How difficult is it to create a wordpress theme from scratch?

by LK

Posted: 14 years ago 12 replies

WEB DESIGN

How difficult is it to code a wordpress theme from scratch?

I already know HTML and CSS.
The graphics (background/header) aren't a problem either.

Wondering if it's worth my time and effort to learn it..

#create #difficult #scratch #theme #wordpress

OhJay

14 years ago

If you're planning on doing much web development, then learning WP is definitely time well invested. It's grown into a very flexible and popular CMS platform so being able to work with it will be beneficial for the forseable future.

Developing a theme from scratch depends on your abilities, but it probably isn't necessary to do it completely from scratch. Even advanced developers will often take one of the barbones themes as a starting point for a custom design. Depending on how wildly your theme varies from a pre-existing theme and how much custom hacks you need to implement then designing your own theme could take anywhere from a few hours to a week or two (say if you have to create custom plugins which don't already exist for some advanced functionality you need).

If you already have a good grasp of CSS and HTML, then all you really need to do is get to grips with WPs content hooks, the WordPress Loop or whatever they call it, and it's relatively simple template system.

Thanks
1 reply

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14 years ago

Originally Posted by OhJay

Even advanced developers will often take one of the barbones themes as a starting point for a custom design........

If you already have a good grasp of CSS and HTML, then all you really need to do is get to grips with WPs content hooks, the WordPress Loop or whatever they call it, and it's relatively simple template system.

Thanks for your explanation =)

Do you have any suggestions as to which barebones theme would be good to start out with?

Thanks
1 reply

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CarloD. 14 years ago

I like stating with the default theme.... but if you like some fancy features of someones ... you can use that, just be sure to give them credit.
- Thanks
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Loren Woirhaye 14 years ago

Here's a good place to start learning how to understand
theming for all CMS systems:

css Zen Garden: The Beauty in CSS Design

I've been hacking a Drupal theme lately and having fun doing it.
Starting with a theme that is pretty close to what you want
and learning to change it is a great learning experience because
it forces you to learn stuff you would probably avoid designing
a theme from scratch.
- Thanks
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mariozubair Banned 14 years ago

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- LK 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by CarloD.
  
  I like stating with the default theme.... but if you like some fancy features of someones ... you can use that, just be sure to give them credit.
  
  Ok, I don't need any fancy features, so I'll just start out with the default and see what I end up =)
  
  Originally Posted by mariozubair
  
  knowledge equals power my friend,it worth it
  
  Haha true true!! I'm gonna give it a go!
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  LK's Adsense Experience - no shenanigans, just a simple blog~
  
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ChaibiAlaa Banned 14 years ago

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- LK 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by ChaibiAlaa
  
  You have to understand WP cipex and API.
  
  What's cipex?
  Googled it but can't find anything!
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  LK's Adsense Experience - no shenanigans, just a simple blog~
  
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- Bewley 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by ChaibiAlaa
  
  You have to understand WP cipex and API.
  
  That's rubbish - check this out:
  
  How I Learned To Build Wordpress Themes | Design Reviver
  
  If you Google 'how to build a Wordpress theme', you are spoilt for choice.
  
  Adrian
  
  Thanks
  
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digital29 14 years ago

It`s not so difficult...
Myself, if I have an idea..I make a small sketch, then start the coding right away, making the graphics in photoshop when needed. Many people make the whole theme in photoshop right from the start, but I think it is a lost of time
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- Dave Dougherty 14 years ago
  
  If you head over to nettut,s they have some really good tutorials on Wordpress theme development..
  
  Thanks
  
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senderbot 14 years ago

Easiest way if you know CSS is to take the default theme that comes with Wordpress and play with the CSS to change it.

In future to create themes from scratch take that default theme and use it as a vase template to create other themes.

There are a lot of free themes available and many of them are based on that same default wordpress theme. It's how a lot of wordpress theme designers started.

Myself I like to do wordpress themes with Artisteer. Much easier than playing with the code.

Cheers
Max
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Desaturator 14 years ago
I know how painful it is to begin with wordpress theme design. Especially when you have no knowledge of internal working of wordpress and some book refers to terms like loops, hooks etc.

Well even I faced similar problems. But Drew Douglass of Themeforest.net posted an awesome 18 episodes of Wordpress Theme designing from beginning. It is a free video lecture series titled as "Wordpress for Designers".

And here is the link to the first video of the lecture:
Code:

hxxp://blog.themeforest.net/screencasts/new-wp-video-series-and-free-rockstar-book/
And for more videos on the series here is the link:
Code:

hxxp://blog.themeforest.net/category/wordpress/
Cheers!
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- Dialady 14 years ago
  
  Great advice and links here already, but I just wanted to share one more idea. Start by tweaking other WP themes. I've designed websites for years so I'm familiar with CSS, but WP throws in PHP to the mix. I've found it great training to take someone's theme and make it my own. It's really helped me learn what works and what doesn't within the WP platform. I have purchased themes that were so complex that it was difficult for someone with my experience to make them function as designed.
  
  The other thing I learned is the necessity for EXCELLENT directions to be included with the theme. Even with some of the themes I've purchased the directions were not helpful.
  
  I also agree, it's helpful to start with a basic theme (like the one provided when you setup your WP blog) and improve on it from scratch. It's a great time saver in creating the theme you desire.
  
  Okay, one last point . . . as a web designer, I've found for many years that the drawback with many of clients is their lack of providing me the info for their website. We'll get a look, great keywords, but they don't have time to put together the text for the site. Also, many clients are now computer savvy enough to update their own websites. WP is a terrific solution. You can turn around websites quicker and help meet the needs of more clients. It is so nice to have folks enter their OWN data
  
  Let us hear back how it works out for you!
  
  Theresa 8-)
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Tired of waiting for your webmaster? Install your own Wordpress blog or website with this $9 report with step by step Begin Your Blog
  
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How difficult is it to create a wordpress theme from scratch?

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