Child Themes in Wordpress 2.7, and Copyblogger theme

September 22nd, 2008 · 16 Comments · Wordpress Themes, blogging

If you are wondering why “wordpress 2.7″, yes, it’s time for another wordpress upgrade. Wordpress 2.7 is on its way with loads of features including automatic upgrade, sticky posts ( which wordpress.com users already have ) etc ….

With this update, wordpress will boost the use of “child themes” in wordpress design and development. With more power added to the child themes feature, you will see more child themes coming out in near future. So, what is a child theme in wordpress, is copyblogger theme using it already ?

What is a Child Theme

Child themes modify an existing theme, in such a way that the design of the theme is modified as specified in the child theme’s css, leaving everything else un tounched. So you have theme “A” and you create a child theme “B”. In theme “B”’s css, you change the background color, So, theme b = theme a minus background color.

Justin Tadlock puts it this way.

A child theme can be as simple as a highly-customized stylesheet to offering extra widgets, new page templates, or loads of other things.

Justin is using child themes with his Options theme, and other themes on the ThemeHybrid.com project. You can’t ignore Justin’s contribution in making child themes popular; so check them out !! . And yes, if you no about other theme developers who is using child themes, do let me know.

Thord Daniel Hedengren ( who redesigned blogherald.com recently ) has announced that he will be using this feature on his upcoming “Notes Blog WordPress theme” If you need more information about how Child themes work, read this extremely helpful article.

Child Themes and The Copyblogger Theme.

Chris made it simple for users to customize his copyblogger theme by putting a file called “custom.css” where you can make style modifications without hurting the basic structure of the theme. He put every important css parameters in to the original style.css and asked users to edit custom.css to make changes like font color and backgrounds etc.

So, the basic idea of using “Child Themes” is followed here. I find this really interesting because Chris introduced the copy blogger theme in May 2007. Even though I have no idea when child themes were introduced to Wordpress, I consider Chris’ move a brilliant one.

It’s going to be really easy for copyblogger theme users to understand and adapt the idea of child themes, and I am proud to be one of them.

16 responses so far ↓

1 Chirag Chamoli // Sep 22, 2008 at 11:00 am

Dinu, does this mean we can customize the widgets with specific css. What advantages can wp.com people expect?
2 dinu // Sep 22, 2008 at 11:04 am

@ Chirag Chamoli

sorry wp.com users I don’t think they will bring this feature on wp.com blogs … but for users with custom css upgrade, they can take some css ideas from child themes ( if they are using the parent theme on their blog ) and apply it …
3 Suda // Sep 22, 2008 at 12:23 pm

Just FYI. WP people test some of new features on WP.com, like Sticky Posts feature which will be in WP7 but we at WP.com. are already using it for weeks!!
4 dinu // Sep 22, 2008 at 12:33 pm

@ Suda

yes, I saw the news, the turbo feature came first on wp.com they are using you guys for test LOL

but, to use child themes on wp.com, you need css upgrade, to say the least ..
5 Ian Stewart // Sep 22, 2008 at 4:33 pm

The Copyblogger theme’s custom.css doesn’t make use of Child Themes. Neither does the custom.css on WP.com.

The first person I know of to promote Child Themes was Scott Wallick, co-creator of the Sandbox theme.
6 dinu // Sep 22, 2008 at 4:35 pm

@ Ian Stewart

Yes, I understand the fact that copyblogger theme is not using child themes concept, but its close to it … that was the point i was trying to emphasis on ..

thanks for your comment
7 Justin Tadlock // Sep 22, 2008 at 6:13 pm

Thanks for the mention. WP 2.7 will change a lot about theming, including custom post and comment classes. Of course, those are small changes compared to the ones mentioned thus far.

I think what many don’t understand about child theme’s is that they can be much more than a change in style. In fact, a child theme can have the same exact style as the parent, but change the way the entire theme functions. I think that might’ve been part of Ian’s point about the Copyblogger theme — custom styles aren’t necessarily the same thing (I understand your point though).

Also, make sure to check out his Thematic, which is probably the best parent theme out there.
8 Justin Tadlock // Sep 22, 2008 at 6:16 pm

Sorry, “child theme’s is” should be “child themes are.”
9 dinu // Sep 22, 2008 at 6:21 pm

@ Justin Tadlock

first Ian Stewart and then Justin Tadlock !! this should be the best post so far on my blog !!! I am flying ……..

yes, I understand the fact that copyblogger is not fully using the child theme idea, even though it has cusom.css feature …

I need to test Thematic theme will post my feedback for sure

You deserve more than a simple mention I’ve been following your blog for months now .. thanks a lot for your comment
10 Chirag Chamoli // Sep 22, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Ubuntu is a good idea, you can get really good windows manager and get Mac Like experience , Though I hope you have more than 1 GB RAM
11 dinu // Sep 22, 2008 at 7:21 pm

@ Chirag Chamoli

thanks yep, I do have 1Gb ram
12 roop rai // Sep 22, 2008 at 8:33 pm

yoye, you gotta help me with this wordpress shtuff. i shall come to you with a list of questions one day when im ready. good to hve found ya blog. i shall now haunt ya. HA HA HA HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
13 dinu // Sep 22, 2008 at 9:06 pm

@ roop rai

happy to help you !!! ( like they say in the vodafone ad ) lol
yes, I will help you wit wordpress stuff
14 roop rai // Sep 23, 2008 at 1:19 am

i started a lessons thing on Photography blog thing … now u got me all inspired with this competition!!!!
15 dinu // Sep 23, 2008 at 8:16 am

@ roop rai

ok fine we will see ……
16 No, this is not a new theme !! | Blog of Small Things // Sep 24, 2008 at 1:53 am

[...] we have a new design, but I did not change the theme, yes this is “copyblogger”. Inspired by deigners and bloggers out there, I tried my css skills on the copyblogger theme and [...]