Divi Child Theme Explained + FREE CHILD THEME
In this beginners tutorial, I’m going to explain what a Divi Child Theme is. This is part 3 of my beginner tutorial series where I’m answering the top 5 questions for YOU who are just getting started with WordPress.
This basic 101 explanation will walk you through what a child theme is, why you should use one and how to set one up. Best part is, I’ve also created a FREE Basic Child Theme for you so you can easily install it and get going with building beautiful websites with WordPress and Divi. Download it below!
In short, a child theme (both for Divi and other WordPress themes) is a layer that resides on top of your main theme where you want to place any custom CSS, PHP or other custom code. If you customize any theme code and don’t have a child theme in place, everything will be overwritten when you update your theme. So if you don’t do any CSS or custom code, you technically don’t “need” a child theme, but it’s highly recommended. The links below to other resources have more in depth details but child themes can be super basic and simple to very, very robust and complex with several customized files.
Get 20% OFF Divi by using my special link –>Â PURCHASE DIVI
Links & courses mentioned:
- Purchase Divi Theme
Get 20% OFF Divi when you use that link! - Divi/WordPress Beginners Course
Use code diviwp22Â at checkout to get the course for only $75! - Divi/CSS Course
Use code css30 to get $30 OFF my CSS Course!
Other resources and links mentioned:
- Divi Child Theme Guide (In Depth Guide) – Divi Life
- Free Divi Child Theme Creator – Divi Space
- Ultimate Guide to Creating a Child Theme – Elegant Themes
- How to Create a Child Theme – Divi Cake
Full Beginner Tutorial Series Links:
Download Your FREEÂ Divi Child Theme!
If you don't yet have an account on my site, create one then download this along with all other current and future freebies 🙂
Josh, first off, thank you for your tutorials, they are fairly easy for a noob to follow along with!
But, I’m having a couple of issues and figure I can’t be the only one, so maybe these questions will help others too.
After uploading your free child theme, I am going through your “how to customize the Divi Gallery like a boss” and when I put the CSS in the Child theme nothing happens. I moved it to the Theme Options, Custom CSS spot in the Divi Dashboard and it works. Do I not have the Child theme correctly installed to have the CSS put there take effect?
Also, when moving my photos to the Gallery from an image module as I had it before, the photos look terrible until clicked on. How can this be fixed? Is there a different resolution that needs to be used for the Gallery Module?
Thanks!
Hey be sure to clear your cache and do a hard refresh and the CSS edits will show.
For the gallery, not sure on that. Might be best to ask that question in my Divi Support group!
Hi Josh. Thanks for this!
I am on a PC and see in your free child theme zip file there is also a _MACOSX directory… should that be removed or left as is?
Also, can I add to the child theme functions.php file to add extra code there as well?
John, you can delete that mac directory folder as long as the other contents are outside of it. That happens often with mac downloads.
And yep, you can add the functions file in there for php additions! I have that in my child theme here on this site as well.