Title: Child theme usage
Last modified: November 13, 2023

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# Child theme usage

 *  [hiddenline](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hiddenline/)
 * (@hiddenline)
 * [2 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/)
 * How can I use a child theme and where can I download one? May own one didn’t 
   work out

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

 *  [Harry Hobbes](https://wordpress.org/support/users/harry-hobbes/)
 * (@harry-hobbes)
 * [2 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17198466)
 * Start here: [https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/advanced-topics/child-themes/](https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/advanced-topics/child-themes/)
 * You can also install plugins that build and install child themes. Search for “
   child theme” from your plugin administration page.
 *  Moderator [jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/)
 * (@jordesign)
 * [2 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17198951)
 * Hi [@hiddenline](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hiddenline/) – with block
   themes I can also recommend looking into [https://wordpress.org/plugins/create-block-theme/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/create-block-theme/)
   
   It will let you make all the changes to TwentyTwentyFour and then export out 
   a child theme which _includes_ the changes.
 *  [hansbeen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hansbeen/)
 * (@hansbeen)
 * [2 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17203479)
 * Do you need a child theme in twenty twenty-four?
   Before it was used to make changes
   to the template, but you can do that within wordpress itself now, I thought?
    -  This reply was modified 2 years, 7 months ago by [hansbeen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hansbeen/).
 *  [Harry Hobbes](https://wordpress.org/support/users/harry-hobbes/)
 * (@harry-hobbes)
 * [2 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17204284)
 * Child themes:
    - make your modifications portable and replicable;
    - keep customization separate from parent theme functions;
    - allow parent themes to be updated without destroying your modifications;
    - allow you to take advantage of the effort and testing put into parent theme;
    - save on development time since you are not recreating the wheel; and
    - are a _great way_ to start learning about theme development.
 * These are the reasons one might implement a child theme. The third item is significant
   if one is doing a lot of customization.
 *  Moderator [jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/)
 * (@jordesign)
 * [2 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17205355)
 * Hey [@hansbeen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hansbeen/),
 * > Do you need a child theme in twenty twenty-four?
   > Before it was used to make
   > changes to the template, but you can do that within wordpress itself now, I
   > thought?
 * The points Harry makes above are really good ones – and there definitely still
   _are_ cases where a Child Theme is handy.
 * But to answer your question directly – it’s absolutely possible to make changes
   to the layout and structure of your templates, as well as the overall styling
   directly in the Site Editor.
 * > [Site Editor](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/site-editor/)
 *  [chrishe](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chrishe/)
 * (@chrishe)
 * [2 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17236438)
 * HI [@jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/),
 * But what happens if I have modified the 2024 templates and then the theme is 
   updated? does it restore the 2024 template or keep the mods?
 * Thanks
 *  [Harry Hobbes](https://wordpress.org/support/users/harry-hobbes/)
 * (@harry-hobbes)
 * [2 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17236520)
 * “allow parent themes to be updated without destroying your modifications;”
 * This is an advertised benefit of a WordPress child theme. However, noting that
   WordPress’ Full Site Editor is a work in progress, your best course of action
   would be to test this capability to ensure your theme changes remain in force
   when the [built-in] theme is changed/updated.
 *  Moderator [jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/)
 * (@jordesign)
 * [2 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17236981)
 * > But what happens if I have modified the 2024 templates and then the theme is
   > updated? does it restore the 2024 template or keep the mods?
 * The good news about the Site Editor is any changes you make to your templates
   are stored in the database in the site – so they will remain in place even as
   the 2024 theme is updated with new versions 👍
 * This is true whether you are making changes to the main theme, or to a child 
   theme. In either case – modifications made in the Site Editor will remain.
 *  [sanjanova](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sanjanova/)
 * (@sanjanova)
 * [2 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17322731)
 * Hello,
   I have the new, updated and clean wp instalation, no aditional plugins,
   I created child theme for Twenty Twenty-Four theme,(the way I always use child
   themes)but styles are not working.This is the code in my functions.php:
 *     ```wp-block-code
