WordPress themes are crucial elements that shape the look and feel of over 40% of the internet.
Whether you're a beginner building your first website or a seasoned WordPress veteran, understanding and effectively utilizing themes is key to creating impressive, professional-looking sites.
Let's explore the intricacies of WordPress themes and their pivotal role in web design. From basic concepts to advanced customization techniques, we'll cover everything you need to know about WordPress themes in 2024. Let's dive into the latest trends and timeless tips in the world of WordPress themes.
What is a WordPress Theme?
A WordPress theme is simply a collection of files that work together to create the design and functionality of a WordPress website. Think of all the puzzle pieces in a puzzle. All are different sizes and shapes but putting them in a specific order can give you the finished puzzle.
The only difference? Unlike a puzzle which may have only one final complete look, the various components of a theme can be reworked to get different websites that each may end up looking completely different from another. Sounds fun, no?
Themes control the layout, style, and overall appearance of your site without altering the core WordPress software. They provide a framework for customizing your site’s look and feel, from the header to the footer and everything in between.
At its core, a WordPress theme includes several key components:
- Stylesheets (CSS): These define the visual presentation of your site, including fonts, colors, and spacing.
- Template Files (PHP): These control the structure and layout of your site's pages and posts.
- JavaScript Files: These add interactive elements and dynamic features to your site.
- Images and Media: These are the visual assets used throughout your theme, such as logos, background images, and icons.
Themes come in a variety of designs and functionalities, catering to different needs and preferences.
From minimalistic blogs to complex e-commerce sites, there’s a theme for every purpose.
You can find free and premium themes in the WordPress theme directory or third-party marketplaces like Themeforest or envato, allowing you to choose one that best fits your vision.
Benefits of Using a WordPress Theme
- Customizability: Themes offer a plethora of customization options, enabling you to tweak various aspects of your site without needing to know how to code.
- Responsiveness: Most modern themes are designed to be mobile-friendly, ensuring your site looks great on any device.
- SEO-Friendly: Quality themes are built with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind, helping your site rank better on search engines.
- Community Support: Popular themes often have a large user base and community support, providing forums, documentation, and tutorials to help you make the most of your theme.
How Themes Work
When you install a theme on your WordPress site, it overrides the default appearance with its own unique design and structure. You can further customize the theme through the WordPress Customizer or theme-specific settings panels or other tools such as Elementor or Gutenberg. This flexibility allows you to create a site that reflects your brand and meets your specific needs.
In essence, a WordPress theme is the foundation upon which you build your site's visual identity and user experience. By selecting and customizing the right theme, you can create a stunning and functional website that stands out.
What is a WordPress Parent Theme?
A WordPress parent theme is a complete theme that includes all the necessary template files and assets to function independently.
It serves as the foundation for any child themes created from it. The parent theme controls the overall design, layout, and features of a WordPress site, providing a robust framework that can be extended and customized through child themes.
When you use a parent theme, you get a fully functional and ready-to-use design, which can be enhanced and personalized without modifying the core theme files, ensuring easy updates and consistent performance.
What is a WordPress Child Theme?
You’ve met the parent, now we get to the child! A WordPress child theme is a sub-theme that inherits the functionality, features, and style of its parent theme.
It allows you to make modifications to your site without altering the parent theme’s code. This is crucial because updating a parent theme can overwrite any changes you’ve made directly to its files, but a child theme preserves your customizations even when the parent theme is updated.
Why Use a Child Theme?
- Preserve Customizations: By making changes in a child theme, your customizations remain intact when the parent theme is updated.
- Enhanced Flexibility: Child themes allow you to extend and customize the parent theme’s functionality without the risk of breaking core features.
- Safe Experimentation: You can experiment with new features and designs in a child theme without affecting the stability of the parent theme.
Key Components of a Child Theme
- Stylesheet (style.css): This file contains the child theme’s custom styles and must include a header that defines it as a child theme and references the parent theme.
