Child Theme Configurator

Just how important is a child theme in WordPress?

Child Theme Configurator

WordPress comes with some excellent free themes and you can even select more themes to help your website look the way you want it too. Nowadays there are many professional themes to select from. Club memberships, free themes but there’s a common concern about using ANY of the themes on the market these days.

WordPress updates like your cell phone does, if you do not make any modifications to your basic themes within the software all is ok. Now that WordPress started doing automatic updates some websites are breaking overnight. Why? Cause the theme in use on the website is not updated to match the current version release.

Updates are good, they are protecting the site owner from hacks etc.. so it’s vital to update. Of course, you could pay more money for an online builder, software or some other CMS (content management software) thus you can login to edit your website. Websites are like your home, if you do not lock the door they will break in very easy. Even if you lock it, they can break a window just the same. Windows I’m reviewing to as bugs in WordPress or a plugin that is not updated.

Themes, plugins all need to keep up to date with WordPress versions to keep the website secure. Remember, WordPress software is FREE so this is the one price you pay for not or not. What price, time or hiring someone to fix or you give up and waste the time and money. Seen that too many times I here I sit to help save the day! Thank goodness you can hire people like me, web studios or even by the hour freelancers and get the job done and quickly. Just in case you know?

When you install a theme into WordPress you can activate it, complete the installation documentation, setup the menu, images and all content of your website on that active theme. Seems correct to me too. But, you do not want to edit your new theme directly. You need to make a copy of it (duplicating it) but in a way that is still connected to the main theme.

Correction:
While writing this article today, I contacted the author to tell them how much I liked the plugin and that they were mentioned on our blog. It was great to get a live and instant reply. In the article is an error and it's due to mixing up backup and copy but the reply from the developer will help others like me and even some seasoned webmasters about child themes.

Child theme is not really a duplicate, it is more akin to a sub-class that inherits from the parent class (theme).  I try to emphasize that CTC makes it easy to create override styles, and that only properties that change need to be included in the child theme.  Many users are led in the wrong direction by thinking a child theme is a “copy.”

Jason C Fleming
Senior Lead Developer
solutions@lilaeamedia.com

Once you complete the process of duplicating, testing the new “sub-class that inherits from the parent class (theme)” you then can switch to make it the active theme. Now, when WordPress updates and you’re theme updates – if something breaks, your custom changes, modifications to your copied theme is not affected cause the theme update only takes place on the main theme you copied.

This allows you to edit your child theme without website breaking while the theme bugs are worked out and ready to update etc.. Working on a project today, creating the child theme was easy.

This is not a paid ad or anything other than myself recommending a free child theme plugin.

Child Theme Plugin on WordPress
Child Theme Home Page

Here’s an article of Jason’s
http://www.childthemeconfigurator.com/how-child-themes-work/

Thank you,
Snerdey

Plugin Credit and Details:
When using the Customizer is not enough – Create a child theme from your installed themes and customize styles, templates, functions and more.
By Lilaea Media

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About the Author:
Snerdey was there when the internet started. Today he’s still creating hosting websites for clients. New comers to the web, startup businesses all need a helping hand now and then. Those who seek to expand their knowledge. Start a new adventure in the online world. Sure, lots is going to the androids with apps, programs and whatnot but to us we do our part to make you look good on whatever platform your visitor is using.