Child Themes, Starter Themes, and Frameworks... Oh My!
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This document discusses different options for developing WordPress themes, including frameworks, child themes, starter themes, and parent themes. It defines each option and outlines the pros and cons. Frameworks provide base CSS and components but require a parent theme. Child themes are easiest but depend on the parent theme's code. Starter themes give full control but require building everything. The document recommends researching frameworks, gaining experience with child themes on one parent theme, and eventually moving to a preferred starter theme.
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Child Themes, Starter Themes, and Frameworks... Oh My!
- 1. JUL IE KUEHL CHILD THEMES, STARTER THEMES, AND FRAMEWORKS… OH MY!
- 2. “Don’t hack core.” (or themes) –WORDPRESS WISDOM
- 3. “Do you do custom theme development?” –PROSPECT IVE CL IENT
- 4. F I R S T … SOME DEFINITIONS - MY DEFINITIONS
- 5. FRAMEWORK • “...a drop-in code library used to facilitate development of a theme” “A front-end web development framework is simply a collection of production ready HTML/CSS/JavaScript components that we can use in our designs.”
- 6. CHI LD THEME • Requires a parent theme Hint - many WordPress “frameworks” are parent themes
- 7. STARTER THEME • Scares the crap out of you
- 8. “So how do you choose?” –EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM
- 9. “It depends.” –EVERY DEVELOPER EVERYWHERE
- 10. FRAMEWORKS PROS • Base CSS • Grid system • Responsive • Classes defined • Typography • Defines stuff you’d forget about • Broader than WordPress
- 11. FRAMEWORKS CONS • Not a stand-alone theme • Usually included in a theme’s functions.php file • http://www.punkchip.com/w hy-dont-you-use-bootstrap/
- 16. CHILD THEME PROS • Quickest and easiest choice • DO THIS rather than hack the theme • Parent theme can carry the weight • Bork the child and the parent is OK • Works immediately • 80% of the work is done for you
- 17. CHILD THEME CONS • At the mercy of the parent theme’s code • Quality • Security • Upgrades • Compatibility • Not the leanest strategy
- 20. PARENT THEMES JUMP START
- 21. PARENT THEMES JUMP START
- 24. STARTER THEME PROS • You control (and are responsible for) updates • One and done • It’s your code • Lean and mean code
- 25. STARTER THEME CONS • You control (and are responsible for) updates • You have to build the theme • 20% of the work is done for you
- 26. STARTER THEMES _S (UNDERSCORES)
- 27. STARTER THEMES _S (UNDERSCORES)
- 30. STARTER THEMES SOME LIKE IT NEAT
- 31. STARTER THEMES SOME LIKE IT NEAT
- 32. SO HOW DO YOU CHOOSE???
- 33. SO HOW DO YOU CHOOSE???
- 34. QUESTIONS TO ASK • How will it (the site / framework / parent theme) change? • Upgrades? • Redesigns? • Improvements? • Budget? Timeframe? • What will you be asking the site to do? • Heavy traffic? • Heavy database use? • Who’s going to support it? • What are you comfortable with?
- 35. “So what do you recommend?” – A N Y O N E W H O ’ S S T I L L W I T H M E
- 36. MY ADVICE • Research the differences between frameworks • Choose one parent theme and build several child themes on it • When you’re ready, find a starter theme that you like and use it for everything
- 37. IN THE END, YOU HAVE TO RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE
- 38. JUL IE@JUL IEKUEHL .COM @JUL IEKUEHL THANK YOU!QUESTIONS?