- Functions File (functions.php): This file allows you to enqueue the parent and child theme stylesheets and add custom functions.
- Template Files: Any template file in the child theme will override the corresponding file in the parent theme.
Creating a Child Theme
Creating a child theme can be a pretty straight forward task if you know what you’re doing. We’ve outlined the crucial steps in brief below but if you want a more broken down step by step tutorial here’s a detailed guide to creating child themes.
Create a New Folder: In your WordPress theme directory, create a new folder for your child theme. It’s good practice to name it after the parent theme with ‘-child’ appended.
Create a Stylesheet: In the child theme folder, create a file named style.css and add the necessary header information:
/*
Theme Name: Parent Theme Child
Template: parent-theme-folder-name
*/Enqueue Styles: In the child theme folder, create a functions.php file to enqueue the parent and child theme styles:
<?php
function my_theme_enqueue_styles() {
$parent_style = 'parent-style'; // This is 'twentytwentyone-style' for the TwentyTwenty-One theme.
wp_enqueue_style( $parent_style, get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );
wp_enqueue_style( 'child-style', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css', array( $parent_style ) );
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_theme_enqueue_styles' );
?>Using a Child Theme
Once your child theme is set up, activate it through the WordPress admin dashboard by navigating to Appearance > Themes.
Any changes you make to the child theme’s files will now take precedence over the parent theme’s corresponding files, allowing for safe and seamless customization.
Advantages of Using Child Themes
- Future-Proofing: Updates to the parent theme won’t affect your customizations, ensuring long-term stability and consistency.
- Organized Customization: Keeps custom code separate from the parent theme, making it easier to manage and troubleshoot.
- Extensibility: Allows you to add new features and functionality specific to your site’s needs without breaking the core parent theme.
WordPress Theme vs Template: Understanding the Key Differences
When working with WordPress, it's important to understand the difference between themes and templates, as they play different roles in shaping your website's design and functionality.
We’ve already looked at what a WordPress theme is. Still, as a refresher:
A WordPress theme is a collection of files that define the overall appearance, layout, and behavior of your website.
Themes control global aspects of your site such as header and footer layouts, typography and color, widget areas and page and post layouts.
What is a WordPress Template?
A WordPress template, on the other hand, is a single file within a theme that defines the layout of a specific page or part of a page.
Templates can be used to create unique designs for different sections of your site.
For example:
- Page Templates: Used to create specific layouts for individual pages (e.g., a homepage, contact page, or full-width page).
- Post Templates: Custom layouts for individual blog posts.
- Partial Templates: Sections of a page, like headers, footers, sidebars, and content areas.
Practical Example
Imagine you have a WordPress site with a theme that sets a consistent header, footer, and sidebar across all pages. Within this theme, you might have several templates:
- A homepage template with a unique layout featuring a hero image and sections for recent posts.
- A blog post template that includes a specific arrangement for the post content, author bio, and related posts.
- A full-width template for pages where you want to remove the sidebar and use the entire width of the page for content.
By combining themes and templates, you can achieve a highly customizable and cohesive website design, ensuring consistency while allowing for individual page variations.
How to Find What WordPress Theme a Website Is Using
Now that you clearly know what a theme is, its essential to know how to properly identify them.
There are a thousand different brilliant themes out there and chances are you’ve run into a few in your travels on the internet. Now what if you wanted to use them for your site as well? Or maybe you just need some design inspiration?
How will you identify them?
This can be relatively simple. Here are a few methods you can try out:
Method 1: Using Online Tools
There are several online tools designed specifically to detect the theme and plugins used by a WordPress site. Some popular ones include:
- What WordPress Theme Is That: Visit What WordPress Theme Is That and enter the website URL. The tool will scan the site and provide information about the theme and its parent theme if a child theme is being used.
- WPThemeDetector: Go to WPThemeDetector, enter the website URL, and click “Experience the magic of WPTD.” This tool will give you detailed information about the theme and active plugins.
