Introduction
Child themes are a collection of separate files which allow you to make changes without affecting the original theme’s code. This allows you to update the original “parent” theme without your changes being erased, and also provides a fallback in the event something in your child theme breaks.
Child themes are an absolute must if you need to modify a theme’s HTML structure or existing functions, especially if the site is being developed professionally for a client. The child theme provides an easier way for you to compare your modifications to updates we make in the parent so you are able to manually update or migrate fixes into your theme.
Support
This process is not recommended for beginners. If you do not have any coding or CSS knowledge, we recommend you stick to what can be done with plugins and custom styling, or check out these great resources:
Where can I get help with modifications or advanced Custom CSS?
We are happy to provide clarification on this article or answer questions you may have about the original theme’s styling or function location. We cannot assist you with modifying your theme or support problems you encounter with child themes – once you create a child theme, you are assuming ownership and development of the theme in essence. We recommend the following resources: