When I got my first Pi I started with some basic projects. I learned how to control relays, how to take temperature readings, how to build a LAMP stack, as well as many other projects. I learned a lot about Linux and Python.
I decide to try and control my home furnace and air conditioner from a Pi. Seemed like a simple project: read the temperature, turn the furnace on or off. It’s not that straightforward.
I got the sensors and the relays working. I stored settings and temperatures in a database. Now I needed an interface. I got a web server running and set out to build a secure interface with a public and private side that would interact with database. It didn’t take long to see that WordPress was a lot better solution than anything I could come up with.