Want to learn How to create and customize a WordPress child theme without codes? It’s really easy.
Not everyone is a tech-savvy or can play with CSS. That’s the reason WordPress has so many built in features and free resources that help less tech-savvy get things done.
This guide will show you how to create a child theme in one click. And will also show you how to perform basic child themes customization without using any FTP client.
If you are new to using WordPress, you have probably heard a lot about child themes. How it is highly important you create one before carrying out any customization.
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What is a WordPress child theme?
A WordPress child theme is a sub-theme that inherits the design, functionality, and features of its parent theme. When created, it automatically wears the look of its parent theme.
Why do you need to create a child theme?
WordPress software, plugins and themes are updated regularly, in order to fix any bug or issue discovered. And when updates are made on themes, without a child theme in use, you may lose all the customizations you’ve made on your theme files.
That’s why it is advised you create one before proceeding with theme customization.
How to create a WordPress child theme
In WordPress, there are thousands of free plugins that make difficult tasks completed in one or two clicks. Also, there are child theme creator plugins. Hence, there’s no need to edit codes manually.
So, for this guide, I recommend you download and use a plugin.
Step 1: Download and install orbisius child theme creator
The keyword for this plugin is “Child theme creator“. Search for and install this plugin using any method for installing a WordPress plugin from my previous guide.
Step 2: Create a child theme
Orbisius Child Theme creator should be found within your WordPress dashboard, under Appearance. Click on it. A list of all your parent themes will be provided.
If you wish to maintain your title and description of the parent theme, leave it unselected. Also, if you wish to switch to your newly created theme, make sure you select ‘Switch theme to the new theme after it is created.’
How to edit a child theme
Note: This lesson is included only for anyone who wants to customize certain files. If you don’t need to customize any file, then you could probably skip this lesson.
To carryout certain customization on your theme, you may need to copy and paste theme files not found in the child theme but located in the parent theme.
For the twenty seventeen theme, under the default theme editor, you will notice your new child theme has just the following files.
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- Stylesheet (style.css)
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- Theme Functions (functions.php)RTL Stylesheet (rtl.css)
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- Theme Footer (footer.php)
- Theme Header (header.php)
the location of those files may vary with themes. However, for most themes, those files are always present.
Let’s say I need to customize my content.php which, as you can see, is not found in the new theme, then I need to create that file and copy the content.php code from parent theme to it. This can be done using the Orbisius Theme Editor, located under appearance.
For theme #1 select the Parent theme and for Theme #2 select the child theme.
click the arrow down for theme #1 file, locate content.php and take note of the file name.
In my case, file name for content.php is located in template-part/post/content.php.
For theme #2, enter the name of the file you wish to create. Make sure it’s pointed to the same location as the parent theme. In my case it is template-part/post/content.php.
Click on Save.
Make sure the locations of both parent theme are set to the name of your new file on theme #1 and theme #2 respectively.
Copy and past the code from parent theme to child theme and click.
Once you are done, click on the ‘Save Changes’ button.
Have any questions? Ask using the comment section below.
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