This document provides an overview of themes for beginners who are non-programmers. It discusses what themes are, how to install themes, how to choose a theme based on site needs, where to find themes, using parent and child themes, common theme frameworks, template files that make up themes, and how the loop displays posts. The key topics covered are the different ways to install themes, factors to consider when choosing a theme like site content and functionality needs, free and paid theme sources, using child themes to customize parent themes, and how template files and the loop work together to display site content.

1. WordPress
Themes for Beginners
(non-programmers)
Bonnie Vasko
VaskoInteractive.com
@vaskointeractv

2. Bonnie Vasko
UI Developer at Comcast
(until recently, that is)
Developer at NetReach
(maker of cmScribe cms)
Freelance web developer
@vaskointeractv

3. About this Talk:
High Level Overview
Not a code review
Walk away with an understanding of
Where to find themes
Paid vs. Free
Parent / Child Themes
Theme Frameworks
Theme Structure

4. What is a theme?
It’s a way to your skin your site
How your site looks
How your site works
Keeps the functionality separate from the core
wordpress files

5. 3 Ways to Install a
Theme
1 - Search and Install from the admin panel
2 - Upload a zip file from your computer, let
wordpress decompress, and install
3 - FTP your theme to wp-content/themes

6. How to choose a theme
Plan your site layout before choosing
Not choose the theme, and follow that
Think about what functionality you will need
Have your site content planned
Will you be using pages or posts
Categories or tags
social media integration

8. PAGES
CATEGORIES
JQUERY SLIDER
WITH CUSTOM HTML
RECENT
POSTS
SOCIAL MEDIA
FEATURED
CONTENT
AREA
PHOTO
FEED

9. Where to get themes
The WordPress Repository (Free)
Smashing Magazine (free, updated annually)
Woo Themes : High Quality
Paid Themes:
Woo Themes
Theme Forest
Many more....

10. Parent / Child Themes
A child theme inherits the functionality of the
parent theme
You can create a child of any theme
Upgrade the parent theme without losing your
changes
Live Demo
Child Theme Basics

11. Setting up a child theme
(in 4 easy steps)
Create a new folder, and add a style.css file
Modify the child theme’s style.css header
Import & override parent styles
Optional step: Override parent theme templates

12. Theme Frameworks
What is a framework?
Gives you a starting point - styles and layout that
are common to all themes are already set up
3 free frameworks: Hybrid, Thematic & Sandbox
Advantages: Large community, widely used, open
Paid frameworks: Thesis & Genesis

13. Template Files
Template files are the building blocks of your WordPress site. They fit together like the pieces of a
puzzle to generate the web pages on your site. Some templates (the header and footer template files
for example) are used on all the web pages, while others are used only under specific conditions.
Header <?php get_header(); ?> this is a template tag
Footer <?php get_footer(); ?>
Content
“The Loop”
Sidebar
<?php get_sidebar(); ?>

14. REPRODUCED (WITH PERMISSION) FROM “DIG INTO WORDPRESS” BY CHRIS COYIER AND JEFF STARR

15. Theme Files
REPRODUCED (WITH PERMISSION) FROM “DIG INTO WORDPRESS” BY CHRIS COYIER AND JEFF STARR

16. The Loop
The Loop is used by WordPress to display each of your posts. Using The Loop, WordPress
processes each of the posts to be displayed on the current page and formats them according to how
they match specified criteria within The Loop tags. Any HTML or PHP code placed in the Loop will be
repeated on each post. When WordPress documentation states "This tag must be within The Loop",
such as for specific Template Tag or plugins, the tag will be repeated for each post.
<?php
// The Loop
if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post();
?>
HTTP://CODEX.WORDPRESS.ORG/THE_LOOP