WordCast

An Intro to WordCast Themes By Nicolas Messer

By Dave Moyer, posted May 9 2009 at 11:15 am | No Comments ยป

We’re proud to publish this quick-start to WordPress theme creation written by the WordCast community’s very own Nicolas Messer!

Let me start with telling you that although, I’m a CS (Computer Science) student this didn’t help me in a big way to create my own WP theme other than I might knew a bit more about HTML, CSS and PHP than other WP users. Believe me, I’m nowhere a guru on those things such as Vladimir Prelovac and Brian Gardner, two good friends of the WordCast Podcast family.

So there seem to be few things you should know a little about or get yourself into before starting with the development of your own WP theme.

1. make a quick read of the WP documentation to have at least an idea what a regular theme package looks like
2. you should know some HTML and CSS
3. have a idea how PHP code looks
4. know how to edit all of those files on your computer
5. know how to upload the files on to your server (WP blog)

I already mentioned the WP documentation which is really a good starting point for everyone. Once you started with your own WP theme, don’t forget to search the forums for answers on your questions. The WP forums have a lot of very knowledgeable users posting answers and helping other WP users.

If you need some resources on HTML, CSS and PHP, I recommend you add the 3WSchools website to your bookmarks.

Of course you could read a book on the topic but I guess for most people it’s actually faster to go by the trial and error method and look up things in the documentation or do a quick search in the forums. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t any good books out there but if you’re a familiar WP user they probably won’t tell you that much you wouldn’t have found out by going with the trial and error method.

So I guess you could start with a blank file and do all the coding on your own but this is probably not the approach you want to make. It’s way easier to work on a existing WP theme and adapt it to your likings (with the GPL this is not going to be a problem for you in any way … another point why WP is great).

Remember, even Brian Gardner started on the base of another WP theme he liked, the Pool WordPress theme by Borja Fernandez. I did look into this theme and think it’s really a good template to start with but of course you can choose any other WP theme you like.

Well, let’s start then with how I did and still do work on my blog theme.

1. choose a WP theme you like and that has the main structure (2 columns, 3 columns, 1 sidebar, 2 sidebars, etc.)

2. make a copy of the theme files and rename the folder with a name of your liking, also change the information in the css file so you’ll know which one is your theme in the WP back-end

3. upload the copy you just created on your server into your WP blog

4. go to your blog’s Plugin section and search for Vladimir’s Theme Test Drive Plugin and install and activate it

5. go to the Settings page of the Theme Test Drive Plugin and activate the copy you uploaded on your blog before (make sure that it only applies to the admin role, if you’re not using a admin account go ahead and create one now … this is going to be the account you will use when you work on your theme from now on)

6. go to your front-end and check if you see the theme you just applied to your user

7. if you don’t use Firefox, consider using this browser for the time you work on your theme at least. If you already using Firefox, go and add the Firebug Add-On. Firebug will let you inspect sites and show you HTML and CSS (so if you see something on the web you like, inspect it and see if you can applied it to your site). Firebug will also let you do real time changes to your CSS styling (but don’t forget that once you refresh the page those changes will be gone … so if you did use it on your site don’t forget to make those changes in your CSS file)

8. start working on your theme (comment out or delete the things you don’t like, add stuff you want to have on your blog … in short get creative)

9. consider using Plugins such as the Featured Content Gallery to make your design more attractive

10. upload the files you changed to your theme folder, reload your front-end and check on the changes (I’m on a Mac and use Coda, so I don’t have to do this)

11. repeat steps 8 to 10 until you have a result you like

I agree that this seems like a lot of points to go through to create your own theme. But if you like me (no Vladimir or Brian), developing your own theme won’t be a matter of days rather than of weeks.

There has been a lot of talk on how often to change the theme on your blog lately and there seem to be a lot of different opinions, all with valid arguments. In my opinion, I guess you can show off your own theme to the world once you have the main foundation and still working on it. People won’t notice a few little changes and tweaks here and there but are going to appreciate the consistency in your brand.

Hope this is going to help at least a few of you considering picking up with developing their own WP theme. It might take some time but let me tell you, the feeling when you’ll see your creation the first time up and running is going to be great.

Happy Blogging,
Nicolas

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