WordPress themes are a major convenience that allows people to quickly
build a website without any coding. There are hundreds of readymade templates that are available to users for this purpose. All these layouts have been divided into various categories according to the industries or vocations they have been built for. However, some users feel the need for
creating a completely new and unique design. Here we are discussing the way to
create a new WordPress theme. There are various reasons for which people do not want to use an existing product. There may be a case that a suitable item with all the requisite features is not available. Some users may be looking to create an unusual
graphic design in 2022 that makes them stand apart from the crowd. This method will help such people who want to build a distinctive layout for their interface.
Creating an original template is a manual process that involves coding and must be used by only those people who possess technical knowledge. Let’s take a look at the steps involved in the procedure.
1. Build A Local Development Environment
You will have to create a local development environment to create your layout. Don't know how to code?
Learn programming language in 2022 and build your first app. Whether you
convert a website to WordPress theme or build a new one, it will be sensible to work in such a setting. The local environment will consist of a local server where
WordPress will be installed. The web server solution that we have chosen is called XAMPP. It is an open-source and cross-platform solution that contains Apache distributions for Apache server, MariaDB, PHP, and Perl. You can install it on your system by going to the website of Apache friends that have built this solution. After downloading, start the installer to begin the setup. First, you will have to choose the components that you need in the Select Components section.
You will need to tick Apache that is the web server and MySQL that is the database server. FileZilla FTP server,
PHP and PhpMyAdmin options must also be chosen. Press the Next tab after making the selections. You will now have to define a location for XAMPP to be installed. Specify the location to complete the installation process.
Now, go to the
XAMPP folder and locate and launch the xampp-control.exe. File. Initiate the Apache and MySQL components and then click on the Admin tab against the MySQL option.
You will now access phpMyAdmin to create the MySQL database of your website. Click on the Databases option in the toolbar on top. Enter the name of the database as WordPress and hit Create.
Go to the WordPress website and download its core files. You will receive them in a zip file that should be extracted to the following location:
C:xampphtdocs
Open the following link in a browser:
http://localhost/wordress
Select a language and then provide all the necessary database information. Enter the same term in the Database Name field that you chose while creating the MySQL database. Type root in the User Name field and press Submit.
Now define your login credentials to complete the WordPress installation procedure.
2. Create The Theme Files
We will now
create a new WordPress theme by generating its core files. Remember all these files must be located inside the wp_content directory. Go to this folder and create a new sub-folder inside it and title it as “Theme”. A WordPress website needs only the index.php and style.css files to function. However, most templates have a basic layout structure of a header, footer, sidebar, and main content. We will need to create all the key files in the following manner:
header.php: This file will contain the code for the header section of your website. Create an empty file in a text editor and then insert the following code into it.
You must have noticed that we have used Bootstrap in the code. You can download Bootstrap and save the Bootstrap.js and Bootstrap.css files in your theme folder.
This is your header file that contains all the necessary styling.
index.php: In the same manner, create this file by copying the following code:
Now take a look at the image given below to understand how the code for header.php, footer.php, and sidebar.php has been called. The part from <?php if (have_posts()).. to <?php endwhile; else: ?> is the code for the main content.
sidebar.php: This file governs the display of categories, archives, etc. Add the following code in the relevant file.
footer.php file: Create the file for the footer with this code.
style.css: Create the stylesheet of your theme with the code given below.
Save all these files in your theme folder and upload it. You will now have an original and unique theme.
Bonus Method For New Users
Does this method seem too complicated for you? Then there is another option that you can try. However, it will not help you create a completely original template. We will modify an existing theme but add our own custom features to it. When you alter an existing template, then there is a possibility of losing the modifications when the product receives an update from its
developer. In order to avoid this issue, you can make changes by creating a child theme.
Press themes are a major convenience that allows people to quickly
build a website without any coding. There are hundreds of readymade templates that are available to users for this purpose. All these layouts have been divided into various categories according to the industries or vocations they have been built for. However, some users feel the need for
creating a completely new and unique design. Here we are discussing the way to
create a new WordPress theme. There are various reasons for which people do not want to use an existing product. There may be a case that a suitable item with all the requisite features is not available. Some users may be looking to create an unusual
graphic design in 2022 that makes them stand apart from the crowd. This method will help such people who want to build a distinctive layout for their interface.
Creating an original template is a manual process that involves coding and must be used by only those people who possess technical knowledge. Let’s take a look at the steps involved in the procedure.