Step-By-Step Guide to Building Your WooCommerce Child Theme

When working with WooCommerce, creating a child theme is a smart way to customize your online store without risking the integrity of your site’s core functionality. But what exactly is a WooCommerce child theme? 

Simply put, a child theme is a theme that inherits the functionality and styling of another theme, known as the parent theme. This setup allows you to make modifications and tweaks to your website while keeping the parent theme’s core files untouched. 

This means you can update the parent theme without losing any of your custom changes.

This article will guide you through the process of creating a WooCommerce child theme, step by step. From setting up the necessary files to customizing your theme, we’ll cover everything you need to know. And if at any point you feel uncertain about tackling this project on your own, remember that our experts at Codeable are ready to help you out.

Benefits of creating a WooCommerce child theme

Creating a WooCommerce child theme offers a range of benefits that can significantly enhance your eCommerce website:

Preservation of customizations

Imagine you’ve spent hours tweaking your website to get the perfect look and feel. Now, what happens when the parent theme needs an update? If you’ve made changes directly to the parent theme, all those modifications could be lost with just one click of the update button.

By making your customizations in the child theme, you ensure that these changes remain intact even when the parent theme is updated. This is necessary for maintaining a unique and personalized look for your eCommerce store without the constant worry of losing your hard work.

Safe testing environment

A child theme provides a safe and isolated environment for testing and experimenting with new code. For many eCommerce store owners, the thought of making changes to a live site can be nerve-wracking. What if something breaks? 

With a child theme, you can test new features, designs, and functionalities without affecting your live site. This means you can unleash your creativity and experiment freely, knowing that your main site remains safe and operational. This safe testing ground is particularly beneficial for those who are new to web development or are hesitant to make changes directly to their live eCommerce site.

Customization and flexibility

With a WooCommerce child theme, developers have the flexibility to override specific templates and functions of the parent theme. This level of customization is vital for eCommerce sites that require unique layouts, designs, or functionality. 

For instance, if your business needs a bespoke product page layout that the parent theme doesn’t support, a child theme allows you to create and implement that custom layout without altering the core files of the parent theme. This flexibility ensures that your site can evolve and adapt to meet your specific business needs. Whether you want to add custom headers, footers, or entirely new page templates, a child theme gives you the control to make those changes seamlessly.

Understanding key file types in WooCommerce child themes

To successfully build and customize a WooCommerce child theme, it’s essential to understand the key file types involved. Each file serves a specific purpose and plays a crucial role in the overall functionality and appearance of your online store. 

Let’s dive into the main file types you’ll work with when creating a WooCommerce child theme:

style.css

The style.css file is a stylesheet that controls your website’s visual presentation. It contains CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) rules that dictate how HTML elements should be displayed on the screen. In a WooCommerce child theme, the style.css file allows you to override and add custom styles to your site without modifying the parent theme’s stylesheet.

theme.json

theme.json is a JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) configuration file that enables theme developers to define settings and styles in a centralized manner. Introduced in WordPress 5.8, this file provides a standardized way to manage global styles, block styles, and theme settings, reducing the need for extensive custom CSS and PHP code.

By using theme.json, you can enable and customize block editor features, providing a more tailored editing experience for users. Here’s how you can set up the theme.json file:

At a minimum, your theme.json file should include the following elements:

{
    "version": 2,
    "settings": {},
    "styles": {}
}

The version field indicates the version of the theme.json schema being used. The settings and styles objects will contain your theme’s configurations and global styles, respectively.

You can customize the theme.json file to define global styles and settings for your child theme. Here’s an example that sets some basic styles and enables custom color palettes for the block editor:

{
    "version": 2,
    "settings": {
        "color": {
            "palette": [
                {
                    "name": "Primary",
                    "slug": "primary",
                    "color": "#0073aa"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Secondary",
                    "slug": "secondary",
                    "color": "#005177"
                }
            ]
        },
        "typography": {
            "fontSizes": [
                {
                    "name": "Small",
                    "slug": "small",
                    "size": "12px"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Medium",
                    "slug": "medium",
                    "size": "16px"
                },
                {
                    "name": "Large",
                    "slug": "large",
                    "size": "24px"
                }
            ]
        }
    },
    "styles": {
        "color": {
            "background": "#ffffff",
            "text": "#333333"
        },
        "typography": {
            "fontFamily": "Arial, sans-serif"
        }
    }
}

In this example, we define a custom color palette and font sizes in the settings object and set the global background color, text color, and font family in the styles object.

