Create a WordPress child theme

WordPress is known for its user-friendly website design and programming environment. With numerous themes to choose from that can be easily customized, it offers a flexible platform for website developers. However, an often overlooked problem is that if you update the theme you are using, any changes you have made manually can be lost. To avoid this, we recommend creating a child theme. This article explains what a child theme is and how to create one. For some, this topic can be a bit complex, We will be happy to help you if you need help.

What is a child theme and parent theme?

A child theme in WordPress is a theme that inherits from another theme, called the parent theme. It incorporates all the functionality, styles and templates of the parent theme, but allows you to overwrite or extend them without changing the original files. This means that customizations are retained even after an update to the parent theme. A child theme is effectively a secure layer that separates and protects customizations while allowing you to benefit from the improvements and bug fixes of the parent theme. A parent theme in WordPress is a complete theme that contains all the necessary files and functionality to run a website independently. It serves as a foundation for child themes that build upon it to allow customizations and extensions without altering the original WordPress theme files. The parent theme includes all essential elements such as PHP files, CSS stylesheets, JavaScript, and often additional functions that determine the look and behavior of the website. When you use a child theme, you inherit all the properties and functionality of the parent theme and can override or extend them as needed. This maintains the functionality of the parent theme while at the same time allowing you to safely implement your own customizations without losing your changes when you update the theme.

Why do you need a child theme?

• Update security: Customizations are not lost when the parent theme is updated.
• Safety during development: Errors or unwanted changes in the child theme do not affect the parent theme.
• Flexibility: It allows experimental changes and customizations without long-term consequences for the parent theme.
• Learning Resource: It is an excellent tool for learning and experimenting with code without compromising the functionality of the main website.

Advantages

• Preservation of customizations: As mentioned, all customizations are retained even if the parent theme is updated.
• Fast Development: A child theme can speed up development because it builds on existing code from the parent theme.
• Reduce repetitive work: Avoids writing a lot of code multiple times, saving time and increasing efficiency.
• Easy troubleshooting: Bugs are easier to isolate and fix because the child theme is managed independently of the parent theme.

Disadvantages

• Slight Performance Impact: Loading additional resources may slightly impact site performance.
• Complexity: For new users, setting up a child theme may seem complex at first.
• Maintenance effort: Need to monitor changes in the parent theme and, if necessary, update them in the child theme.

Create a WordPress child theme

Preparation

• Connect to your server using an FTP program like FileZilla.
• Navigate to the /wp-content/themes/ directory and create a new folder for your child theme there.

Creation of the style file

• Create a style.css file in your child theme folder. This should contain the following header area:

/*
Theme Name: My Child Theme
Description: Child Theme for the Twenty Twenty Theme
Author: Your Name
Template: twentytwenty
Version: 1.0
*/

• This file will contain all CSS changes.

Integrate the parent theme styles

• Create a functions.php in your child theme folder:

<?php
function child_theme_styles() {
  wp_enqueue_style('parent-style', get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css');
  wp_enqueue_style('child-theme-css', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css', array('parent-style'));
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'child_theme_styles');

 

Activate the child theme

• In your WordPress dashboard, go to Design > Themes. There you can activate your child theme.

Apply adjustments

• If you have already made adjustments in the customizer, take advantage of that Customizer Export/Import Pluginto import these into your child theme.

Plugins for creating child themes

There are several WordPress plugins that simplify the process of creating a child theme. Some of the most popular are:

Child Theme Configurator

Child Theme Configurator is a popular WordPress plugin designed to simplify the process of creating and managing child themes. It provides a user-friendly interface that allows users to create a child theme from any installed parent theme without deep technical knowledge.

Features

• Parent Theme Analysis: The plugin examines the chosen theme to ensure that all necessary files and dependencies are detected.
• Child Theme Creation: With just a few clicks, users can create a fully functional child theme.
• Style Sheet Customizations: Users can edit CSS styles directly from the plugin and see previews of changes before they go live.
• Adoption of functions: The plugin allows you to easily copy PHP functions from the parent theme to the child theme.
• Sequencing Style Sheets: Child Theme Configurator ensures that style sheets are loaded in the correct order to avoid conflicts.

Advantages

• Ease of use: The plugin is easy to use even for beginners and does not require in-depth technical knowledge.
• Time saving: Creating a child theme is quick and error-free.
• Security: Changes to the parent theme do not directly affect the child theme, improving update security.

Disadvantages

• Dependency: Users may rely too much on the plugin and not learn how to create child themes manually.
• Complexity with specific customizations: Deep or very specific customizations may still require manual intervention.

Cost

The plugin is available in a free version, which is sufficient for most standard functions. However, there is also a Pro version that offers advanced features such as: B. the handling of multiple child themes and extended style and font options. The cost of the Pro version is one-time fee of $19.95.

Orbisius Child Theme Creator

Orbisius Child Theme Creator is another plugin for creating child themes in WordPress. It aims to simplify the process and make it efficient so that users can make changes quickly and without risk of affecting the Parent Theme.

Features

• Quick Child Theme Creation: Quickly creates a child theme from any installed parent theme.
• Live Editor: Provides a built-in editor to edit CSS and PHP files directly from the dashboard.
• Multiple Child Themes Support: Allows you to manage and create multiple child themes for different projects or design tests.

Advantages

• Simplicity: The plugin makes it easy to create a child theme without any technical knowledge.
• Flexibility: Supports managing multiple child themes at the same time.
• Direct Editing: Users can make adjustments directly in the WordPress admin area.

Disadvantages

• Potential Editing Risks: Editing files directly from the Live Editor can result in errors if changes are not tested properly.
• Overload: The variety of features can be overwhelming for beginners.

 

Cost

Orbisius Child Theme Creator is available as a free version that provides basic child theme creation functionality. There are also Premium options that offer additional features such as advanced backup options and premium support. License prices start at $19.99 and are valid for one year.   Both plugins offer effective solutions for creating and managing child themes in WordPress, each with its own strengths and potential weaknesses. The choice should be made based on the user’s specific needs, budget and technical comfort.  

Conclusion

Creating a child theme in WordPress is an essential skill for anyone serious about WordPress theme development. It provides a safe environment for customization and experimentation without the risk of conflicts with future updates. With the right tools and knowledge, creating a child theme can be an easy and rewarding process. Please feel free to contact us if we can help you with this topic.