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Learning To Design WordPress Themes.

Posted by DaneMorgan • 6/28/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: css, templates, themes, wordpress, wordpress themes, wp

I've had a number of people ask me in the last couple of weeks how to learn to make their own WP themes.

I figure there are probably even more people who would like to know this than those who asked.

The BEST way to learn is to start with a free theme that works, and play with it. modifying things and seeing what the result is.

Direct experimentation.

If you are unsure what something in one of the theme files does go to the codex and search for the function name to get a description of it, it's variables, it's defaults and example uses.

codex.wordpress.org/Blog_Design_and_Layout

When working with the style.css style sheet you can refer to www.w3.org/Style/CSS/ for information on what things in that file do.

A couple of quick gotchas for beginners with css are.

1. #IDNAME in the stylesheet is id="IDNAME" in the template file. There should only be ONE element on any page that calls an ID (#),

2. .CLASSNAME in the stylesheet is class="CLASSNAME" in the template file.

3. Every class and every id must have it's properties enclosed in { and }

4. every property declaration must end with a ; and have a : separating the name and the value.

5. Floated entities with different heights will NOT look like you expect them to.

6. Different browsers will render the math of margin, padding and border statements differently and cause you more cross browser problems than anything else. If things don't line up right, check your margin, padding, border and container math.

Feel free to ask specific questions.

User Comments

6/28/08

acousticguitarist

thanks Dane, useful

[reply]
6/28/08

Teck

Thank you Dane, very useful

[reply]
6/28/08

PotatoChef

Thanks Dane...just convinced me to buy a optimized template...I'm lost just by reading your post. But I am a tech dummy.

[reply]
1. 6/28/08
  
  DaneMorgan
  
  Well, it isn't a full explanation, of course. And it's not as hard as it first seems, but then most things aren't, right.
  
  But, you know if it's something that's just not your thing, there is absolutely nothing wrong with just buying a custom theme if you want one. Like anything else, hire experts to do what they do so you can focus on doing what you do.
2. 6/28/08
  
  hishaman
  
  The post is great, but need someone with some experience in templating,
  Thanks Dane!!
6/28/08

achuna

Thanks Dan i was one who ask

[reply]