WordPress has come a long way since its launch in 2003, and it has become a popular choice for building WordPress template customization and managing content. At present more than 40% of the websites on the internet are running on WordPress. WordPress is one of the most straightforward tools for developing websites from scratch. Over time it has become the most preferred alternative for individuals with minimum coding knowledge.
WordPress comes with a host of unique features that further enhances its flexibility. The best part is that these websites are compatible across various browsers and devices. Using WordPress is a relatively simple process and does not require any web development knowledge. There are multiple reasons behind the massive success of WordPress. Hence a significant portion of the website on the internet is now based on WordPress. The vast selection of integrated features and plug-in makes web development a relatively easier task.
What Is WordPress Theme Development?
One of the most notable features of WordPress is the themes. Themes are a collection of unique templates and style sheets that determines how a WordPress-based website will appear.
It allows the user to choose from an extensive set of editing options and custom templates from the WordPress admin section. Over a hundred WordPress themes are free, while others can be accessed for a very minimal fee.
The official website hosts a huge collection of themes in the form of a themes directory. Some third-party websites give designers an option to choose from an extensive collection of premium themes. Every WordPress theme features a unique design pattern, structure, and layout.
It is entirely on the user to find and select a WordPress template customization that perfectly suits their brand. Typically themes feature a design that represents specific professions and industries. Website owners can easily find templates that are appropriate for their business.
While exclusive templates are abundant, page owners always look for an opportunity to create something unique. Custom theme development is entirely dependent on the user’s needs if the web page owner understands that requirement custom theme development is the best option for creating a unique web page.
The following section of this article will learn about all the steps necessary for developing a custom WordPress template for a WordPress website. Here we will take a comprehensive look at the essential aspect of WordPress development and its features.
Developing WordPress templates from scratch is not much difficult. One does not require a web development expert’s basic understanding of coding languages to create a WordPress theme. Moreover, custom themes help enhance the aesthetic and functional appeal of a website.
Before starting with the development process following is a list of the basic things necessary
- Comprehensive hosting plan
- Title for WordPress website
- Understanding of coding languages like PHP and CSS
- Prior experience working around local staging environment
- Starter theme
- All about WordPress theme hierarchy
In WordPress theme development, template files serve as building blocks of a website. These templates reusable and have a modular form factor. WordPress template files allow the designers to create web pages on their websites. Some of these files are suitable for all kinds of websites, while others are only suitable for a specific environment.
WordPress themes will determine the look and feel of a website. WordPress makes use of query string to choose the most appropriate template for a particular web page. Starter themes are an absolute must for individuals with minimal experience in web development. It is the best way of understanding team building and the basic functioning of WordPress templates.
Essential Steps to Develop WordPress Theme
After understanding the basics of WordPress template development now let’s get started with making a WordPress theme. The use of started themes is specifically suitable for beginners. However, an individual can choose to create everything from scratch without the support of a theme.
However, building a website from scratch requires a lot more time and expertise than using starter themes.
Following are the steps of creating a WordPress theme
- Setting up the development environment
- Downloading and installation of the starter theme
- Integrating theme details
- Defining the style of sheets using CSS
- Including JavaScript
- Test running the template and export
Designers and web page owners also need to understand various aspects of web development like directories, stylesheets and enqueue sheets, custom templates, WordPress loop, enqueue Google fonts, and more.
This article gives a step-by-step approach to getting started with custom WordPress theme development. Individuals can also hire WordPress developers for the faster development of their websites. Once the basics are clear learning process will become even more enjoyable. Users can also take references from popular themes to understand the underlying codebase and functionality.
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