How to Create and Customize WordPress Child Themes: Full Tutorial & Practical Guide

What is a WordPress child theme?

A WordPress child theme is a theme that inherits the functionality and styling of another theme (called a parent theme). Child themes are a safe way to modify a WordPress theme without having to edit the parent theme files directly.

When you create a child theme, it stores the theme files in a separate folder from the parent theme folder in the WordPress root folder. This way, when editing the child theme, only those files will be changed, not the parent theme files. This ensures that customizations are not lost when updating the parent theme.

Difference between parent and child themes

Benefits of Using WordPress Child Themes

1. Streamlined development process

Creating a custom theme from scratch is time-consuming, whereas using a child theme allows you to utilize the parent theme as a base and modify individual elements as needed.

2. Extended functionality and customization

Child themes allow modifying all files including PHP, CSS and HTML to create custom styles and extend the functionality of the parent theme without changing the original files.

3. Security of the original theme file

The files of the child theme are saved in a separate folder, ensuring that the parent theme files remain intact and the child theme retains all edits and customizations even if the parent theme is updated.

4. Risk mitigation

If you make a mistake while designing a child theme, you can always restore the parent theme or create a new child theme based on the original one.

5. Easy to share and reuse

The files of the child theme are stored in a separate folder for easy reuse and sharing across multiple sites.

How to Create WordPress Child Themes

Method 1: Manually create a child theme

1. Creating child theme folders::
   • Access the WordPress root directory using an FTP client or your hosting provider's control panel to create a new child theme folder in the /wp-content/themes folder, e.g. named nexter-child.

2. Creating CSS Style Sheet Files::

The next step is to create a CSS stylesheet file for the child theme. This file will store all the CSS styles for the child theme.

Creating Documents::

• In the Hosting Control Panel, find the "+ File" icon in the menu and click on it to create a new file.

File Location::

• Make sure to create this file in the child theme folder.

named file::

• Name the file style.cssWhen finished, click Create New File to complete the process. When finished, click Create New File to complete the process.

Contents of the document::

• This file will contain all the necessary information for the child theme and act as its main stylesheet.

If you are using an FTP client, create the CSS file using the Notepad application on your computer. This can then be uploaded to a child theme folder in your WordPress installation.

3. Editing CSS Style Sheet Files

Right-click on the newly created CSS file and select from the context menu"Edit" option. The file will open as a blank file in the new tab.

Copy the text below and paste it into your CSS file:

Theme Name: Nexter Child Theme
Theme URI: https://nexterwp.com
Description: This is a Child Theme for Nexter
Author: POSIMYTH
Author URI: https://posimyth.com
Template: nexter
Version: 1.0.0
License: GNU General Public License v2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
Tags: responsive-layout, two-column, responsive-layout
Text Domain: nexter-child-theme
Theme Name: Nexter Child Theme

Theme URI: https://nexterwp.com

Description: This is a Child Theme for Nexter

Author: POSIMYTH

Author URI: https://posimyth.com

Template: nexter

Version: 1.0.0

License: GNU General Public License v2 or later

License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Tags: responsive-layout, two-column, responsive-layout

Text Domain: nexter-child-theme
Theme Name: Nexter Child Theme

Theme URI: https://nexterwp.com

Description: This is a Child Theme for Nexter

Author: POSIMYTH

Author URI: https://posimyth.com

Template: nexter

Version: 1.0.0

License: GNU General Public License v2 or later

License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Tags: responsive-layout, two-column, responsive-layout

Text Domain: nexter-child-theme

Click on the upper right corner of the"Save changes"button to save the file.

4. Creating a function file::
   • Create a file named functions.php in the child theme folder and add the following code:

<code></code>
<code></code>

5. Activate subtopic::
   • Log in to the WordPress admin panel and navigate to theexterior condition > thematic, find the subtopic and click "activate"Button.

Method 2: Use plugin to create child theme

1. Installation of the child theme configurator plugin::

Log in to the WordPress admin panel and navigate to theplug-in (software component) > Add New PluginSearch andmounting Child Theme Configurator plugin and click "activate".

2. Creating subtopics::

Navigating to the WordPress Dashboardartifact > subtheme

Under the "Parent/Child" tab, select the parent theme and click "analyze" button to ensure that the theme fits as a parent theme.

existIn the Name new theme directory: field, add the name of the child theme folder. Then, in Select a location to save the new style:The default options are kept in the field, as this is where the style is saved.

Then click "Create new subtopic"Button.

3. Preview and activate subtopics::

Navigate to the dashboard, "presentation">"thematic", select the preview subtopic

After confirming that everything is in order, click "Activate and publish"Button.

How to customize your WordPress child theme?

Subthemes can be edited using either the WordPress Classic Editor or the Elementor page builder, which is easy to use and beginner-friendly. The Elementor page builder is easy to use and beginner friendly. You can also install Elementor's Plus Addons plugin to add more features and widgets to your website.

Summary:

This article details that by creating child themes, you can safely customize and extend existing themes without worrying about losing custom settings when the parent theme is updated.

The article provides two ways to create a child theme: manually and using a plugin, in clear and easy to understand steps. It also highlights the usefulness and security of child themes in the development process, making them ideal for customizing WordPress sites.