SitePoint.com known for their in depth articles on trends on the web and in design has published a short and sweet primer on how to create WordPress themes the easy way using Child themes. As in most other articles that discuss the subject of Parent/Child themes, this one uses Thematic as the framework example and proceeds to tell you how to install a theme framework, how to start designing, and finally how to install your child theme.
The author actually took some flack in the comments since it didn’t provide a complete overview on how to create a WordPress theme but if you look at the article title as well as the section called What’s Next? near the end, the article delivers on what was promised. A to the point article that gets you started and then provides links if you decide to continue down the road.
Perhaps it’s just me, but in the WordPress theme framework race, Thematic appears to be winning the publicity race in the community. I’ve never worked with the framework so I can’t comment on it but I’ve been fairly pleased with the Theme Hybrid framework and my Hybrid News child theme. I’ve been thinking about developing my own child theme but when I think of support, I quickly push the idea back under the rug as I don’t have time to allocate to support.
I started working with Thematic a while ago, but soon discovered Hybrid and have not looked back. Hybrid offers many more features built in and I just plain like it better. Though Hybrid seems to be taking it’s cues Thematic.
@rgregory – I don’t think Hybrid is taking any cues from Thematic. Just is doing his own thing while Ian does his. I bet if you looked at the code and their underlying framework, they are both probably pretty different.
@Jeffro – I mean that I have seen things on the themeshaper site that show up in themehybrid shortly thereafter. ie, the widget areas map, and then the stripped down minimalistic style that the framework will come in soon.
@rgregory – That might be the case. I know they both have a skeleton child theme, widget maps, etc. It’s going to be tough to be different than the others but I think Ian and Justin both offer something unique to the table.
@rgregory I thought this guest post from Dan Cole did a good job of comparing the two:
http://www.wptavern.com/comparisons-between-most-popular-theme-frameworks