Child themes allow a theme to inherit elements from a parent theme while allowing customizations. They provide development speed since code for widgets, menus and layouts exist in the parent theme. Child themes also allow updates to the parent theme for security or new features without overwriting customizations. To create a child theme, a new folder is made in the themes directory and a style.css file that references the parent theme. Files with the same name in the child theme will override the parent theme files, except for functions.php which is included.

1. Child Themes
An introduction

2. Define: Child Theme
A theme that inherits design and functional elements
from a parent theme or framework.

3. Why would you use
a child theme?

4. Why would you use
a child theme?
• Development speed
- Pre-existing code for widgets, menus, basic page layouts
• Ability to update parent theme
- Commercial frameworks do updates for security, deprecated
code, added functionality, etc.

5. Another Reason
• What would happen if you
used the Twenty Twelve
theme, made some edits and
saw that an update was
available and you ran that
update?

6. What do I need
to get started?
• Choose a parent theme
• A new folder in /wp-content/themes/
• A CSS file in your new theme folder

7. style.css

8. *Image size is 880x660, name is screenshot.jpg/png

10. How the file system works
• A file with the same name in the child theme folder
will take the place of the file in the parent folder
• The exception to this rule is functions.php

13. single.php

14. style.css

16. functions.php

17. Theme Frameworks
“A Theme framework is a Theme designed to be a flexible foundation for
quicker WordPress development, usually serving as a robust Parent Theme
for Child Themes.”
- The WordPress Codex

18. Theme Frameworks
• Genesis - StudioPress.com
“A Theme framework is a Theme designed to be a flexible foundation for
quicker WordPress development, usually serving as a robust Parent Theme
for Child Themes.”
- The WordPress Codex

19. Demo & Questions