- A WordPress theme controls the visual design and layout of a website through a collection of files like PHP template files, CSS stylesheets, images, and text files. - The minimum required files are index.php and style.css. Common additional files include templates for different page types and widget locations. - Themes control presentation, while plugins add functionality. Features built into themes may be lost when the user switches themes. - High-quality, well-coded themes that serve as examples can be found in the WordPress theme directory.

1. WordPress Theme
Workshop: Part 1
November 4th, 2017
David Bisset
davidbisset.com / @dimensionmedia

2. What Makes A WordPress Theme
A WordPress Theme is a collection of files that work together to
produce a graphical interface with an underlying unifying design
A WordPress theme provides all of the front end styling of your
WordPress site.
Most WordPress themes provide:
• the overall design or style of your site
• font styling
• colors
• widget locations
• page layouts (or templates)
• styles for blog posts and blog archives
• additional stylistic details

3. What Are Themes Made Of?
At their most basic level,WordPress themes are collections
of different files that work together to create what you see,
as well as how your site behaves.

4. What Are Themes Made Of?
At their most basic level,WordPress themes are collections
of different files that work together to create what you see,
as well as how your site behaves.
• index.php – the main template file
• style.css – the main style file
There are only two files absolutely required in a WordPress theme:

5. What Are Themes Made Of?
At their most basic level,WordPress themes are collections
of different files that work together to create what you see,
as well as how your site behaves.
• PHP files – including template files
• Localization files
• CSS files
• Graphics
• JavaScript
• Text files – usually license info, readme.txt instructions, and a changelog file
Though not required, you may see additional files
in a theme’s folder including:

6. What Makes A WordPress Theme
The REALLY minimum WordPress theme.

7. What Makes A WordPress Theme
The REALLY minimum WordPress theme.

8. What Makes A WordPress Theme
More Common To See

9. Theme vs. Plugin
It is common to find cross-over between
features found in themes and plugins. However,
best practices are:
• a theme controls the presentation of content;
• a plugin is used to control the behavior and features
of your WordPress site.

10. Theme vs. Plugin
Any theme you create should not add critical
functionality. Doing so means that when a user
changes their theme, they lose access to that
functionality.
For example, say you build a theme with a
portfolio feature. Users who build their
portfolio with your feature will lose it when
they change themes.

11. Good Example of Themes
WordPress.Org Theme Directory
One of the safest places to download WordPress themes is in the
WordPress.org Theme Directory. All themes are closely reviewed, and must
meet rigorous theme review guidelines to ensure quality and security.
Default “Twenty” themes:
Packaged in every version of WordPress since version 3.0 (and named after the
year they were released in), the default themes are some of the best to study
how themes are built.This is because they are designed with broad use in mind
and fully adhere to WordPress coding standards.You can download and study
their theme files, and keep them around as examples to reference while
learning how to develop your own themes
https://wordpress.org/themes/