You can continue to add and adjust settings and styles to meet the specific needs of your WooCommerce store. For example, you might want to customize the appearance of specific blocks or enable additional theme features like custom gradients or spacing controls:

{
    "version": 2,
    "settings": {
        "spacing": {
            "units": ["px", "em", "rem"],
            "padding": {
                "custom": true,
                "default": "20px"
            }
        }
    },
    "styles": {
        "blocks": {
            "core/button": {
                "color": {
                    "background": "#0073aa",
                    "text": "#ffffff"
                },
                "border": {
                    "radius": "5px"
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

functions.php

functions.php file is a PHP file that enables you to add custom functions, hooks, and filters to your WordPress theme. It acts like a plugin for your theme, allowing you to modify and extend the default behavior of WordPress and WooCommerce. This file is loaded both in the admin area and on the front end of your site, making it a powerful tool for customization.

It allows you to add custom functions that can enhance your WooCommerce store’s features. For instance, you can create custom shortcodes, add new widget areas, or modify default WooCommerce behaviors. Also, you can use action hooks and filters to customize how WordPress and WooCommerce operate. This flexibility lets you change or extend core functionalities without touching the parent theme’s code.

Keeping your custom PHP code in the functions.php file helps maintain a clean and organized codebase. This approach makes it easier to manage and update your customizations.

Template directory vs. stylesheet directory

Both the template and the stylesheet directories play distinct roles in shaping your eCommerce site, and knowing how to work with them can help you customize your store more effectively.

Template directory

The template directory contains PHP files that define the structure and layout of your WooCommerce store’s pages. These files are the backbone of your site, determining how content is organized and displayed. Here are some key examples of template files and their functions:

• single-product.php: This file controls the layout of individual product pages. It determines how product details, images, and related products are displayed.
• archive-product.php: This file manages the layout of product archive pages, such as shop pages and product category pages. It defines how multiple products are listed and organized.
• cart.php: This file handles the layout and functionality of the shopping cart page. It dictates how cart items, totals, and checkout buttons are presented to the user.

These template files are located in the parent theme’s directory but can be overridden by placing copies in your child theme’s directory. By doing so, you can customize the layout and structure of specific pages without altering the parent theme’s core files.

Stylesheet directory

The stylesheet directory houses CSS files that control the visual styling and layout of your store’s pages. These files dictate the appearance of various elements on your site, including colors, fonts, and spacing. Here’s a closer look at what the stylesheet directory includes:

• style.css: This is the primary stylesheet for your child theme. It contains CSS rules that override and extend the styles of the parent theme. You can use this file to customize the look and feel of your WooCommerce store, ensuring it aligns with your brand’s aesthetic.
• Additional CSS files: In some cases, you might have additional CSS files for specific customizations or third-party integrations. These files can also be placed in the stylesheet directory and enqueued in your theme’s functions.php file.

The stylesheet directory in your child theme works in conjunction with the parent theme’s stylesheet, allowing you to make visual adjustments without affecting the core styles of the parent theme. This separation ensures that your custom styles remain intact even when the parent theme is updated.

By leveraging both directories, you can create a WooCommerce child theme that is both functionally robust and visually appealing. Customizing the template files in the template directory lets you tailor the layout of your store while modifying the CSS files in the stylesheet directory allows you to style your site to match your brand’s identity.

Choosing between local and sandbox environments for development

Choosing the right development environment is crucial for a smooth and efficient workflow. Two common environments are local WordPress environments and sandbox or staging sites. Each has its unique advantages and disadvantages, making them suitable for different stages of development.

Local WordPress environment

A local WordPress environment is set up on your personal computer. Changes are visible only to you unless you share them explicitly.

Sandbox or staging site

A sandbox or staging site is a clone of your live site hosted on the internet but separate from your production environment. It provides a realistic setting for testing changes before they go live because it simulates the live environment closely. Also, you can easily share the site with clients or team members for feedback.

When to use local vs. sandbox environments

Tools and technologies for local and sandbox environments

Local WordPress environments

• Local by Flywheel: A user-friendly tool that simplifies the setup of local WordPress environments.
• Docker: Allows you to create isolated containers for your WordPress site, ensuring consistency across different development setups.
• Vagrant: Provides a way to create and manage virtualized development environments.

Sandbox or staging sites

• Plugins: Tools like WP Staging or Duplicator can help you create staging sites directly from your WordPress dashboard.
• Hosting features: Many hosting providers, such as SiteGround, Bluehost, and WP Engine, offer built-in staging environments as part of their hosting packages.