NOTE: There arem some limitations to these tools. These tools cannot detect customized themes or themes that the site owner has changed the names of.
Method 2: Checking the Source Code
You can also manually check the website’s source code to identify the theme. Here’s how:
- Open the Website: Go to the website you want to inspect.
- View Source Code: Right-click on the page and select “View Page Source” or press Ctrl+U (Windows) or Cmd+U (Mac).
- Search for Theme Name: Use Ctrl+F (Windows) or Cmd+F (Mac) to open the search bar and type wp-content/themes/. This will highlight the part of the source code where the theme’s directory is located. The theme name usually follows this path.
Example:
<link rel='stylesheet' href='https://example.com/wp-content/themes/theme-name/style.css' type='text/css' media='all' />In this example, "theme-name" is the theme used by the website.
Method 3: Browser Extensions
There are browser extensions available for Chrome and Firefox that can help you identify the theme used by a WordPress site:
- WordPress Theme Detector and Plugins Detector: Specifically designed for WordPress sites, this chrome extension can detect the theme and plugins in use.
Method 4: Asking the Website Owner
If the above methods don’t work or you want to be absolutely sure, you can always just reach out directly to the website owner or administrator. Most website owners are happy to share information about the tools and themes they use, especially if you compliment their site design.
Finding and Selecting the Best WordPress Theme for Your Site
Choosing the right WordPress theme for your site is a crucial yet tricky step in building a visually appealing and functional website.
With thousands of themes available, it can be overwhelming to decide which one is the best fit for your needs.
Here are some general guidelines to help you find and select the perfect WordPress theme for your site.
1. Define Your Site’s Purpose and Goals
Before you start searching for a theme, it’s essential to have a clear idea of what your purpose and goals are for your website. Ask yourself:
- What type of site am I building (e.g., blog, e-commerce, portfolio, business site)?
- What features and functionality do I need (e.g., WooCommerce support, contact forms, gallery)?
- Who is my target audience? (very important question!)
Having a clear vision of your site’s purpose will help narrow down your theme options.
2. Explore the WordPress Theme Directory
The WordPress Theme Directory is a great place to start your search. It offers thousands of free themes that are reviewed and approved by the WordPress team. You can filter themes by features, layout, and subject to find ones that match your needs.
3. Consider Premium Themes
While free themes are great, premium themes often offer more features, customization options, and dedicated support. Websites like ThemeForest, Elegant Themes, and StudioPress provide a wide range of high-quality premium themes. Investing in a premium theme can be worthwhile if you need advanced functionality and professional design.
4. Evaluate Theme Features
When evaluating themes, consider the following features:
- Responsive Design: Ensure the theme is mobile-friendly and looks good on all devices.
- Customization Options: Look for themes that offer easy customization through the WordPress Customizer or a theme options panel.
- Plugin Compatibility: Make sure the theme is compatible with popular plugins you might need, such as WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, or contact form plugins.
- Page Builder Support: If you prefer drag-and-drop customization, check if the theme supports popular page builders like Elementor, Beaver Builder, or WPBakery.
5. Check Theme Reviews and Ratings
Reading reviews and ratings from other users can provide valuable insights into a theme’s quality and reliability. The WordPress Theme Directory and premium theme marketplaces often include user reviews and ratings. Pay attention to feedback about theme performance, ease of use, and support.
6. Test the Theme Demo
Most themes offer live demos that showcase their design and functionality. Spend time exploring these demos to see how the theme looks and feels. Pay attention to the layout, typography, and overall user experience. Ensure the theme aligns with your brand and aesthetic preferences.
7. Consider Theme Support and Updates
Themes that are regularly updated and well-supported are less likely to have security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues. Check if the theme developer provides regular updates and responsive support. For premium themes, look for support forums, documentation, and customer service options.