       <?php// enqueue parent stylesfunction ns_enqueue_styles() {wp_enqueue_style( 'parent-style', get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );}add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'ns_enqueue_styles' );
       ```
   
 * I also tried a few other sugestions I found – nothing works,
   childs theme styles
   are not working at all …**What is the right way to use child theme for Twenty
   Twenty-Four theme,do I have to use functions.php and style.css in my child theme
   or not?Is there another way to implement changes ( custom php code and custom
   styles) that will not bo overridden with the next update of Twenty Twenty-Four
   theme?Thank You
 *  Moderator [jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/)
 * (@jordesign)
 * [2 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17327572)
 * Hi [@sanjanova](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sanjanova/) – As Twenty Twenty-
   Four is a Block theme – there are no real CSS styles contained in styles.css (
   which is what that function loads). The styles are coming from the theme.json
   file – which _should_ still be getting used by default in a child theme.
 * Can you tell me which styles you’re hoping to include – but aren’t working?
 * In the meantime – here’s some more general information about Block themes
   [https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/block-themes/](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/block-themes/)
 *  [sanjanova](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sanjanova/)
 * (@sanjanova)
 * [2 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17340412)
 * Thank you for your answer. I see that the goal is to make the usage of extra 
   css styles as little as possible. 
   Before I ask anything else please explain 
   this:_Requirements**Gutenberg plugin (latest)**WordPress 6.4+PHP 7.0+License:
   GPLv2 or laterAs I said I use  [Twenty Twenty-Four](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/twentytwentyfour/)(
   tried to make a child theme as I used to do till now for any other classic themes)
   without adding any plugin to initial wordpress install.Do I need (is it a must
   do?) to add **Gutenberg plugin (latest)** manulally if I want to use  [Twenty Twenty-Four](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/twentytwentyfour/)
   theme?I thought the **Gutenberg plugin** is incorporated into wordpress instalation.
 *  Moderator [jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/)
 * (@jordesign)
 * [2 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17342685)
 * > Do I need (is it a must do?)
   > to add _**Gutenberg plugin (latest)**_ manulallyif
   > I want to use  [Twenty Twenty-Four](https://wordpress.org/support/theme/twentytwentyfour/)
   > theme?
   > I thought the _**Gutenberg plugin**_ is incorporated into wordpress instalation.
 * [@sanjanova](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sanjanova/) that’s a great question.
   You certainly don’t _have_ to have Gutenberg installed. You’re correct that with
   each major release of WordPress for example 6.3 or 6.4) the improvements which
   have been added via Gutenberg up to that time are included.
 * So if you’re running WordPress 6.4 – you will have _most_ of the functionality
   of Gutenberg up to that point. If you _did_ have Gutenberg installed – you would
   get more regular updates to the editor functionality (as updates are released
   each 2 weeks) but it is not a requirement.
 *  [Lee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/junior/)
 * (@junior)
 * [2 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17379503)
 * [@jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/) So in the end, what
   is the recommended way of keeping my customization before an update? Via [this](https://wordpress.org/plugins/create-block-theme/)
   method you suggested?
 *  Moderator [jordesign](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordesign/)
 * (@jordesign)
 * [2 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17380625)
 * Hi [@junior](https://wordpress.org/support/users/junior/) – the best method I’d
   suggest is to use that plugin (Craete Block Theme) to create a ‘Child Theme’ .
 * Theres a bit of a guide to that here:
   [https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2023/12/05/a-walk-through-tutorial-on-using-create-block-theme-plugin/#option-3-create-a-child-theme](https://developer.wordpress.org/news/2023/12/05/a-walk-through-tutorial-on-using-create-block-theme-plugin/#option-3-create-a-child-theme)
 *  [Lee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/junior/)
 * (@junior)
 * [2 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17380992)
 * That guide was quite confusing! I simply followed the `Create child of Twenty
   Twenty-Four` and download the zip, extracted it to my themes directory and all
   is good. I assume now I should only make changes to this child theme instead 
   of the full theme?

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)

The topic ‘Child theme usage’ is closed to new replies.

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## Tags

 * [child theme](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/child-theme/)

 * 15 replies
 * 7 participants
 * Last reply from: [Lee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/junior/)
 * Last activity: [2 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/child-theme-usage-2/#post-17380992)
 * Status: not resolved