Creating Child Themes in WordPress

Posted on 21st June 2023

Creating Child Themes in WordPress

If you want to make changes to your WordPress site beyond what can be accomplished through the Customizer or by installing plugins, you may need to create a child theme. A child theme inherits the functionality of its parent theme but allows you to make changes to its code without affecting the parent theme. In this article, we’ll discuss what a child theme is and how to create one in WordPress.

What is a Child Theme?

A child theme is a WordPress theme that inherits the functionality of another WordPress theme, called the parent theme. The child theme allows you to make changes to the code of the parent theme without affecting the parent theme itself.

Creating a child theme is the recommended way to make changes to a WordPress theme. If you make changes to the code of a parent theme, those changes will be lost when the parent theme is updated. By contrast, if you create a child theme and make changes to its code, those changes will remain after the parent theme is updated.

In addition to allowing you to make changes to the parent theme’s code without affecting the parent theme, a child theme can also be used to override certain template files in the parent theme. This can be useful if you want to make a change to the way a specific page on your site is displayed.

How to Create a Child Theme in WordPress

To create a child theme in WordPress, you will need two things: the parent theme and a text editor.

The parent theme can be any WordPress theme. If you’re using a theme from the WordPress.org theme directory, you can download it to your computer. If you’re using a premium theme, you will need to upload it to your WordPress site.

Once you have the parent theme, you can create the child theme. To do this, you will need to create a new folder on your computer and give it a name. The name of the folder should be the name of the child theme. For example, if the name of the parent theme is “Twenty Seventeen,” the name of the child theme folder could be “Twenty Seventeen Child.”

Once you have created the folder for the child theme, you will need to create a file called style.css. This file will contain the CSS code for the child theme. The style.css file should be saved in the child theme folder.

The style.css file should contain the following code:

/*

Theme Name: Twenty Seventeen Child

Template: twentyseventeen

*/

The first line of code is the theme name. This should be the name of the child theme. The second line of code is the template. This should be the name of the parent theme. The third line of code is a comment. This is optional but it is recommended that you include it.

Once you have saved the style.css file, you can upload the child theme folder to your WordPress site. To do this, you will need to connect to your WordPress site using an FTP client. Once you are connected, you will need to navigate to the /wp-content/themes/ folder. This is where all WordPress themes are stored.

Once you are in the /wp-content/themes/ folder, you can upload the child theme folder. Once the folder has been uploaded, you will need to activate the child theme. You can do this by going to the Appearance » Themes page and clicking on the Activate button for the child theme.

Once the child theme is activated, you can start making changes to its code. Any changes you make will be reflected on your WordPress site.

Conclusion

A child theme is a WordPress theme that inherits the functionality of another WordPress theme. Child themes are used to make changes to a WordPress theme without affecting the parent theme. Creating a child theme is the recommended way to make changes to a WordPress theme.

If you want to make changes to your WordPress site beyond what can be accomplished through the Customizer or by installing plugins, you may need to create a child theme. A child theme inherits the functionality of its parent theme but allows you to make changes to its code without affecting the parent theme. In this article, we’ll discuss what a child theme is and how to create one in WordPress.

What is a Child Theme?

A child theme is a WordPress theme that inherits the functionality of another WordPress theme, called the parent theme. The child theme allows you to make changes to the code of the parent theme without affecting the parent theme itself.

Creating a child theme is the recommended way to make changes to a WordPress theme. If you make changes to the code of a parent theme, those changes will be lost when the parent theme is updated. By contrast, if you create a child theme and make changes to its code, those changes will remain after the parent theme is updated.

In addition to allowing you to make changes to the parent theme’s code without affecting the parent theme, a child theme can also be used to override certain template files in the parent theme. This can be useful if you want to make a change to the way a specific page on your site is displayed.

How to Create a Child Theme in WordPress

To create a child theme in WordPress, you will need two things: the parent theme and a text editor.

The parent theme can be any WordPress theme. If you’re using a theme from the WordPress.org theme directory, you can download it to your computer. If you’re using a premium theme, you will need to upload it to your WordPress site.

Once you have the parent theme, you can create the child theme. To do this, you will need to create a new folder on your computer and give it a name. The name of the folder should be the name of the child theme. For example, if the name of the parent theme is “Twenty Seventeen,” the name of the child theme folder could be “Twenty Seventeen Child.”

Once you have created the folder for the child theme, you will need to create a file called style.css. This file will contain the CSS code for the child theme. The style.css file should be saved in the child theme folder.

The style.css file should contain the following code:

/*

Theme Name: Twenty Seventeen Child

Template: twentyseventeen

*/

The first line of code is the theme name. This should be the name of the child theme. The second line of code is the template. This should be the name of the parent theme. The third line of code is a comment. This is optional but it is recommended that you include it.

Once you have saved the style.css file, you can upload the child theme folder to your WordPress site. To do this, you will need to connect to your WordPress site using an FTP client. Once you are connected, you will need to navigate to the /wp-content/themes/ folder. This is where all WordPress themes are stored.

Once you are in the /wp-content/themes/ folder, you can upload the child theme folder. Once the folder has been uploaded, you will need to activate the child theme. You can do this by going to the Appearance » Themes page and clicking on the Activate button for the child theme.

Once the child theme is activated, you can start making changes to its code. Any changes you make will be reflected on your WordPress site.

Conclusion

A child theme is a WordPress theme that inherits the functionality of another WordPress theme. Child themes are used to make changes to a WordPress theme without affecting the parent theme. Creating a child theme is the recommended way to make changes to a WordPress theme.