Table of Contents for StudioPress WordPress Themes Series
- Buy StudioPress WordPress Theme or Themes – Is it a Good Idea?
- How to Set Up SEO in the Genesis Framework WordPress Theme
- How to Set Up StudioPress’ Genesis Theme Simple Sidebars
- How to Build Great Home Pages with Genesis Theme’s Featured Posts Widget
- How to Install Parent and Child Themes in WordPress
- 2 Excellent Business Website WordPress Themes by StudioPress
- Genesis Theme User Profile Widget – This is Fantastic for Website Conversion
WordPress is an ever-developing platform for building websites and blogs. In my view, Matt Mullenweg’s WordPress platform is one of the greatest contributions to website development to date. Better yet, it’s free for the world to build a Web presence.
One of the latest developments (as of the writing of this post) is the WordPress framework using parent and child themes.
In a nutshell, I like the analogy of a car. The engine is WordPress. The frame is the parent theme. The color and design is the child theme. That’s about as simple as I can put it.
Matt Mullenweg, the WordPress founder, encourages the use of the parent / child framework. Here’s a quote:
“Child themes are the only way you should build your WordPress site on top of a framework, and Genesis has great support for child themes and other WordPress functionality.” – Source: StudioPress
Another WordPress theme developer that uses the parent and child framework is iThemes.
The parent and child framework set up sounds more complicated than it is. The fact is, installation is a snap. You first install the parent WordPress theme. Then you install the child theme (and activate it). All installation can be done in the WordPress dashboard.
See this screenshot for uploading a parent and child theme in WordPress:
The child theme is more or less the style sheet. The beauty of this concept is when you upgrade the parent theme, your styling and plugins don’t change. It’s also very easy to change the entire look and feel of your site – all you do is change your child theme.
One other bonus is buying a child theme is cheaper than a full blown theme (as was traditionally the only option – and still the only option with many theme developers).
Don’t get me wrong, you don’t have to use the parent and child WordPress framework; however, it has its advantages as set out above. I suspect more WordPress developers will offer parent/child theme frameworks in the future.
Related posts:
- iThemes Builder WordPress Theme Review [with Video Overview]
- Buy StudioPress WordPress Theme or Themes – Is it a Good Idea?
- Review of Enterprise Theme by StudioPress – A WordPress Theme
- Prose WordPress Theme Review – A StudioPress WP Theme
- Great Realtor WordPress Themes – WP for Real Estate: AgentPress
Twitter: techcrates
says:
Great tute on installing a parent as well as a child theme. Even I like the analogy a car, its too simple for even a beginner to understand !
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Twitter: PMStudycircle
says:
Just today discovered your site. Very good and informative. I just bookmarked it and subscribed to your posts.
Thanks.
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