Aneko Studios » How to create a Wordpress Template or Theme

How to create a Wordpress Template or Theme

Another Wordpress question that is asked a lot is how to take a current website design and make it work with Wordpress.

This is actually quite a simple thing to do, at least in my opinion it is. This website was actually the first “Wordpress Theme” I ever created. In fact, prior to using Wordpress, it was actually using pMachine (but pMachine stopped being developed/supported, and I was having issues I couldn’t get resolved, so I moved to Wordpress. Been in love with it ever since!)

I’m going to tell you how I integrate website designs and Wordpress into a happy co-existence. What I do isn’t exactly the same as what they tell you to do in the Codex on the subject, and I also tend to use a bit more “plain English”…but my problem sometimes is that I assume you have some knowledge of things. I’m usually wrong on that point. So, if I go over your head on anything, feel free to leave a comment asking me to clarify.

This tutorial is exactly what I do when I have 1) an existing site that needs to be integrated with Wordpress, and/or 2) the urge to create a new theme design specifically for Wordpress. So you can use this tutorial for either purpose: theme creation or site integration.

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Posted by
September 21st, 2006

Comments

Mr.Blogged says...

it really helped me, thanks a lot, let me get started with wodpressing

Spoken on November 25th, 2007 at 11:11 am

Jet says...

This is a lovely tutorial. Most will learn more from these 7 page tutorial than the 1000 page goliath at WordPress.org. Actually, Shelly is an oddity. She has both beauty and brain, a rare tiny jewel among the giant rocks.
Having said that, I hope you don’t rest on your laurels. After the basic tutorial, many are now waiting for the “Intermediate” tutorial. I am.

Spoken on December 1st, 2007 at 4:41 am

Pukhraj Prajapat says...

Hi Shelly,
I am really thankful to you what experience you given me with this small tutorial. and i need your extreme help again actually i want to do some changes in my theme and i am totally new with wordpress. Actually i want to do is as follows:

I wana show the comments which are usually coming in a single element list and i want to show them as two columns list

How can i do so with wordpress. I am regularly trying it. Please do this thing in my favor thanks. and thanks thanks again.

Spoken on December 31st, 2007 at 4:47 am

alexander achles says...

Excelent tutorial! thanks for sharing

Spoken on January 6th, 2008 at 1:35 pm

Timbaland says...

This is the tutorial I was looking for. Thanks a lot!

Spoken on January 13th, 2008 at 2:00 pm

Ash says...

Brilliant. Just what I have been looking for. Your tutorial has given me a good overview on how to create WP templates.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Spoken on January 20th, 2008 at 2:14 pm

s.karal says...

I am very excited by 2.5, I am keeping mum about the new features which I do not know of. The idea of reducing 2 plugins for my blog with 2.5 is a huge bonus - Gravatars and Tags management. Way to go WordPress, I canÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t wait for March 10.

Spoken on February 20th, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Ludogames says...

Thanks, this was really helpfull. I’ve just started with WP and I love it. But I think a good template is a must, otherwise your blog looks quite boring with the basic template. With this info I’ll try to design my own. I’ll keep you updated

Spoken on March 13th, 2008 at 8:56 am

Lancashire Website Designers says...

What a great tutorial. Many thanks for sharing, I’ve found it very useful indeed.

Spoken on March 17th, 2008 at 9:38 am

Ilona says...

I’d like to say that your WP Theme tutorial is awesomely great, easy and very clear to understand. Something that I’ve been looking for about two years. Now I can finally make my own theme. :p

Spoken on March 23rd, 2008 at 12:27 pm

Karpacz says...

Oh, i need tutorial like this:) It is very helpful:) Thanks a lot!

Spoken on March 27th, 2008 at 8:03 am

andrew says...

Thanks. Great tutorial. Nice and simple.

Spoken on March 27th, 2008 at 6:13 pm

small business idea says...

very nice article

well i would like to know the tools you used for your design

Spoken on March 29th, 2008 at 2:09 pm

Shelly says...

