Ah Divi! A true powerhouse when it comes to WordPress themes.

If you’re looking to take your website’s design to the next level you’ve come to the right place.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret – the beauty of Divi lies in its flexibility.

You can customize it to your heart’s content but the real magic happens when you create a Divi child theme.

Let me tell you why.

Table of Contents

Why You Need a Divi Child Theme

Think of it like this.

You’ve got a stunning foundation for your website your Divi theme.

But what if you want to add a little more personality some unique flair or even just a minor tweak? That’s where child themes come in.

They’re like a special layer you can build on top of your Divi theme without touching the original.

This way you can make all the changes you want without risking messing up the parent theme.

And when Divi gets updated your precious customizations remain untouched! It’s like having a backup plan for your website’s design.

The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Divi Child Theme

Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

Creating a child theme isn’t rocket science but it does require a bit of understanding.

Don’t worry I’ll guide you through every step.

Option 1: The Quick & Easy Way – Using a Plugin

I’m a big fan of plugins – they make life a whole lot easier! Let’s talk about a few that will streamline your Divi child theme creation process.

Divi Children: This plugin is like a personal assistant for Divi users. It handles the heavy lifting allowing you to focus on the creative side of things. You get a child theme with tons of customization options all accessible through the familiar WordPress Customizer. Think of it as a user-friendly interface for tweaking your child theme.
Child Theme Configurator: This plugin is perfect if you’re comfortable into CSS. It scans your theme identifies the specific CSS attributes you want to customize and automatically configures your child theme. It’s like having a smart assistant for styling!
Child Theme Creator by Orbisius: This plugin is a gem for those who want to explore different themes and create child themes based on them. It lets you create unlimited child themes so you can play around with various design ideas without disrupting your main theme. The plugin even has two editors allowing you to pick and choose snippets from different themes and combine them into something new.

Option 2: The Manual Approach – For the Coding Connoisseurs

Let’s say you prefer to roll up your sleeves and do things the old-fashioned way.

Creating a Divi child theme manually gives you complete control over the process.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Set Up Your Style.css File

This is the heart of your child theme where you define the styles that override the parent theme’s defaults.

Create a Folder: On your computer create a new folder and give it a descriptive name like “MyDiviChildTheme”.
Create the Style.css File: Inside this folder create a new text file and name it “style.css”. Don’t forget to open it in a code editor like Notepad++ or Sublime Text – you’ll need it for the next step!

Step 2: Add Essential Information to Style.css

It’s time to tell WordPress about your child theme and add some basic styles.

Open your “style.css” file in your code editor and paste the following:

/*
 Theme Name: My Divi Child Theme
 Theme URI: https://www.yourwebsite.com/ 
 Description: A child theme for Divi designed to ... 
 Author: Your Name 
 Author URI: https://www.yourwebsite.com/ 
 Version: 1.0 
 Template: divi
 */

 /* Custom CSS */
 body {
     font-family: Arial sans-serif;
 }

Theme Name: This is what your child theme will be called in WordPress.
Theme URI: Enter the URL of your website.
Description: A short description of your child theme’s purpose.
Author: Your name (or the name of the person who created the theme).
Author URI: The URL of your website or the author’s website.
Version: The current version of your child theme.
Template: This crucial line tells WordPress that your child theme is based on Divi.

Step 3: Create the Functions.php File

This file is your playground for custom functions and hooks.

Create the Functions.php File: In the same folder where you created “style.css” create another text file and name it “functions.php”.
Add Essential Code: Open “functions.php” in your code editor and paste this code:

<?php

// Enqueue the parent theme's stylesheet
function my_divi_child_enqueue_styles() {
    wp_enqueue_style( 'parent-style' get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );
    wp_enqueue_style( 'child-style' get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css' array( 'parent-style' ) '1.0' );
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts' 'my_divi_child_enqueue_styles' );

// Add a custom function 
function my_custom_function() {
  // Your custom code goes here
}
add_action( 'wp_footer' 'my_custom_function' );

?>

Enqueue Parent Theme Stylesheet: This line ensures that your Divi parent theme’s styles are loaded forming the base for your child theme’s customizations.
Enqueue Child Theme Stylesheet: This line loads your child theme’s “style.css” file allowing its styles to override or complement the parent theme’s styles.
Add Custom Functions: You can add your own functions to enhance the functionality of your website.

Step 4: Capture a Screenshot

This is a simple step but important! WordPress uses a screenshot to preview your theme in the Themes section.

Take a Screenshot: Open a page on your website where you’ve applied some of your child theme’s styles. Take a screenshot of the page.
Save as PNG or JPEG: Save the screenshot as a PNG or JPEG file with a name like “screenshot.png” or “screenshot.jpeg.” Make sure the dimensions are 880 x 660 pixels.
Move to Your Folder: Move your screenshot file into the same folder as “style.css” and “functions.php”.

Step 5: Compress and Upload

You’re almost there! It’s time to package your child theme and upload it to WordPress.

Zip It Up: Right-click on the folder containing your “style.css” “functions.php” and “screenshot” files and choose “Compress.”
Upload to WordPress: In your WordPress admin panel go to Appearance > Themes > Add New > Upload Theme. Select your compressed zip file and click “Install Now.” Once installed click “Activate.”

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a Divi child theme.

Testing and Refinement

After you’ve activated your child theme it’s time to test it out.

Check Your Styles: Add some basic CSS to your “style.css” file such as changing the background color or font styles. Save the file and refresh your website. If the changes appear your child theme is working!
Use Local Development: It’s best practice to make changes in a local development environment before pushing them to your live site. This way you can test everything thoroughly without risking any issues on your website.

A Word on Divi’s Builder Interfaces

Divi’s Builder interfaces – the visual editor and the back-end builder – offer you flexibility in building and designing your pages.

The visual editor allows you to see your changes live making it a visual and intuitive way to design.

The back-end editor while not as visually appealing allows for precise control over the structure of your content.

Divi’s Structural Elements: Sections Rows and Modules

Divi’s modular approach means you can build your pages using three main structural elements:

Sections: These are the building blocks of your page grouping content into visually distinct areas.
Rows: These are the column layouts within a section allowing you to create flexible and responsive designs.
Modules: These are the individual content elements like images text blocks galleries or call-to-action buttons. Divi offers a wide range of modules to enhance your website’s functionality and visual appeal.

Let’s Recap

Creating a Divi child theme gives you complete control over your website’s design allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs and preferences.

Whether you choose to use a plugin or go the manual route you’re empowered to customize your website with ease.

Remember practice makes perfect! The more you experiment with Divi’s features and child themes the more confident you’ll become in creating truly remarkable websites.

How to Create a Divi Child Theme ⚠️