WordPress always comes up with exciting features and themes for its users. The WordPress themes are best to use whenever a user wishes to produce a graphical interface and the website’s design. They just need to understand the use of themes and create the website in a manner that the user will be able to get an idea about it easily. These files are termed template files.
A theme is used to modify the website’s presentation without making any changes to the software used that whenever required for sure.
These days, child themes are in Trends, and people are using them a lot. But before a user is going to use any of the child themes, they need to understand what the child themes are and their uses.
What is WordPress Child Theme?
When it comes to looking at the WordPress child themes, it is a collection where a theme borrows multiple template files and functionalities from the other WordPress themes. The theme from which the file has been borrowed is termed as the “parent theme”.
Additionally, it is quite interesting to understand that it is a folder having a special type of file, including css files and all. These child themes will let a user come up with certain options that are not available in other WordPress themes.
Why people are using Child Themes?
After understanding a child theme, now the question arises: Why are people using child themes a lot? A quite simple answer is available that the parent themes available in WordPress are updated to an extent, and sometimes, it lets the developer feel like their task has been stopped. For speeding up their work, the designers and developers look forward to using the child theme
Sometimes it becomes difficult for a user to customize the code and develop the theme they require. To resolve this problem of yours, the child theme has been developed.
The child theme allows a user to customize the parent theme accordingly, and it will not let them lose even a single content from the website they have maintained. Moreover, if they are dealing with updates, not even a single piece of data will be lost from the website, and the interface of the website interface will get improved.
If one wishes to understand the use of child themes in a simple way, they can consider it as a copy of the parent theme with some features that led them to customize it accordingly. There is no need for a user to end up with a template that is not suited to their requirement.
According to the requirement, a user will be able to add multiple effects so that the website’s graphical interface will improve, and our users will be able to get an idea about the services they are dealing with.
Advantages of using a WordPress Child Theme
It is also important for users to understand the advantages they get available whenever they are using the child theme. After looking at the advantages, one will understand why these are becoming a boon to society.
Easy to Extend
Whenever a developer is using the parent theme, the main problem arises with coding. But with the child theme, there is no need for them to engage in coding at all. Without writing, a lot of codes are usually able to get the results. The theme Framework is so powerful that it allows them with greater flexibility so that they can modify the template files accordingly. The file will be going to function in the same manner as the developer requires. If one wishes to add new functionalities, they can easily do it without any hassle.
Inheriting of Features
The child theme will be going to inherit all the features from the parent theme. There is no need for a developer to get engaged in a lot of coding whenever they wish to create the best child theme. All the features, tiles, Framework template coma, and all other aspects will be going to include in it as the parent theme is having. User needs to understand their requirements and customize them accordingly. If they feel like any of the features are not working properly, they can look forward to other templates available and include the same in it. Moreover, there is no need for them to get available with a lot of long coding processes to create a child theme because things are directly embedded in it and can use them without any hassle.
Safe Updates
All the features available in the child theme are automatically inherited from the parent theme. The styles, templates, and other functions available are the same as the parent theme. This indicates that if users make the changes on their site, they can easily do it without making any changes to the parent theme. The child theme is a new version available of the parent theme, and they can easily install it. Moreover, whenever there is an update available, one can easily do it without making any certain changes. The modifications available will get saved in the child theme.
Fallback Safe
The fallback option is also available with the developer whenever they are using the child theme. Whenever they are using the parent theme, the main problem arises with coding. In case they have forgotten any of the codings in between then the task might get stopped. But with the child theme, the same problem will not arise because all the features are inherited from the parent theme, and the functionality is the same as well. Hence, a user will be able to get the same easily.
Disadvantages of using a Child Theme
Along with advantages, there are certain disadvantages available with using a child theme. These are as follows:-
Time Consuming
The major disadvantage a developer feels while using a child theme is the investment of time. They need to understand about the parent theme in detail whenever they wish to use the child themes. Every parent theme comes up with certain hooks and filters that are important for a developer to understand whenever dealing with robust frameworks. They need to maximize their potential and understand the parent theme in detail. After understanding the learning curve, only a user will be able to efficiently deal with child themes.
Sudden Droppings
Sometimes the problem arises when the parent theme developers are working on the updates and feel that they do not need a certain feature anymore. Without any prior notice, they will abandon it, and if you are using the same in your child theme, then you will not be able to use it anymore. It will destroy the child theme you were using. Hence a developer needs to be prepared for the same as well. This is the major disadvantage of using the child theme because developers will not get any prior notice, and all the effort they have put while developing the child is coming to an end.
Why is it important to pick a good Parent Theme?
Before you make a choice considering the parent theme for creating the child theme, you need to understand that the WordPress frameworks available are parent themes, but all the parent themes are not the frameworks. It is quite evident that you need to understand everything in detail before you move towards it. The WordPress themes available can have a child theme, but it is not important that all of them can be used as theme frameworks. Whenever you use the parent theme, you need to understand all the features available in it. If you do not understand the features in detail coma, you end up with a child theme that does not offer you functionality.
For example,
During the creation of a child theme, you will add a lot of features and feel like you can speed up the development. But it is a suggestion that goes for it whenever you want to add some more functionality to the website or the page. You need to choose the powerful parent theme because it will not let you get engaged in coding a lot.
Why did the Developer need to use a Child Theme?
Being a beginner, sometimes a developer is not aware that when there is a need for them to use the child theme. For solving this problem, they need to understand the needs of the website. Multiple sites are available where there is no need for a user to add any additional child theme because they already used the child themes available with the Genesis theme Framework.But sometimes, the product gets too complex to simple that they need to maintain a standard and use the custom WordPress themes available. When the same requirement arises, then the developer needs to look at the child theme options available. If a user is dealing with the Genesis Framework, then by creating the child theme of Genesis Framework, they will be able to easily achieve the standard of the site without any hassle the requirement will get fulfilled.
Additionally, if you are among those who constantly add new features to their websites, then the child theme is the best option for you to consider. This will help you modify the style and theme of the website easily, and no trouble will be created for you in any case. Also, you need to be regular considering the same because if you are not keeping an eye on the updates that there might be a transfer problem that may be created for you considering the graphical interface you have created.
Thus, a developer should understand everything in detail before they switch to child themes available. In case they feel like that without using the child theme, they can accomplish the task, they can go for the same as well.
How to Create a Child Theme?
Being a developer, there are so many questions that arise in mind, and they look forward to the methods through which they can create their child theme. If being a developer, you are also having the same question in your mind, then the WordPress sites are available with great tutorials that will help you to create the child theme for the parent theme available easily. You just need to understand the ways through which you can create the same easily.
Also, here we are mentioning two ways to easily create the child theme in WordPress.
- In your child theme functions.php file, use wp_enqueue_scripts
- Or one can also use @import rule in style.css file child theme file
Conclusion
After understanding about child themes in detail, a developer needs to understand whether they require it or not. Whenever you are dealing with WordPress themes, these come up with all the features and let you get available with the best. But the main problem arises when the update comes for the same. The child theme will help you in getting rid of the problem easily.
But you need to understand everything in detail so that no trouble will be created for you in the future. If you are looking forward to making any changes in the theme, the customization options will easily get the best. Moreover, if you have a lot of interest in coding and you know how you can code certain features, the option is also there. You just need to be attentive enough to easily come up with the result during coding features. If you feel like that you forget the coding, then it is working on the same coding available with the parent theme. You can also get the idea from the same.
It is also important for you to understand that whenever you will be going to update the parent theme, the CCS changes will not be overwritten at all, and they are new in the child theme directory available. You have just created the same. Hence you have no copy available for the same at all.