How do I create my own WordPress Theme?

I’m not too sure how to talk to you if you’ve read all of the Theme Development section and are still an ultimate beginner. Are you stuck on that documentation or something? What bit are you stuck with?

Yeah, I know, but I’ve clearly missed something I think!

Basically, I’m ready to start coding my site… but is there somewhere within WordPress that I should do this? Should I code it in an external application and then upload it as a file? Is that how it works? This is the bit that I’m really not getting (told you I was a beginner!).

To create your own theme, you need to start from scratch. I’ve downloaded a blank theme from I think [Redacted] and used that as a basis. When I say it is blank, it has all of the basic files you will need, with all of the loops inside (they are required to display your posts in your blog). The Theme Development page on the codex should help you find out which file does what. If you know enough about HTML, CSS and (if you need it) Javascript, using a blank theme as a starting block should be everything you need.

You would be better using a text editor (notepad.exe is as good as any, although I use Notepad++ for the code highlighting) to edit the .php files on your computer, then you will need to be able to save the files onto your server. You can use Filezilla or any other FTP software to save the files in your wp-contents/themes folder.

I’m only a relative beginner myself and have used a blank theme in pretty much all of my projects, but then have gutted everything I don’t need out of it (the theme I suggested comes with a few CSS styles, which I don’t use).

Are you creating a theme from scratch or extending another?

@natehawkes, If you’re to recommend a theme make sure it’s on available on www.ads-software.com, from here: https://www.ads-software.com/themes/ , otherwise we wouldn’t be able to support it.

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Forum_Welcome#Commercial_Products

Thanks natehawkes!!

Yeah, I’m creating a theme from scratch.

Okay, so when it comes to saving the files to the server, where do I find the wp-contents/themes folder? Will that be saved somewhere on my computer?

Cheers,

Ah, my apologies Andrew. I figured linking to the original site where I had got the theme from would help. In future, I shall check

Nathanjoshua24 Wherever you have saved your WordPress installation on your web server (maybe “public_html” or “httpdocs”), you will see a wp-content folder. Inside there, you will find your themes folder. If you are using a local testing server, it will be the same thing – look for where you have saved your WordPress installation. For me, I usually save it in the main folder of my site, but some save it inside a “wordpress” folder.

Basically, if your site is “mydomain.com” and you went to that address and immediately saw your WordPress site, your installation is inside the main folder. If it’s in “mydomain.com/wordpress”, it inside a “wordpress” folder, inside your main site folder. Your web host will be able to help you with which one that is. Mine is httpdocs, but I’ve known others to be public_html or even by an account name.

Okay,

If it makes a difference, I’m planning on using this theme for personal use; I won’t be trying to get it published as an official theme!

1. If I can’t use natehawkes’ blank theme as a template, is there a blank one within www.ads-software.com/themes/ that I can use?

2. You’ve completely lost me on the web server bit… So will my wp-contents folder be located on the web somewhere?

My domain is: https://contentcookie.com. How would i access my wp-contents folder from there?

It makes no difference whether it’s a personal theme or a published theme. I’ve designed a fair few themes and none of them have been published on here; they’re for my own sites or for client sites, so don’t worry about that bit.

Even though Andrew said that I should recommend themes from the official repository (https://www.ads-software.com/themes/), I feel obligated to point out (please correct me if I am wrong, Andrew) that a theme is a theme is a theme, regardless of where you get it from. Officially, WordPress, its staff and its volunteers can not endorse themes that don’t appear in the repository, but there are a ton of sites that sell and / or share WordPress themes (Codecanyon is one that springs to mind) that don’t appear in the repository. The WordPress software will support the theme as long as the code is right, but the WordPress team won’t officially endorse it. I think that’s how it works, but again, correct me if I am wrong, Andrew.

As for the folder, as soon as you go to the domain you gave, you can see your WordPress installation, so it looks to be in your server’s main folder. Probably public_html or httpdocs. You will find this by logging in to your server with an FTP client. Filezilla is probably the most recommended one. On your server, inside the main folder, you’ll find your wp-content folder.

Also, when I say “not endorsed”, I mean you can download and install the themes, but the advice from people here would be “proceed with caution”. The themes (and plugins) in the official repositories have been vetted and tested by WordPress staff and volunteers so they have been given a “seal of approval”, if you like. You don’t have to submit your theme through here to have it on your site; like I said, I’ve designed a few themes and none have come through here, yet they all work. If there are problems with them, it’s basically my own fault and I need to fix it, but themes here are fully tested and verified before being allowed to appear. Kind of like the App Store process for Apple.

Basically it makes everyone’s lives easier if theme vendors support their own themes. www.ads-software.com is considered a theme vendor, and these forums support (or attempt to) all of the 2,623 themes distributed there.

Here’s a good theme: https://www.ads-software.com/themes/blankslate

Okay,

So I’ve downloaded filezilla…. how do I log into my server?

It’s asking for “host” “Username” “Password” and “Port”.

Is the username and password the same as my WP Login details?

I’ve tried using them and I have the message “Critical error: Could not connect to serveer”.

I’m with Bluehost if that helps…

When you registered with Bluehost, you should have been given FTP account details. These are not your WP Login details, they are completely different. If you don’t know what they are, I would contact Bluehost and ask them.

WOO,

Thanks for all the help so far guys!! I’ve managed to log into FileZilla.

In terms of using Notepad++ .. I have a mac ?? So I can’t use this,

Can you recommend any great mac alternatives? I have text wranger ATM but it’s a bit rubbish and it doesn’t let you open separate tabs.

Cheers,

Textedit comes with your Mac, or you can try Brackets. I believe that’s a free alternative from Adobe that might work. Given that I’m on Windows, I couldn’t help more than that.