Child Theme

2 min read Updated

Use a child theme when you want to change North at code level, for example to add PHP functions or to override a template file. A child theme keeps your changes safe when you update North. If you change the files of the parent theme, the next update removes your changes.

For small CSS changes you do not need a child theme; see CSS Snippets. For small PHP changes, the Code Snippets plugin works too, as Advanced Customizations shows.

Install the Starter Child Theme

Download the SiteOrigin North starter child theme. It has no changes yet, only a style.css file for your CSS and a functions.php file for your PHP.

  1. Go to AppearanceThemesAdd ThemeUpload Theme.
  2. Choose the ZIP file and click Install Now.
  3. Click Activate. Keep SiteOrigin North installed, because the child theme needs it.

After you switch, go to AppearanceCustomize and check that your settings, menus and widgets are as they were. WordPress keeps some of these for each theme, so a setting may need to be set again.

Check the Stylesheet Order

The starter child theme loads its style.css after the North stylesheet, so your rules win when two rules are equally specific. Child themes made from a download before October 2026 load the child stylesheet first. To fix an older child theme, replace the contents of its functions.php file with this code:

<?php
/**
 * Enqueue the child theme stylesheet after the North stylesheet.
 */
function siteorigin_north_child_scripts() {
	wp_enqueue_style(
		'north-child',
		get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css',
		array( 'siteorigin-north-style' ),
		wp_get_theme()->get( 'Version' )
	);
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'siteorigin_north_child_scripts' );

Change a Template File

To change a template, copy the file from the North folder to the same place in the child theme folder, for example footer.php. Then edit the copy. WordPress uses the file from the child theme. If you copy a template, check it after each North update, because your copy does not get the changes.

For more on child themes, see Creating a Child Theme.