May I upload a free Genesis Child Theme?

To the wordoress.org theme directory? Not at this time, no. Plus you might want to have a word with the folks over at https://www.studiopress.com/ first.

You are allowed to release a free child theme for Genesis.

As Esmi said, they do not allow child themes hosted in the repo at this time.

Thanks Andrea. Just thought it is odd not to accept Genesis child themes while accepting the plugins, if Genesis itself is GPL v2, although it is a premium framework to download and get support.

Do you know if they accept other child themes based on the frameworks already accepted in the WordPress Theme Directory?

Thanks!

Actually, child themes should be coming the theme directory in just a couple of weeks (the guidelines for each new WordPress release go into effect 30 days after the release date, which was June 13). HOWEVER, the bigger issue for your case is that the directory will only allow child themes of a parent that is also available in the directory: it’s an important principle for the WP theme directory that users should be able to load up a new theme and use it without requiring anything that’s not freely available to them. So child themes, yes (soon), but Genesis child themes, no.

edit: looks like I cross-posted with your last response, but I think this should answer your questions? Anyway, if not, please ask!

Child themes should be coming the theme directory in just a couple of weeks

No child themes not even for the bundled WordPress Twenty Eleven theme as yet!

That would be nice, I hope that the WordPress team start with an empty twenty eleven child theme that can be installed from Add New, it would help with so many topics here!

Just think!

“Do not modify the default theme, go to Appearance > Themes > Add New, enter twenty eleven child in the search, install the theme and activate it, when you have done this we can help you!”

David ??

@amy
Yes, I totally agree about:

HOWEVER, the bigger issue for your case is that the directory will only allow child themes of a parent that is also available in the directory: it’s an important principle for the WP theme directory that users should be able to load up a new theme and use it without requiring anything that’s not freely available to them.

But I still think it contradicts if Genesis plugins are accepted here if I want to use a plugin and if the required framework is not provided for free. For example, I am using this awesome plugin

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/genesis-featured-widget-amplified/

with my theme, which I don’t think I have found other plugin with this kind of feature rich widget. It is possible that I would purchase the Genesis framework because of this plugin. Actually, the reason I’ve purchased Genesis is because I saw the list of free Genesis plugins offered here, noticeably:

Genesis Connect for WooCommerce
bbPress Genesis Extend
Genesis Grid
Genesis Shortcodes

So I think if child themes are accepted in the future and the required framework is GPL, it should be accepted. Or don’t accept the plugins altogether for consistency.

Because that is what exactly what I thought due to the Genesis plugins offered here. I’ve created this thread because it was strange for not having any child themes listed here.

Another example is that while I was searching for a framework, found this:

https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/search.php?q=Theme+Blvd

was kind disappointed to know that the framework wasn’t offered separately (I thought the plugins were interesting), even as a premium framework, but instead it was a framework that was used to create all the themes by the author at the premium marketplace.

So I guess the same principle should have been applied to (adding “and plugin”) like:

it’s an important principle for the WP theme directory that users should be able to load up a new theme (AND PLUGIN) and use it without requiring anything that’s not freely available to them.

There is a difference with the plugins and themes here, anyone can write a plugin, and upload it with little or no checks being made!

The themes here are the “WordPress Brand” at a quality the public see and expect, there are strict controls by an application and acceptance, where there are suitability rules and code standards.

Example is the Artisteer theme generation product, the themes do not meet the WordPress theme coding standards so they do not get a look in!

They do work with WordPress, this does not mean they are bad or sub standard just not coded the way that WordPress want them to be coded, they also might be missing a few of the requirements.

If WordPress applied the same rules to the plugins we would likely loose 80% of them, so it might be better to create a plugin that generates the child themes.

Hope you don’t mind my comments, that is just the way it is, I added a theme, it was accepted on the seventh attempt, and it was the twenty ten theme at the core of it.

Even after acceptance if you change something it has to be re-submitted, and it can fail on something unrelated to the change!

Interesting Topic!

David

Right now, requirements for the themes directory and the plugin directory are two separate areas.