Selecting the right parent theme for your project

Choosing the right parent theme for your WooCommerce child theme is critical for creating a functional and aesthetically pleasing online store. Let’s look at the difference between classic and block themes.

Classic themes use PHP templates for layout and styling. They rely on traditional WordPress functions and template files to control the appearance and structure of your site.

Block themes, on the other hand, use the Gutenberg editor, allowing for a more flexible and visual design experience. Instead of relying on PHP templates, block themes use blocks to build and customize layouts directly within the WordPress editor.

To choose between classic and block themes, consider your technical skills, design preferences, and the specific needs of your WooCommerce store.

• Technical skills: If you’re comfortable with coding and prefer traditional development methods, classic themes might be more suitable. Conversely, if you prefer a visual, drag-and-drop interface, block themes are ideal.
• Design preferences: If you want precise control over your design and are willing to write custom CSS and PHP, classic themes offer robust options. For a more flexible and user-friendly design experience, block themes provide greater ease of use.
• Store needs: Consider the complexity of your WooCommerce store. For stores requiring extensive customization and unique layouts, block themes can offer more versatility. If you want a simpler setup or if you need a stable and well-supported theme, classic themes may be a better fit.

Why Storefront is a popular option

Storefront is a widely popular parent theme for WooCommerce and for good reasons. It’s designed and developed by WooCommerce, ensuring easy integration with WooCommerce plugins and features. This tight integration means you can rely on Storefront for compatibility and performance.

As the official WooCommerce theme, Storefront is regularly updated to align with WooCommerce updates, ensuring ongoing compatibility and security. From layout adjustments to color schemes, Storefront provides numerous customizable features to help you achieve the desired look and feel for your store. It also works smoothly with many popular WordPress plugins, enhancing your store’s functionality and providing a better user experience.

Storefront offers a clean, modern, responsive design that looks great on all devices. Its simplicity makes it a versatile choice for various types of online stores. It’s highly customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs. It supports various customization options through the WordPress Customizer, making it easy to adjust colors, layouts, and other design elements.

Creating your WooCommerce child theme step-by-step

Step 1: Make a folder for your WooCommerce child theme

Creating a WooCommerce child theme starts with making a dedicated folder. This essential first step ensures your theme files are organized and separate from the parent theme, avoiding any potential confusion or issues later on. 

Navigate to your WordPress installation directory using an SFTP client (like FileZilla) or your hosting provider’s file manager. Then, in your WordPress installation directory, navigate to wp-content/themes/ and create a new folder for your child theme. Name it something descriptive, like my-child-theme. 

Creating this folder is just the beginning. It lays the foundation for the following steps, where you will create and modify files within this folder to customize your WooCommerce store. Ensuring the folder is correctly set up from the start will save you time and prevent issues as you develop your child theme.

Step 2: Declaring WooCommerce support in your theme

Declaring WooCommerce support in your theme:

• Ensures compatibility: By declaring WooCommerce support, you tell WooCommerce that your theme is designed to work with it, ensuring better compatibility and fewer issues.
• Enables WooCommerce features: Declaring support allows your theme to utilize WooCommerce-specific features, improving the overall functionality of your store.
• Improves customization: With WooCommerce support declared, you can more easily customize WooCommerce templates and features to match your store’s design and functionality needs.

To declare WooCommerce support, you’ll need to create a functions.php file in your child theme’s folder. Inside the functions.php file, use the add_theme_support() function. Here is a simple example to declare WooCommerce support:

function mytheme_add_woocommerce_support() {
    add_theme_support( 'woocommerce' );
}
add_action( 'after_setup_theme', 'mytheme_add_woocommerce_support' );

Step 3: Create your child theme’s stylesheet

Inside the my-child-theme folder, create a new file and name it style.css. Open the style.css file in a text editor and add the following comment block at the top:

/*
Theme Name: My Child ThemeTemplate: parent-theme-folder-name
...other header fields such as:
Description: A custom child theme for WooCommerce.
Author: Your Name
Author URI: http://example.com
Theme URI: http://example.com/my-child-theme
Version: 1.0.0
*/

Replace the placeholder text with your actual theme details. This template header is necessary because it tells WordPress which parent theme your child theme is based on. So, make sure to use the folder name of the parent theme.

