Previously, I wrote an article titled “I Had to Change the WordPress Theme I Just Changed Right Away”, where I talked about how I had to switch to a different theme in a hurry after the theme I was using was discontinued. It was an official theme provided by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, yet it was suddenly phased out. Although I switched to its successor theme, I started to wonder if it would be better to create my own theme and use something I built myself.
Time passed, and I felt that the tools and environment for WordPress theme development had improved, so I decided to try creating an original theme.
I really like the layout of my current theme, Tenku, so instead of building something from scratch, I thought about modifying certain parts to better suit my preferences. Having a reference theme makes the development process easier than starting from zero.
Classic vs. Block Themes
WordPress themes fall into two categories: classic themes and block themes. Developing a classic theme requires using PHP, which means you need an in-depth understanding of PHP and the WordPress structure.
On the other hand, block themes support FSE (Full Site Editing), allowing users to customize themes freely through a drag-and-drop interface within WordPress. Essentially, this enables no-code development.
To be honest, with FSE, you don’t really need to develop your own theme—you can simply take an existing FSE theme and customize it extensively. However, I took on this project partly as a hobby and also to gain the experience and confidence of having built my own theme at least once.
Essential Tools
To develop a WordPress theme, there are some essential tools as well as some optional but useful ones. While the essentials are required, the optional tools can be used if needed. Fortunately, everything is available for free, so the only cost is your time and effort.
Studio by WordPress.com
The first step is to set up a local WordPress environment on your computer. Developing a theme involves working in a local WordPress setup, refining the theme, and then uploading it to a live site. However, setting up WordPress locally can be tricky.
You need a web server, then you have to download and install WordPress from WordPress.org. While this setup can be complicated, there are easier solutions. One of the best options is Studio by WordPress.com.
Studio by WordPress.com – WordPress.com Developer Resources
This is an official local development environment from WordPress.com. Once you download and install it, you can quickly create a site, and upon accessing it in your browser, you’ll be taken straight to the WordPress admin panel—where you can start building your theme.
Create Block Theme Plugin
This plugin, also provided by WordPress.com, can be installed directly in WordPress. After setting up a local WordPress environment using Studio by WordPress.com, you can install this plugin within that environment.
The plugin assists with theme development by generating necessary theme files, exporting theme designs into files, creating ZIP files for uploading, and more.
You can find it by going to Plugins > Add New Plugin in your local WordPress admin panel and searching for it.
Visual Studio Code
This tool is not strictly necessary, but if you want to edit theme files directly, it’s highly recommended. Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a code editor that highlights different programming languages (syntax highlighting), making code easier to read.
You can also open VS Code directly from Studio by WordPress.com to browse your theme files.
Visual Studio Code – Code Editing. Redefined
Even outside of theme development, VS Code is a handy text editor to have.
Learning Resources
Even though theme development has become easier, knowing where to start can still be overwhelming. Here are some useful learning resources.
YouTube
The following YouTube video was extremely helpful:
Creating a Site with Full Site Editing – YouTube
Although it uses a different local setup method, it provides a detailed explanation of how to use the Create Block Theme plugin. In fact, you can learn almost everything you need from this single video.
There are also videos explaining the theme.json file, which defines theme settings, but for a beginner, the video above is more than enough.
I personally wasted time by starting with overly detailed information, only to later find simpler solutions and have to start over. To avoid that, I recommend focusing on this video first. If you’re curious about more advanced details, you can search for additional videos later.
ChatGPT
If you run into difficulties, asking ChatGPT can be a great way to get hints and solutions. While it may not always provide perfect answers, it often points you in the right direction, allowing you to refine your search and learn more.
Lately, search engine results have been cluttered with affiliate-driven content, making it harder to find genuinely helpful articles. In many cases, asking an AI is faster and more efficient.
Even using the free version of ChatGPT can help, so I recommend asking questions and experimenting based on its responses.
My Experience and Thoughts
Developing a WordPress theme wasn’t difficult, but it was time-consuming. You need to design multiple pages, including the index page, front page, archive pages, single post pages, static pages, and the 404 page. The more detailed your design, the more work it requires.
After creating a block theme using FSE, I realized that theme development is no longer limited to developers. Going forward, it seems more important to focus on design, usability, and user experience rather than deep programming knowledge.
We are entering an era where many things can be done with no-code solutions across various fields. While programming skills will always be useful, being solely a coder may no longer be enough. I believe the ability to design and build user-friendly experiences will become increasingly valuable.
