1. Theming BuddyPress
or, How to become history’s awesomest person
WordCamp Phoenix
January 29 2011
Boone B Gorges
@boone
boonebgorges.com

2. Who is Boone?

3. Who is Boone?

4. Who is Boone?
• Philosopher

5. Who is Boone?
• Philosopher
• Wisconsinite

6. Who is Boone?
• Philosopher
• Wisconsinite
• Punctual

7. Who is Boone?
• Philosopher
• Wisconsinite
• Punctual
• BuddyPress committing developer

8. Who is Boone?
• Philosopher
• Wisconsinite
• Punctual
• BuddyPress committing developer

9. BuddyPress is gonna getcha

10. BuddyPress is gonna getcha
• Friends

11. BuddyPress is gonna getcha
• Friends
• Groups

12. BuddyPress is gonna getcha
• Friends
• Groups
• Private Messages

13. BuddyPress is gonna getcha
• Friends
• Groups
• Private Messages
• Forums

14. BuddyPress is gonna getcha
• Friends
• Groups
• Private Messages
• Forums
• Activity Streams

15. BuddyPress is gonna getcha
• Friends
• Groups
• Private Messages
• Forums
• Activity Streams
• Profiles

17. Must avoid
Text
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andidigress/4471100232/

18. BuddyPress is WordPress
BuddyPress themes are
WordPress themes

19. BuddyPress is WordPress
(plus some cool stuff)
BuddyPress themes are
WordPress themes
(plus some extra templates)

20. Look familiar?
404.php index.php
archive.php links.php
attachment.php page.php
comments.php search.php
footer.php sidebar.php
functions.php single.php
header.php style.css

21. Look familiar?
404.php index.php
activity/ links.php
archive.php members/
attachment.php page.php
blogs/ registration/
comments.php search.php
footer.php sidebar.php
forums/ single.php
functions.php style.css
groups/
header.php

22. Look familiar?
404.php index.php
activity/ links.php
archive.php members/
attachment.php page.php
blogs/ registration/
comments.php search.php
footer.php sidebar.php
forums/ single.php
functions.php style.css
groups/
header.php

23. wp-content/themes/[your-bp-theme]/groups
create.php
groups-loop.php
index.php
single/

24. wp-content/themes/[your-bp-theme]/groups
create.php
groups-loop.php
index.php
single/ activity.php
admin.php
forum/
forum.php
group-header.php
home.php
members.php
plugins.php
request-membership.php
send-invites.php

25. wp-content/themes/[your-bp-theme]/groups
create.php
groups-loop.php
index.php
single/ activity.php
admin.php
forum/ edit.php
forum.php topic.php
group-header.php
home.php
members.php
plugins.php
request-membership.php
send-invites.php

26. So how do I get started?
1. BuddyPress Template Pack
2. bp-default child theme
3. From scratch

27. 1. BuddyPress Template Pack
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bp-template-pack/
A plugin that adds the necessary
template files to your existing theme

28. 1. BuddyPress Template Pack
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bp-template-pack/
A plugin that adds the necessary
template files to your existing theme
activity/
blogs/
forums/
groups/
members/
registration/

29. 2. bp-default child theme
http://codex.buddypress.org/theme-development/building-a-buddypress-child-theme/
• Declare the parent theme in style.css
/*
Theme Name: BP Cha-Ching!
Template: bp-default
Tags: buddypress
*/
• Import the parent theme’s stylesheet
/* Inherit the default theme styles */
@import url( ../../plugins/buddypress/bp-themes/bp-default/_inc/css/
default.css );
/* Inherit the default theme adminbar styles */
@import url( ../../plugins/buddypress/bp-themes/bp-default/_inc/css/
adminbar.css );
• Override the templates you want to replace

30. 2. bp-default child theme
http://codex.buddypress.org/theme-development/building-a-buddypress-child-theme/
activity/ activity-loop.php
footer.php index.php
header.php
index.php
members/ single/ activity.php
home.php
profile.php
Directory structure matters!

31. 2. bp-default child theme
http://codex.buddypress.org/theme-development/building-a-buddypress-child-theme/
Some examples:
• buddypress.org
• CUNY Academic Commons
• BP Tricks

32. 3. From scratch
Like mom used to make
http://codex.buddypress.org/developer-docs/custom-buddypress-loops/

33. 3. From scratch
Like mom used to make
Know your template tags
bp-activity/bp-activity-templatetags.php
bp-blogs/bp-blogs-templatetags.php
bp-core/bp-core-templatetags.php
bp-forums/bp-forums-templatetags.php
etc

34. How do I know?
• Use the BuddyPress Template Pack when...
• you already have a WP theme, and want to add BP
functionality
• Build a child theme of bp-default when...
• you want to maximize upgradability
• Build a theme from scratch when...
• you only need a few BP features, and maybe you
don’t want it to look like BP at all

35. Большое срасибо!
Boone B Gorges
@boone
boonebgorges.com