Step 4: Enqueue parent theme’s stylesheet

To ensure that your child theme inherits the styles from the parent theme, you need to enqueue the parent theme’s stylesheet. In your child theme’s functions.php file, add the following code snippet:

<?php
function my_child_theme_enqueue_styles() {
    $parent_style = 'parent-style'; // This is 'parent-style' for the Twenty Seventeen theme.
   
    wp_enqueue_style($parent_style, get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );
    wp_enqueue_style('child-style',
        get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css',
        array($parent_style),
        wp_get_theme()->get('Version')
    );
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_child_theme_enqueue_styles');
?>

Now your style.css file is set up. Start adding your custom CSS rules. For example, you might want to change the background color of your site’s header:

.site-header {
    background-color: #f5f5f5;
}

Step 5: Override WooCommerce template files

To further customize your WooCommerce store, you might need to override its template files. This allows you to make more extensive changes to the layout and functionality of your WooCommerce pages. Here’s how you can do that:

1. In your child theme’s folder, create a new directory named woocommerce.
2. Copy any template file you want to customize from wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates into your child theme’s woocommerce directory. Maintain the same file structure but omit the /templates/ subdirectory. For example, to customize the single product template, copy wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/single-product.php to wp-content/themes/my-child-theme/woocommerce/single-product.php.
3. You can now edit the copied template files to customize your WooCommerce pages as needed.

Step 6: Add functionality with functions.php

Open the functions.php file in a text editor or your preferred code editor. You can also edit this file through the WordPress admin dashboard by navigating to Appearance > Theme Editor. You can add your custom PHP code below the opening <?php tag. Be cautious when editing this file, as errors can cause your site to malfunction.

Here are some examples of functions you can add or modify in the functions.php file:

Adding custom hooks

Custom hooks allow you to execute your code at specific points in the WordPress or WooCommerce execution process:

add_action('woocommerce_before_main_content', 'my_custom_function');
function my_custom_function() {
    echo '<p>Welcome to my WooCommerce store!</p>';
}

Overriding parent theme functions

You can override parent theme functions by defining them in your child theme’s functions.php file:

if (!function_exists('storefront_primary_navigation')) {
    function storefront_primary_navigation() {
        // Custom navigation code here
    }
}

Best practices for working with the functions.php file

• Create a backup: Before making any changes, create a backup of your functions.php file. This allows you to restore the original file if something goes wrong.
• Test in a staging environment: Always test new functions in a staging environment before deploying them to your live site. This helps you identify and fix any issues without affecting your live site.
• Use comments: Add comments to your code to explain each function’s purpose. This will make it easier to understand and maintain your code.

Sep 7: Upload and activate the child theme

Once you’re done creating your child theme, the next step is to upload and activate it on your WordPress site. Upload your child theme to your WordPress website using your preferred SFTP or your web host’s file manager. 

Then, from your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes. You should see your child theme listed alongside your other installed themes. Now, click on Activate.

If you don’t see your child theme listed, ensure that you’ve uploaded it to the correct location (wp-content/themes) and that all necessary files (e.g., style.css and functions.php) are present.

After activating the child theme, it’s a good idea to verify everything is working correctly. Visit your website and check that the customizations you made in the child theme are visible and that the site is functioning as expected.

If you encounter error messages after activating your child theme, review the changes you made in the functions.php file and ensure there are no syntax errors. If necessary, revert to the backup.

Build a WooCommerce child theme with Codeable

When it comes to building a WooCommerce child theme, using Codeable offers numerous benefits that can streamline the process and deliver professional results. By leveraging Codeable’s platform, you can connect with expert WordPress developers with the skills and experience to bring your vision to life efficiently and effectively.

One of the primary advantages of using Codeable is the convenience it offers. Building a WooCommerce child theme from scratch can be time-consuming and technically challenging, especially if you’re not familiar with the intricacies of WordPress development. At Codeable, we simplify this process by connecting you with experienced developers who can handle all the technical aspects for you. This allows you to focus on other important areas of your business while ensuring your website is in capable hands.

Our Codeable developers are seasoned professionals with extensive knowledge of WooCommerce and WordPress. They are well-versed in the best practices of child theme development, ensuring that your theme is visually appealing, functional, and reliable. Our experts understand how to create a child theme that aligns with your vision and business goals, delivering results that meet the highest standards of quality.

Codeable’s services are particularly beneficial for those who lack technical skills or feel overwhelmed by the complexities of child theme development. If you’re not confident in your ability to create a child theme yourself, Codeable provides a reliable solution. Our developers can take care of everything from initial setup to final customization, giving you peace of mind and a professionally crafted website.
If you’re ready to enhance your WooCommerce store with a custom child theme but don’t want to deal with technical challenges, we’re here to help. Save time and effort by leveraging the expertise of our Codeable professional developers.

Visit Codeable to get started on your WooCommerce child theme development today!