&rt;&rt;well i would like to know the tools you used for your design< <

Huh. Never been asked that before!

For images, I use Paint Shop Pro. Coding, I use PSPad. Site CMS is (obviously) WordPress. That’s pretty much it

Spoken on April 2nd, 2008 at 12:15 pm

Sarah McHarry says...

Shelly - what a fantastic resource! I have been looking for a tutorial like this for ages and now I can seriously begin to design my own theme.

Thank you, thank you!

Sarah

Spoken on April 12th, 2008 at 10:23 am

Yigit says...

Excelent tutorial! thanks for sharing

Spoken on April 23rd, 2008 at 2:45 pm

kat says...

wow! that was great! i really learned alot. i’ll be bookmarking for future reference!

Spoken on April 24th, 2008 at 10:10 pm

Tarihcim says...

Thanks.. Nice and simple.But old…

Spoken on May 7th, 2008 at 1:23 pm

programlar says...

This is the tutorial I was looking for. Thanks a lot!:)

Spoken on May 21st, 2008 at 3:55 pm

Carolin says...

Thank you so much for all that information. I haven’t had time to read it yet, but I copied all to a Word document for later review (like in a couple of hours). You just saved my Bachelors degree and a bunch of money (not on car insurance :D).

Spoken on May 24th, 2008 at 4:03 pm

Dipankar Banerjee says...

I would like to express my expression in my native language “Darun!”.. meaning “Fabulous !”.. I really like the way of explaining things….

It was really beneficial and helpful to me…

Thank you, keep up the good work….!

Spoken on May 27th, 2008 at 3:55 pm

grup hepsi says...

thank you

Spoken on June 11th, 2008 at 3:28 pm

Ndr says...

I’m working on creating a Wordpress theme. I have some problem with css I think i should work on css before that.
Thanks for that great article. Waiting new articles.

Spoken on June 11th, 2008 at 3:29 pm

smf destek says...

Thanks erdem thanks from Turkey

Respectful,
fir4t

Spoken on June 11th, 2008 at 3:31 pm

Kazal? Arabalar says...

i havent read all pages but it looks like nice document. but everyone knows that there is lots of WP themes on NET

Spoken on June 12th, 2008 at 5:25 am

Kazali Arabalar says...

i didnt read all pages but it looks like nice document. but everyone knows that there is lots of WP themes on NET

Spoken on June 12th, 2008 at 5:26 am

Extagendiscount says...

Really nice post. Good Site! Thanks you!

Spoken on June 12th, 2008 at 8:28 am

Lynne says...

Wonderful tut! After wandering around in the Wordpress wilderness for 3 days I have finally got it thanks to you!

Thaks very much for sharing

Bye
Lynne

Spoken on June 12th, 2008 at 11:32 am

Serena says...

By using your tutorial will the layout be widget ready?

Spoken on June 12th, 2008 at 11:48 am

ophu says...

Thx for this tutorial, you save lot of time for me. And time is money :).

Spoken on June 13th, 2008 at 3:00 am

self storage says...

good!!thanks!!

Spoken on June 13th, 2008 at 4:27 am

Mat says...

wow nice tips and guides there…but i think i can’t make it because it takes too much time to create a theme…

Cheers,
Online Issues

Spoken on June 13th, 2008 at 6:38 am

Game Machine says...

I agree!!

Spoken on June 13th, 2008 at 11:32 am

sxe 5.6 says...

thank youu

Spoken on June 14th, 2008 at 5:04 am

oyun indir says...

thanx you nice texy

Spoken on June 14th, 2008 at 5:22 am

Nathaniel HackMaple says...

TY, this is exacly what i was looking for!!!!

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Spoken on June 14th, 2008 at 1:13 pm

One Thought says...

I tried to design a Wordpress Theme myself but was unable. Some one said you need to build a layout in Fireworks and then do css stuff. I exactly do not know what or how fireworks is used so , I dropped idea of making a theme. Now I use themes designed by other people.

I will try to make the wordpress theme once more again, so that I may have a unique design and I can practice some wp things .

