Difference Between WordPress Child Themes and Parent Themes

If you are building a WordPress website, you might hear about parent themes and child themes. But what do they really mean? And how are they different?

This blog explains everything in simple terms, so you can decide which one is right for your website.

Table of Contents

• What is a Parent Theme in WordPress?
• What is a Child Theme in WordPress?
• Main Differences Between Parent and Child Themes
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Parent and Child Themes
• When to Use a Parent Theme
• When to Use a Child Theme
• Conclusion
• FAQs

What is a Parent Theme in WordPress?

A parent theme is a complete WordPress theme. It includes all the design files and code needed to make your website work. Most themes you install from the WordPress directory are parent themes.

Examples: Astra, OceanWP, Hello Elementor, Neve

These themes are fully functional by themselves and often come with built-in layouts and design options.

What is a Child Theme in WordPress?

A child theme is a theme that relies on a parent theme to work. It inherits everything from the parent theme but allows you to make changes without touching the original theme files.

With a child theme, you can safely add custom code, styles, and features — even after updating the parent theme.

Main Differences Between Parent and Child Themes

Advantages and Disadvantages of Parent and Child Themes

Parent Theme

Advantages:

• Ready to use out of the box
• Easy for beginners
• Regular updates and official support
• Works well with page builders

Disadvantages:

• You may lose changes after an update
• Limited customizations
• Editing core files is risky

Child Theme

Advantages:

• Safe way to customize design and code
• Changes are not lost during theme updates
• Great for learning and experimenting
• Keeps parent theme clean

Disadvantages:

• Requires some coding skills
• Depends fully on the parent theme
• Breaks if the parent theme is missing or deleted

When to Use a Parent Theme

Choose a parent theme if:

• You don’t need advanced customization
• You’re happy with the theme’s design
• You want a fast and easy website setup
• You use a visual builder (like Elementor)
• You’re new to WordPress and want to avoid code

When to Use a Child Theme

Choose a child theme if:

• You plan to add custom CSS or PHP code
• You want to change layout or functions
• You want to keep changes safe during updates
• You’re building a site for clients
• You are learning or working with theme development

Conclusion

The difference between WordPress child themes and parent themes is all about control and customization.

If you want a quick and easy website with no code, go with a parent theme.
If you want to customize your site and keep changes safe, use a child theme.

Understanding the difference helps you build a more stable, future-proof website.

FAQs