments are distributed to each individual user. Plus, your students can log in and check out which courses they can access with their own unique member account. You and your team will be able to approve quizzes, comment on assignments, and even award points to different users based on their progress.
There’s also automated syncing with the LearnDash quiz and assignments tools, and manual grading functionality available for more complex lessons, though this does require users to pay extra.
Detailed reporting tools are also built into the back-end, so you can gather insights into things like how many people are enrolling in your courses, and whether they’re making suitable progress. You’ll also be able to see which of your students are making the most progress, and you can share reports with business leaders accessing your courses for their teams too.
Go to the top
LearnDash Review: User Experience
LearnDash is great for beginners and all kinds of course creators. First of all, the plugin works seamlessly with WordPress, regardless of what theme you’re using, so it’s easy to get your whole system up and running with no custom coding.
Once you’ve installed LearnDash, you’ll be able to find it within your WordPress sidebar, so there’s no need to jump back and forth between different tools.
There’s integration available with page builders like Elementor, Divi, and BeaverBuilder, so you can quickly customize components of your website and course experience. Plus, built-in editing tools allow you to choose the colors, logos, course display options, and lesson experiences most appealing to your audience. A REST API also allows those with developer knowledge to create custom functionality whenever necessary.
For true beginners, the LearnDash site is packed full of useful documentation, FAQs and guides to get you started. The instructional content will give you a better understanding of exactly how the plugin works and what you can do with it. The plugin also naturally embeds some tutorial videos into your WordPress dashboard to get you started too, and there’s a Facebook group if you want to discuss the experience with other users.
As soon as you launch LearnDash, you’ll gain a link to a mini boot camp, which guides you through the key steps of configuring the plugin and creating your first course. There are videos available to help you understand the features of LearnDash, as well as tips on how to access customer support.
Go to the top
LearnDash Review: Creating and Configuring Courses
The LearnDash course builder makes it as simple and straightforward as possible to start teaching students in the digital world. You can organize your course content however you choose with the drag-and-drop builder, and add e-learning lessons into the mix whenever. It’s even possible to create the structure for your course then add the lessons later.
Users on LearnDash can use site-wide course creation tools to apply specific settings to every course in their library. For instance, you can decide whether all of your courses require users to have a membership before they can access them.
It’s also easy to implement specific settings for different courses. For instance, the Learndash plugin allows you to define course prerequisites for each lesson, choose who can access the course, and even assign certificates to those who complete the experience successfully. The course points feature also means you can distribute points to customers every time they take a new lesson. The points your users earn can dictate their enrolment options for other courses, so you can ensure people finish certain topics before taking the next step in their online learning journey.
If all this seems like a lot, there’s also the option to allow free access to all of your courses, regardless of your user’s existing points or subscriptions. Other control options include tools which allow you to set how long a user will have access to a course after their enrolment date, and whether their data will be deleted after a certain time.
Lesson Building
The lesson-building tools are extremely user-friendly too. You can choose a template for each lesson, give it a description, and start configuring it through the settings tab, using the same tools you would use for managing your course. Because everything is designed to work with your WordPress website, it only takes a matter of minutes to add new lessons to courses. While building your lessons, you can add all kinds of content, from written text to video, and more.
Plus, you can configure how users move through your courses, by adding forced timers to pages to prevent customers from moving on too quickly, and drip-feeding new lessons to members at specific times, with automated email notifications.
Overall, the various Learndash features available within the plugin, combined with the drag-and-drop course builder ensure anyone can jump into creating an online course with minimal effort.
Advanced Quizzing
One of the best ways to enhance any LearnDash course is with quizzes. As mentioned above, Learndash gives you a number of options for how to set up and deliver your quizzes. You’ll be able to choose from a range of quiz types, then access the “settings” tab to define how the quiz will work.
Aside from setting prerequisites for who can access the quiz, you can also set a passing score, and define whether users will receive points and certificates when they finish a new course.
Each quiz template comes with its own set of questions, and you can choose between multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and essay-style answer options. The LearnDash membership plugin also makes it straightforward to rapidly publish your courses, quizzes, and lessons to your WordPress site, with minimal effort, so you can update your system as often as you like.
Go to the top
LearnDash Pricing: Your Options
To create a LearnDash course, you’ll need to access a subscription package. There are two options available. You can either purchase the LearnDash WordPress plugin, or use LearnDash “Cloud” to design an entire website with LearnDash already built-in.
LearnDash Cloud is $29 per month with a 15-day money-back guarantee, and comes with domain and hosting included, as well as 15 templates for your website, with various customization tools. The package also includes ProPanel, so you can monitor enrolment and student progress with advanced reporting capabilities. This could be an excellent option if you want to access all the best features of WordPress and LearnDash at once, without paying separately.
If you already have a WordPress site, there are 3 packages available for the LearnDash plugin. All of these also include the 15-day money-back guarantee:
1 Site: $199 per year (access to all features)
10 sites: $399 per year (access to all features)
Unlimited: $799 per year (access to all features)
Go to the top
LearnDash Review: Verdict
If you’re looking for a convenient way to create your own courses online, while still accessing all the benefits of WordPress for custom site creation, LearnDash is a great choice. The LearnDash LMS environment is brimming with easy-to-use functionality, making it easy for people from any background to start sharing their knowledge online.
New features are also constantly being introduced, so you’re sure to see updates to how LearnDash works to help you engage and empower your learners in the years to come. For full educational institutions, standalone teachers, or freelancers, Learndash is one of the best WordPress plugins around. Thanks to an amazing range of features, you can design a custom front-end experience for all of your students, without much of a learning curve.
However, do keep in mind that while LearnDash does boast excellent ease of use, its varied capabilities could take a while to get used to.
The post LearnDash Review (Nov 2022): An Introduction to Learndash appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.