Spoken on June 14th, 2008 at 4:27 pm

Amaan Goyal says...

This is the tutorial I was looking for.excellent and wow are the two words which would sum up my feelings after going through the tutorial though i have not gone through it entirely. it has nice tips and guides that i have hardly come across before.

Spoken on June 16th, 2008 at 7:53 pm

szamitastechnika says...

Very useful. Thak you for the tutorial. Now i have my own wp template.

Spoken on June 17th, 2008 at 7:57 am

dassad says...

Great and werry usefull article. I always love to read your articles. Keep them comming.

Spoken on June 18th, 2008 at 1:10 am

Wordpress Guy says...

Nice tutorial. I’ll definitely recommend this. Thanks!

Spoken on June 21st, 2008 at 4:46 am

flash oyun says...

thanks a lot

Spoken on June 22nd, 2008 at 5:04 am

muro says...

thank you

Spoken on June 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 am

tuba büyüküstün says...

thanxxx

Spoken on June 22nd, 2008 at 5:38 am

komik videolar says...

i didnt read all pages but it looks like nice document. but everyone knows that there is lots of WP themes on NET

Spoken on June 22nd, 2008 at 5:34 pm

saç bak?m? says...

thank you

Spoken on June 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 pm

siirt says...

siirt

Spoken on June 24th, 2008 at 3:16 pm

Astonio says...

Thank you very much. Very grateful to you.

Spoken on June 25th, 2008 at 1:57 am

online degree says...

Well, WP is very customizable. If you know just a little bit of PHP, you can do almost anything with it.

Spoken on June 25th, 2008 at 3:59 am

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Spoken on June 26th, 2008 at 7:56 am

Kwazulu Natal Hotels says...

Thanks for this guide! It has helped me learn the basics of Wordpress theme editing! Thanks again!

Spoken on June 26th, 2008 at 8:42 pm

Work From Home says...

I have tried a lot of online Businesses Family funds is the best Give it a try!!
http://www.cash46.bigbig.com

Spoken on June 26th, 2008 at 10:06 pm

Relacore Sale says...

Wow. I read this twice and I’m so lost. I don’t even know were to start. I’ll read it again in the morning for a clearer picture. Might be lack of sleep

Spoken on June 27th, 2008 at 2:36 am

Movie Goers says...

Thanks again for Wordpress tutorial

Spoken on June 27th, 2008 at 5:15 am

Detox says...

very nice article

well i would like to know the tools you used for your design

Spoken on June 27th, 2008 at 11:35 am

Algarve Golf Holidays says...

Thanks for the great info! These basics for wordpress really helped me!

Spoken on June 27th, 2008 at 3:04 pm

Credit Card Debt Reduction Services says...

Hello! I would like to thank you for this guide, it has helped me to learn more about wordpress programming. Before I would change some code and mess my whole theme up, now I getting better, i don’t mess things up as much Thanks for the articles!

Spoken on June 28th, 2008 at 11:11 am

Jaworski Coatings says...

I like the style of this web, a different look,and also a nice post.

Spoken on June 29th, 2008 at 10:24 am

bitaneme says...

im trying to create a template yet and ill be able to do it more easy because of this article, thanks a lot.

Spoken on June 29th, 2008 at 1:11 pm

carrie21 says...

Very nice article!

Spoken on June 29th, 2008 at 6:56 pm

seonyár2008 says...

My wp design it’s very simple, but whit this tutorial i will try to make my own design. 10x

Spoken on June 30th, 2008 at 1:52 am

mousumi Pal says...

love diamond! want to creat one from coal? then go to http://easydim.blogspot.com/ and read the docs. I am sure you will love it
go go go ………………………………………………………………

Spoken on June 30th, 2008 at 9:51 am

jobs says...

wow, great! thnx for the advice!

Spoken on July 2nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm

Headstones says...

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Spoken on July 2nd, 2008 at 4:16 pm

Carina says...

Well written!

Spoken on July 2nd, 2008 at 5:35 pm

Heathero says...

This post is worth reading!