Child themes

This section assumes you can edit PHP and use FTP or a file manager. If you are not editing files on a server, you probably do not need a child theme yet.

Do I need one?

You need a child theme if you want to

Add custom PHP — functions, filters, hooks
Add custom CSS or JavaScript
Change how a template renders
Add a page template
Register a custom sidebar or post type
Ship a customised theme to a client
Change theme.json palette or type values

You do not need one if you want to

Change colors, fonts, layout, or footer content → the Customizer
Add menu icons → the Customizer
Change logo or favicon → Site Identity
Add widgets → Appearance → Widgets
Add a one-off CSS rule → Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS

Never edit files in wp-content/themes/vara-saas/ directly. They are overwritten on every theme update, without warning. Anything you change there will be lost.

Setting one up

Create the folder

wp-content/themes/vara-saas-child/

Create style.css

With the header below. Nothing else in this file is required.

Create functions.php

Optional but conventional. Use it for any PHP you need.

Activate it

Appearance → Themes. Vara SaaS Child appears alongside the parent.

style.css

/*
Theme Name: Vara SaaS Child
Theme URI:  https://example.com/your-site
Description: Customisations for Vara SaaS.
Author:     Your Name
Author URI: https://example.com
Template:   vara-saas
Version:    1.0.0
Text Domain: vara-saas-child
*/

/* Your styles go below this line. */

Template: vara-saas is the critical line. Without it, WordPress treats this as a standalone theme with no parent, and your site breaks immediately. Spell the parent theme’s folder name exactly — vara-saas, not Vara SaaS.

functions.php

<?php
/**
 * Vara SaaS Child functions.
 */

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit;

// Enqueue your own styles, after the parent's.
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function () {
    wp_enqueue_style(
        'vara-saas-child',
        get_stylesheet_uri(),
        array( 'vara-saas-screen' ),
        '1.0.0'
    );
}, 20 );

defined( 'ABSPATH' ) || exit; is not optional. It stops the file running if it is requested directly over HTTP. Every file in a WordPress theme should start with it.

The third argument in wp_enqueue_style declares a dependency on the parent’s stylesheet, so your CSS always loads after it.

Overriding template files

Copy the parent file to your child theme at the same relative path and edit your copy.

wp-content/themes/vara-saas/single.php
        ↓ copy and edit
wp-content/themes/vara-saas-child/single.php

WordPress loads the child version and ignores the parent one. See Template files for what each template renders.

Templates override completely — there is no merge. Your copy must include everything the original had, or the missing pieces disappear. If you only need a small change, prefer a filter over a full template override.

Prefer filters where they exist

The theme exposes filters for most of what you might want to change.

// Change the estimated reading time divisor (default 200 words per minute).
add_filter( 'vara_saas_estimated_reading_time', function ( $words_per_minute ) {
    return 250;
}, 10, 1 );

Full reference: Hooks and filters.

Defining color.palette in your child theme replaces the parent’s palette rather than appending to it. List every color you want, not just the new ones.

Enqueueing assets properly

add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', function () {
    wp_enqueue_style( 'my-styles', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/css/my-styles.css', array(), '1.0.0' );
    wp_enqueue_script( 'my-scripts', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/js/my-scripts.js', array(), '1.0.0', true );
}, 20 );

// Load in the admin too, if needed.
add_action( 'admin_enqueue_scripts', function () {
    wp_enqueue_style( 'my-admin', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/css/my-admin.css', array(), '1.0.0' );
} );

Common mistakes

Mistake	Consequence
Missing `Template: vara-saas`	The child theme has no parent; the site breaks
Missing `ABSPATH` guard	File is executable directly over HTTP
Editing the parent theme	Lost on the next update
Forgetting `array( 'vara-saas-screen' )`	Your CSS loads before the parent’s and is overridden
Overriding a template with a partial copy	Everything you removed disappears, with no warning
Adding PHP without testing	A fatal error takes down the whole site

Add code in small increments and test after each one. The single most common cause of a child theme taking a site down is a large block of code added in one edit with a typo somewhere in the middle.

Shipping to a client

Document what you changed

A short README covering the Customizer setup and any custom templates the client should know about.

Hooks and filters

Prefer these over template overrides where they exist.

Template files

What to copy when you do need to override.

Introduction

Getting started

Customization

Do I need one?

Setting one up

style.css

functions.php

Overriding template files

Prefer filters where they exist

Enqueueing assets properly

Common mistakes

Shipping to a client

Hooks and filters

Template files

​Do I need one?

​Setting one up

​style.css

​functions.php

​Overriding template files

​Prefer filters where they exist

​Enqueueing assets properly

​Common mistakes

​Shipping to a client

​Related

Hooks and filters

Template files

Do I need one?

Setting one up

style.css

functions.php

Overriding template files

Prefer filters where they exist

Enqueueing assets properly

Common mistakes

Shipping to a client

Related