If you've been building WordPress websites for a while you may already be familiar with Child Themes.  They are the recommended way of making modifications to an existing theme. Chris shows us the basics of Child Theming, including the why it is so recommended and how to actually make your first WordPress Child Theme.

10. Photo by Garreth Wicock - http://www.flickr.com/photos/gjmj/

15. Photo by Thomas Hawk - http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/

22. “child themes are the
recommended way
of making modifications
to a theme”
Source: http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes

24. • Changing favicon
• Changing logo / banner
• Adding additional
components (e.g. bbPress)
• Changing colour scheme

26. wp-content
themes
twentyeleven
wcsyd

27. wp-content
themes
twentyeleven
wcsyd
wcsyd-child

28. themes
twentyeleven
wcsyd
wcsyd-child
style.css

29. “style.css is the one and
only required file in a
child theme. It replaces
the style.css of the
parent.”
Source: http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes

30. /*
Theme Name: WCSyd Child
Template: wcsyd
*/

31. “It replaces the
style.css of the
parent.”
Source: http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes

32. /*
Theme Name: WCSyd Child
Template: wcsyd
*/
@import url("../wcsyd/style.css");

36. wcsyd
single.php
wcsyd-child
single.php

37. wcsyd
archive.php
wcsyd-child
archive.php

39. The functions.php is loaded in
addition to the parent’s
functions.php.
(Specifically, it is loaded right
before the parent’s file.)
Source: http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes

40. wcsyd-child
functions.php
wcsyd
functions.php

42. • do_action()
• apply_filters()
• get_template_part()
• function_exists()

43. • require_once()
• include_once()
• !important (css)
*May be suitable in
certain circumstance

50. • http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_
Themes
• http://themeshaper.com/modify-
wordpress-themes/
• http://themeshaper.com/2009/04/
17/wordpress-child-theme-basics/