How to customize root theme

1

Hello there,

Is there any documentation how to customize the theme? I know the official documentation but what i need is something which has examples. Like how to create a new theme from strach using the roots theme.

Thanks.

2

Roots is not the best place to start learning about WordPress theme development. It is built for developers who know PHP and the WordPress template hierarchy.

I would recommend starting with the WordPress codex, and some possibly some additional tutorials to learn the basics of how WordPress works. Once you have that down, there is a lot of documentation on the Roots.io site and here in the forum for the Roots specific features of the theme.

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3

I agree with this. Roots is a starter theme, so there is basically no styling except for what comes with Bootstrap, and even then it’s pretty bare. Definitely test and play around with it, see what you can do, but it helps to have a goal or a type of theme you’d like to build.

4

I would also add you might be better off trying your hand at a child theme before doing a whole theme on your own. That’s how I started, and it really helped me get a handle on various aspects of the template hierarchy without having to learn everything at once.

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That said, I still think that there should be some kind basic documentation for beginners. If someone has knowledge of PHP and little bit about WordPress, then it should be easier for them to learn “how to customize root theme” through some basic documentation. It is a little bit of turnoff for a new enthusiast trying to learn roots. Although it is fine to say that people who have experience with WordPress themes can fully utilize the power of roots but at the same time newbies shouldn’t feel discouraged. It seems like a huge learning curve. I personally believe that if you can provide some basic direction around customizing roots theme a lot more people will be attracted and be able to utilize this framework. Sometimes it is faster to teach someone on the field rather than inside classrooms, if you know what I mean.

Thanks.

6

We do have some introductory documentation. The Roots 101 gives a general overview of the important elements in Roots and references other relevant resources when background knowledge is required.

We need to reference other resources because Roots does several things differently to WordPress core, making it almost impossible to demonstrate those fundamental principles in a Roots-based theme. It would be like teaching someone to park a car whilst they’re riding on a motorbike.

If it seems like a steep learning curve, then you’re on the right track, because it is.

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