8. Install and Test the Theme
Once you’ve selected a theme, install it on your WordPress site and test it thoroughly. Customize the theme settings, add your content, and check how it performs across different devices and browsers. Make sure the theme meets your expectations before committing to it.
Step-by-Step: How to Install WordPress Themes (With Demo Content)
Now you’ve picked the theme you want to install. How would you go about installing it onto your website?
Follow these steps to install a WordPress theme and set up demo content:
Step 1: Choose and Download a Theme
First, choose the theme you want to install. You can find themes in the WordPress Theme Directory or purchase one from a premium theme marketplace like ThemeForest or Elegant Themes. Download the theme’s ZIP file to your computer.
It goes without saying that not all themes on these websites are free. For various premium themes with advanced functionalities and design you may have to purchase it.
Step 2: Log In to Your WordPress Admin Dashboard
Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard by navigating to yoursite.com/wp-admin and entering your username and password.
Step 3: Install the Theme
- Navigate to Themes: In the WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes.
- Add New Theme: Click the “Add New” button at the top of the page.
- Upload Theme: Click the “Upload Theme” button at the top of the page, then click “Choose File” and select the theme’s ZIP file you downloaded earlier. Click “Install Now.”
- Activate Theme: Once the theme is installed, click the “Activate” button to apply the theme to your site.
Step 4: Install Required Plugins
Many themes require specific plugins to function correctly or to fully utilize their features. After activating the theme such as page builder plugins, SEO plugins, contact form plugins, performance plugins etc. You may see a notification prompting you to install and activate these plugins.
- Install Plugins: Click on the “Begin installing plugins” link.
- Select Plugins: Check the box next to each required plugin, select “Install” from the bulk actions dropdown, and click “Apply.”
- Activate Plugins: Once the plugins are installed, select “Activate” from the bulk actions dropdown and click “Apply.”
Step 5: Import Demo Content
Demo content helps you set up your site to look like the theme’s demo. It typically includes sample posts, pages, images, and settings.
Locate Demo Content Importer: Depending on the theme, the demo content importer might be located in different places.
Check the theme’s documentation for exact instructions. Common locations include:
- Appearance > Theme Options
- Tools > Import
- A dedicated “Import Demo Data” menu item
Run Importer: Follow the instructions to import the demo content. This usually involves clicking a button to start the import process.
Wait for Import to Complete: The import process may take a few minutes. Wait until it’s complete and you see a success message.
NOTE: Not all developers provide demo data for Themes. Chances are if the theme is of a blog sites then you won’t receive any demo data. If the theme is of an eCommerce sites then the creator of the theme might provide an xml file with demo data.
Step 6: Customize Your Site
With the theme and demo content installed, you can now customize your site to match your brand and preferences.
- Customize Settings: Go to Appearance > Customize to open the WordPress Customizer. Here, you can change the site title, colors, fonts, and other settings.
- Edit Content: Go to Pages and Posts in the dashboard to edit the demo content with your own text and images.
- Set Up Menus and Widgets: Go to Appearance > Menus to create and manage navigation menus, and Appearance > Widgets to add or remove widgets from your sidebar and other widget areas.
Mastering WordPress Theme Customization: Fonts, Colors, and More
Customizing your WordPress theme allows you to create a unique and personalized website that aligns with your brand and vision. With the advent of Full Site Editing (FSE), WordPress has made it easier than ever to customize your site directly from the admin dashboard without needing to touch a line of code. This section will guide you through the process of customizing fonts, colors, and more using WordPress's default Full Site Editing tools.
What is Full Site Editing (FSE)?
Full Site Editing (FSE) is a set of new features in WordPress that allows you to edit and customize your entire site, including headers, footers, and everything in between, using a block-based editor. FSE provides a visual and intuitive way to make changes to your site’s design and layout.
Accessing the Site Editor
To start customizing your theme with FSE, follow these steps:
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Appearance > Editor (Beta). This will open the Site Editor, where you can start making changes to your theme.
