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Chapter 05 of 06 · 2 lessons · ~18 min

Customizing WordPress

Make the design your own with custom CSS, and use a child theme for bigger changes that survive theme updates.

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/ Lessons in this chapter
13
How to Add Custom CSS in WordPress Where to add custom CSS in WordPress, and how to target the right elements so your changes actually apply. Coming soon
14
How to Create a Child Theme in WordPress How to create a child theme so your code and template changes survive parent theme updates. Coming soon

Chapter practice task

Task: Customize your theme without losing changes on updates

  1. Add three small design tweaks with custom CSS.
  2. Create a child theme for your active theme.
  3. Move your custom CSS into the child theme’s stylesheet.
  4. Add a small function to the child theme’s functions.php.
  5. Update the parent theme and check that your changes are still there.

By the end of this chapter

  • You know where to add custom CSS in block and classic themes
  • You can create and activate a child theme
  • Your customizations survive theme updates

Quick answers for this chapter

Do I need a child theme for small CSS changes?

No. The Additional CSS area is fine for small tweaks. Use a child theme for template or PHP changes.

Can I edit theme files directly?

You can, but updates will erase your changes. That’s what child themes prevent.

Is editing functions.php risky?

A typo can break the site. Edit through File Manager or FTP (not the dashboard editor) and keep a backup.