How to Create a WordPress Child Theme

Customizing your WordPress theme? It's tempting to dig into the theme files directly-but don't do it. Editing the original theme files can break your site when the theme updates. That's why child themes are essential.

In this post, we'll walk through:

• What a child theme is
• Why you should never just copy a parent theme
• How to properly create and link a child theme
• How to enqueue your style.css file with a clean functions.php setup

What Is a Child Theme in WordPress?

A child theme is a theme that inherits everything from another theme-called the parent theme-but allows you to override or add to its features safely. That means you can tweak layouts, add CSS, create new templates, or add functionality without ever touching the original theme.

Why You Shouldn't Just Copy the Whole Theme

Copying the entire parent theme into a new folder and renaming it might seem like a quick fix, but it causes long-term issues:

• No updates: You won't get theme updates, bug fixes, or security patches.
• Code bloat: You carry over files you may never modify.
• Maintenance headaches: Tracking your changes vs. parent changes becomes messy.
• Breaks WordPress standards: It goes against the framework's intended workflow.

Instead, the right way is to create a lightweight child theme.

How to Create a WordPress Child Theme (Step by Step)

1. Create a New Folder

Inside wp-content/themes/, create a new folder for your child theme. A good naming convention is:

your-theme-name-child

For example: twentytwentyfour-child

2. Add a style.css File

Inside that folder, create a style.css file and include the following:

/*
 Theme Name:   Twenty Twenty-Four Child
 Theme URI:    https://example.com/twenty-twentyfour-child
 Description:  A child theme of Twenty Twenty-Four
 Author:       Your Name
 Author URI:   https://example.com
 Template:     twentytwentyfour
 Version:      1.0.0
*/

/* Your custom CSS starts here */

Note: The Template: line must match the folder name of the parent theme exactly.

3. Add functions.php to Enqueue Styles

Now, create a functions.php file in the same folder. Use this version to properly enqueue the child stylesheet:

<?php
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_theme_enqueue_styles' );

function my_theme_enqueue_styles() {
  wp_enqueue_style( 'child-style',
    get_stylesheet_uri(),
    array( 'parenthandle' ),
    wp_get_theme()->get( 'Version' ) 
  );
}

What's happening:

• get_stylesheet_uri() loads the child theme's style.css
• array( 'parenthandle' ) ensures it loads after the parent
• wp_get_theme()->get('Version') adds versioning for browser cache busting

Important: Replace 'parenthandle' with the actual style handle used by the parent theme (like 'twentytwentyfour-style').

Optional: Manually Enqueue Parent Style

If the parent theme doesn't enqueue its stylesheet or you want more control, you can do this instead:

wp_enqueue_style( 'parenthandle', get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );

Put it above your child style enqueue in the same function.

What Can You Do With a Child Theme?

Once your child theme is set up:

• Add custom styles in style.css
• Override templates (e.g., header.php, footer.php)
• Add new functions in functions.php
• Load your own JavaScript, fonts, or templates

Conclusion: Use a Child Theme, Not a Clone

Creating a child theme is the safest, smartest way to customize WordPress. It keeps your site update-proof, lean, and easy to maintain.

Whether you're tweaking a header, adding a new layout, or restyling buttons-do it in a child theme.