Customizing Fonts
Changing the fonts on your WordPress site can have a significant impact on its overall look and readability. Here’s how to customize fonts using FSE:
Open the Site Editor:
Go to Appearance > Editor (Beta) in your WordPress dashboard.
Select the Global Styles Panel:
Click on the “Global Styles” button (it looks like a half-shaded circle) in the top-right corner of the editor.
Navigate to Typography Settings:
In the Global Styles panel, select “Typography.” Here, you can customize the fonts for different elements like headings, paragraphs, and more.
Choose Your Fonts:
Click on the element you want to change (e.g., Heading, Paragraph) and select the desired font family, size, and weight from the available options.
Apply Changes:
Once you’re happy with your font choices, click “Save” to apply the changes across your site.
Customizing Colors
Colors play a vital role in your website’s design, helping to convey your brand’s identity and improve user experience. Here’s how to customize colors using FSE:
Open the Site Editor:
Go to Appearance > Editor (Beta) in your WordPress dashboard.
Select the Global Styles Panel:
Click on the “Global Styles” button in the top-right corner of the editor.
Navigate to Colors Settings:
In the Global Styles panel, select “Colors.” Here, you can customize the color palette for different elements like background, text, links, and buttons.
Choose Your Colors:
Click on the element you want to change (e.g., Background, Text) and select the desired color from the color picker or enter a specific hex code.
Apply Changes:
Once you’re happy with your color choices, click “Save” to apply the changes across your site.
Customizing Other Elements
FSE allows you to customize various other elements of your site, such as layouts, spacing, and more. Here’s a quick overview of how to make these changes:
Editing Headers and Footers:
In the Site Editor, click on the header or footer area you want to edit. You can add, remove, or rearrange blocks to customize these sections. For example, you can add a logo, navigation menu, or social media icons.
Adjusting Layout and Spacing:
Use the block settings panel to adjust the layout and spacing of individual blocks. You can change margins, padding, alignment, and more to fine-tune the appearance of your site.
Adding Custom CSS:
If you need more advanced customization, you can add custom CSS. Go to Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS to enter your custom styles.
How to Undo Changes and Reset Your WordPress Theme to Default
Customizing your WordPress theme can be an exciting journey, but sometimes things don't turn out as planned. Whether you've made too many changes, or you just want to start fresh, knowing how to undo changes and reset your WordPress theme to its default state is essential. Here’s how to do it step-by-step.
Method 1: Using the WordPress Customizer
The WordPress Customizer allows you to make changes to your site and provides an option to reset to default settings.
Open the WordPress Customizer:
Go to Appearance > Customize in your WordPress dashboard.
Revert Changes:
If you’ve made recent changes that you want to undo, you can manually revert them within the Customizer. Go through the different sections (e.g., Colors, Typography, Menus) and reset them to their default values.
Save Changes:
Once you’ve reverted the changes, click the “Publish” button to save your settings.
Method 2: Using a Reset Plugin
For a complete reset, including removing custom settings, widgets, and content, you can use a reset plugin. One of the most popular and reliable plugins for this purpose is “WP Reset.”
Install and Activate WP Reset:
Go to Plugins > Add New and search for “WP Reset.” Install and activate the plugin.
Access WP Reset:
Go to Tools > WP Reset in your dashboard.
Create a Snapshot (Optional but Recommended):
Before resetting, create a snapshot. This is a restore point you can revert to if needed. Click on the “Create Snapshot” button and follow the prompts.
Reset Your Site:
Scroll down to the “Site Reset” section. Type “reset” in the confirmation field and click the “Reset Site” button. This will restore your theme and site to the default settings, removing all customizations and content.
Method 3: Manually Reinstalling the Theme
If you want to reset a specific theme without affecting other parts of your site, you can manually reinstall the theme.
Go to Themes: Navigate to Appearance > Themes.
