The Beauty of WordPress Child Themes

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Here at BNG Design, we’re big supporters of using child themes in our WordPress website development. If you have no idea what that means, read on. We’ll explain what child themes are and why they are a big deal.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

It starts with a theme

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]As anyone developing a WordPress site knows, finding a theme is the starting point. Choosing the right theme is really important. Themes with a sufficient framework in place to allow for efficient custom development and that offer continued support are a great place to start.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

So what’s a child theme?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The child theme is implemented as a way to edit and customize the theme you are using without actually editing or customizing the original version of the theme.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Uhh…What?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In other words, the child theme, which is meant to be customized, gets its functionality from the unchanging parent theme (original version of the theme). Once you activate the child theme, you can do all of the custom development and styling you want, and never have to worry about breaking the original theme. Seriously. You can mess up big time on your child theme files, and it’s not the end of the world for your website. All that’s changing is the child theme files, which can always be reverted back to the original theme files if something goes awry. Think of it kind of like building an extension (the child theme files) out from the main framework (original, a.k.a. parent theme files) of your website, but there is always a safety net to catch you if you fall (because you can’t mess up the original theme).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”Is using a child theme really worth it?” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:40|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Raleway%3A100%2C200%2C300%2Cregular%2C500%2C600%2C700%2C800%2C900|font_style:800%20bold%20regular%3A800%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]

The short answer:

Yes.

The Long Answer:

Yes, it is.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]In fact, the only WordPress sites that I wouldn’t recommend using a child theme on are ones that will never have any customizations that would require changes to the theme files. Ever. However, any unique WordPress site with custom style and functionality can be expected to need at least some edits or additions to theme files. And even if there are only a few edits needed right away, think of how much time is saved in the future when building onto or upgrading the website? You’ll be grateful to already have a solid, up-to-date framework unaffected by any rogue code you may have added years earlier. Child themes have been a game-changer in terms of making WordPress development more efficient. Spend more time building new creations, and less time fixing old ones.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Overcoming the fear of updates

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Another thing that makes child themes incredible: never fearing updates again. A developer who has customized original WordPress theme files understands that updates aren’t necessarily your friend. If the update somehow conflicts with some of your own custom coding, then the entire website has the potential to (figuratively) blow up. Or at least potentially break whatever parts of the site you were working on. But alas, fear no more! Updates are made to the parent theme, and the child theme files you edited are completely unaffected. This means no more coding and re-coding when updates come around. The site retains all of its custom development and styling in the child theme files while staying up to date with the theme developers latest security upgrades to the parent theme files. It’s the best of both worlds, with child themes and parent themes working together seamlessly so that your website can be extraordinary. This level of perfect harmony can’t even be topped by The Beach Boys.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/12″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”5/12″][vc_column_text]

Don't fear updates - BNG Design — This is what the update button looked like BEFORE child themes

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What’s not to love?

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The advantages of using child themes are many, which is why we love to utilize them in our own work. We choose themes with high quality and well-supported frameworks, making developing and styling an awesome website with custom features a much more efficient process. The importance of constantly having the parent theme’s functionality as a backup cannot be overstated. Knowing that even the most colossal of coding blunders that can bring down your entire site can simply be reverted back to the parent theme is very reassuring, especially once a website has been completed and is in the client’s control. Instead of a client having to invest a large sum into rebuilding a section of their website, the mistake can usually just be spotted and quickly removed or replaced within the child theme file. The expedited process of having a child theme in use will save a considerable amount of time and money throughout the life of a website. And you can’t put a price on the ease of mind that comes with not worrying about if the next update will wreak havoc on your customized WordPress site. Child themes help give our websites the kind of longevity that might otherwise require a nearly full time developer on staff.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]