Different "flavors" are determined by lots of things - the type of milk for one. Some are made with cow's milk, some with goat's milk, etc.
Cheddar is a specific recipe, made with cow's milk, and aged.
There was a thread on this several months ago and we posted recipes. I made mine from goat's milk becaue that's what I had and it came out good but not a true cheddar. I might suggest that if you've never made cheese before, you start with cottage cheese or a simple farmer's cheese that doesn't have to be aged. Your basic skills can then be honed to where you're comfortable with the process and can kind of branch out into other recipes. I started with a great book from my public library, Stillroom Cookery. You'll need to find a supply for rennet tablets,and set up some kind of system for draining/pressing.