Child themes are a simple but powerful way to customize a pre-made WordPress theme. Learn how to use them properly and you’ll never risk losing all your modifications when the developer releases a new version and you update the theme.

1. Kathryn Presner
WordCamp Ottawa
June 2016

2. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ben124/5396260658

3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/sackton/8258253775/

4. Brownies
Cream butter and sugar.
Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Add dry ingredients.
Spread in pan, bake at
350F for 30 min.
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
¼ cup cocoa
½ tsp. salt

5. Child theme = recipe variation
https://www.flickr.com/photos/snekse/399462304

6. Brownie Variations
Blondies
+ brown sugar - white sugar - cocoa
Mint brownies
+ add mint extract - vanilla
Nutty brownies
+ nuts
Double chocolate mini muffins
+ choc. chips +bake in mini-muffin tin

7. https://www.flickr.com/photos/handcoding/2117794703

19. Parent Theme
!=
Starter Theme

24. https://www.flickr.com/photos/healthcare4every1/3743271846

25. Why?

26. Why?
Safer updates

28. Why?
Faster development

29. Why?
Benefit from others' design, coding

30. Why?
Make changes beyond just CSS

31. Why?
Easy to revert back to parent

32. Why not?

33. Why not?
Untangling others' code

34. Why not?
Can feel hacky

35. Why not?
Can be inefficient

36. Let's Go!
http://zooninidev.com/child-theming
⇒ practical exercises and resources

37. Credits
Presentation
slideshare.net/zoonini
Kathryn Presner
kpresner.com / Twitter: @zoonini
Fonts
Arvo & Lato
Photos
Flickr – Creative Commons
Cat photos – K. "Crazy Cat Lady" Presner