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.
• Easier troubleshooting: Bugs are easier to isolate and fix because the child theme is managed independently of the parent theme. For persistent errors, WordPress support can investigate the theme and its dependencies.

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 analyzes parent themes and helps create a child theme through the WordPress interface. It also provides tools for adjusting stylesheets and selected theme files.

Compatibility and testing

WordPress.org notes that the plugin has not been tested with the latest three major WordPress releases. This does not establish compatibility with your installation. Check the listed version information and test the child theme with your parent theme in a test installation before activating it on the live website.

Creating style.css and functions.php manually, as described above, remains an alternative. It gives you direct access to the files and dependencies involved.

Orbisius Child Theme Creator

Orbisius Child Theme Creator is another plugin for creating child themes in WordPress. It provides an interface for creating child themes. Test the generated files with your parent theme before using them on a live website.

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.

 

Choosing a method

The plugin directory provides information about supported WordPress versions and available features. Compare these details with your installation. A plugin can assist with setup, but the generated child theme still needs testing. Manual creation is useful when you want to control each file yourself.

Conclusion

A child theme keeps your customizations separate from the parent theme’s files. Choose manual creation or a plugin according to the work you need to do, then test the result before publishing it. Contact us for help with your child theme.