Activate a Default Theme:
Temporarily activate a default WordPress theme like “Twenty Twenty-One.”
Delete the Current Theme:
Hover over the theme you want to reset and click the “Theme Details” button. Then click “Delete” to remove the theme.
Reinstall the Theme:
Click the “Add New” button, search for the theme you deleted, and reinstall it. Activate the theme once the installation is complete.
Method 4: Resetting Specific Settings
Sometimes, you might only need to reset specific settings or parts of your theme.
Widgets: Go to Appearance > Widgets and remove or reset individual widgets as needed.
Menus: Navigate to Appearance > Menus to delete or reset custom menus.
Theme Options: Some themes have their own settings panel. Go to Appearance > Theme Options (or similar) and look for a reset or default settings option.
Changing, Updating, and Deleting WordPress Themes
Keeping your WordPress themes fresh and up-to-date is essential for maintaining the security, performance, and aesthetics of your website. This section covers the key aspects of changing, updating, and deleting WordPress themes efficiently and safely.
Changing Your WordPress Theme
Switching to a new WordPress theme can give your website a fresh look and introduce new features. Here's how to do it:
Preview the New Theme: Navigate to Appearance > Themes in your WordPress dashboard.
Click “Add New” to find and preview themes. Click “Live Preview” to see how your site will look.
Install and Activate the New Theme:
- Click “Install” and then “Activate” to apply the new theme.
- For themes from a ZIP file, use the “Upload Theme” button, select the file, and click “Install Now.”
Customize the New Theme: Go to Appearance > Customize to adjust settings like fonts, colors, and layouts.
Check Your Site: Ensure all elements (menus, widgets, plugins, etc.) function correctly with the new theme.
Updating Your WordPress Theme
Regular updates are crucial for security, compatibility, and performance improvements. There are two primary methods: manual and automatic updates.
Manual Updates:
- Download the latest version of your theme from the theme provider or WordPress repository.
- Deactivate your current theme by temporarily activating a default theme like “Twenty Twenty-One.”
- Delete the old theme and upload the new version.
- Reapply customizations if necessary, ideally using a child theme.
Automatic Updates:
- Enable auto-updates in Appearance > Themes by clicking on the theme’s details and selecting “Enable auto-updates.”
- Alternatively, use a plugin like Easy Updates Manager to manage automatic updates.
Verify the Update: Check your site for any issues after the update. Reapply any customizations if needed.
Deleting Unused WordPress Themes
Unused themes can pose security risks and clutter your dashboard. Here's how to delete them:
Switch to a Different Theme: You cannot delete an active theme. Activate a different theme first.
Delete the Theme: Go to Appearance > Themes, select the theme you want to delete, and click the “Delete” button in the theme details window.
Manual Deletion via FTP (Optional):
- Connect to your site using an FTP client like FileZilla.
- Navigate to /wp-content/themes/, find the theme folder, right-click, and select “Delete.”
Check for Residual Data: Use a plugin like WP-Optimize to clean up any residual data left by the deleted theme.
Best Practices for Theme Management
⇒ Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackWPup to back up your database and files before making any changes.
⇒ Preserve customizations by using a child theme, ensuring they are not lost during updates.
⇒ Test changes and updates in a staging environment before applying them to your live site.
⇒ Ensure the new or updated theme is compatible with your existing plugins.
⇒ Clear your site’s cache after making changes to ensure visitors see the latest version.
⇒ Periodically review installed themes and delete any unused ones. Keep active themes updated to maintain security and compatibility.
Wrapping Up!
In 2024, mastering WordPress themes is essential for building visually stunning, user-friendly websites.
Whether you're customizing your site with a parent or child theme, or selecting the perfect template, understanding how these elements work together will help you to create a unique and professional online presence.
With the right theme, you can accurately and effectively present your brand to the world with your WordPress site. Remember, the key to a successful website lies not just in its content, but in the cohesive design that ties everything together.
