A breakdown of the WordPress Theme, including basic theme structure, what to look for in a theme, and an overview of the vast theme landscape, from free to premium to custom.

1. What’s in
a Theme?
Sé Reed
@sereedmedia

2. 01.
So what IS
a theme,
anyway?
We know what we are,
but know not what we may be.
(Shakespeare)

3. “A WordPress Theme is a
collection of files that work
together to produce a
graphical interface with an
underlying unifying design for
a weblog.”
codex.wordpress.org/Using_Themes

4. “WordPress Themes are
files that work together to
create the design and
functionality of a
WordPress site.”
codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development

5. style.css
index.php

9. style.css
index.php

20. 02.
Themes
Types
Some are born great, some achieve greatness,
and some have greatness thrust upon them.

21. Custom!
Frameworks!
Premium!
Free!

22. Custom

23. Custom

24. Frameworks
 Genesis
 Thesis
 Thematic
 WooFramework

25. Premium

26. Free

27. Free
✗

28. wpmu.org/why-you-should-never-search-for-free-wordpress-themes-in-google-or-anywhere-else

29. 03.
Security
Things done well and with a care,
exempt themselves from fear.

30.  Theme Authenticity Checker
 Theme-Check
 Sucuri Sitecheck Malware
Scanner

31. 04.
Updating
The golden age is before us, not behind us.

32. Keep up-to-date
(But not too up-to-date)

33. 05.
Theme
Bloat
Such as we are made of, such we be.

34. There is no UX standard.

39. Plugins
vs.
Themes

40. 06.
Evaluating
a Theme
Expectation is the root of all heartache.

41. ▪ Active development?
▪ Works with current version?
▪ Documentation and support?
▪ Customization options?
▪ Feature-rich or feature bloat?
▪ Custom Post Types?

42. 07.
Gettin'
Educated
Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the
wing wherewith we fly to heaven.

43. READ THE DOCS

44. codex.wordpress.org

45.  wordpress.tv
 wpbeginner.com
 wordpress.stackexchange.com
 wpmu.org
✓

46. 08.
Content
Nothing can come of nothing.

50. post_id

52. WordPress
ONLY works
if you do.

53. Content
is the ONLY reason
people visit a website.

54. Questions!
Sé Reed
@sereedmedia