What is a Child Theme?
Traditionally working with WordPress is that you make only one installation on a stage/test server. On this installation you are modifying files, adding more content and styling different CSS files. The problem of having only one installation is that when you are to update the WordPress theme, the update will overwrite your entire work. That is why everyone should work with Child Theme’s.
Working like this and you will come across both Child Theme and Parent Theme. The Parent Theme is the server installation theme, the framework of you entire website. Underneath this installation you need to have another theme, also known as Child Theme. In this theme you will customize your code and style the CSS of you website without loosing anything during an update of the Parent Theme.
Why should I use Child Themes?
If you want to save time on creating a website, this is the best way of working. If you only have one installation as in the traditionally way, you might not update your theme as often as you should and you risk your website to be hacked if you don’t update.
You can read more about Child Themes on this page »
How do I install a Child Theme?
- The first thing you will do is to install the Child Theme from you Admin back-end. The best way of reaching it is from Appearance > Themes. Here you simply upload and install the theme you want to be the Child Theme (the customizable theme).
- The second part is to upload and install your Parent Theme (the framework). Same procedure as last time: Appearance > Themes. Upload and install it.
- After you have installed both the Child Theme and the Parent Theme. The only thing you need to do is to Activate the Child Theme.
You can now with ease work with your website and update your Theme without doing backups or loosing any customized files or codes. You are done!