Title: how to develop wordpress theme without using plugins builder
Last modified: March 14, 2018

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# how to develop wordpress theme without using plugins builder

 *  [jordz21](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordz21/)
 * (@jordz21)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/)
 * Hi to all, is there any other way to develop custom wordpress theme without using
   plugin builder like DIVI builder, Elementor, etc..
 * Because I’m planning to develop my own theme

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

 *  [catacaustic](https://wordpress.org/support/users/catacaustic/)
 * (@catacaustic)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10072282)
 * Yes. It’s actually not that hard.
 * The way that I normally do it is to start off with oen of the default Twenty*
   themes (these days it’s TwentySeventeen), and copy the template files that I 
   need into my new theme. From there you set up your functions.php file to do everything
   that you need, add any other resources (images, CSS, JavaScript, etc) that you
   need, and just run it.
 *  [RossMitchell](https://wordpress.org/support/users/rossmitchell/)
 * (@rossmitchell)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10072346)
 * Much as catacaustic has said. I have yet to actually develop a theme, but have
   extensively customised child themes and plugins, I would add:
    – I develop in
   localhost, much easier to flip between locally edited files. Use the IP address
   of the server in site and wordpress address so that you can test from other computers
   on your LAN – Of course you have text editors which color code css / php etc.–
   Use code verifiers like: [https://www.piliapp.com/php-syntax-check/](https://www.piliapp.com/php-syntax-check/)–
   enable debugging – don’t get fixated upon a specific browser, regularly review
   with firefox / chrome / IE / iOS / android etc. This way capabilities such as
   responsive get built in rather than added on. Get to know some of the different
   browser inspectors. – occasionally deploy to an unknown subdomain and verify 
   your css + html etc [http://validator.w3.org/](http://validator.w3.org/) – when
   you think you are finished, deploy to the subdomain and use one of the render
   in every browser / every version services and review the screenshots, extract
   from your website logs all the different browsers your visitors have used and
   check that their needs are covered.
 *  [Marcus Kober](https://wordpress.org/support/users/marcuskober/)
 * (@marcuskober)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10072967)
 * Hi there,
 * I’ve been developing WordPress themes for about 13 years now. I’ve never used
   any page builder because I hate them. 🙂
 * If the standard WordPress editor is not enough (what is the case on a majority
   of websites), you should enhance the backend with great plugins like [Meta Box](https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/meta-box/)
   or [Advanced Custom Fields](https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-custom-fields/)
   and display these fields accordingly in your theme files.
 * There are so many nice ways (WordPress ways, that is!) to build a great theme
   with a comfortable backend!
 * When it comes to starter themes (already existing themes on which you build your
   own theme) I would rather not choose one of the WordPress standard themes. They
   are good for inspiration and to get to know the WordPress way of doing things.
   But it could take some time to fit it to your needs.
 * The better solution are themes that are created as starter themes, like [underscores](http://underscores.me/).
 *  Thread Starter [jordz21](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordz21/)
 * (@jordz21)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10073841)
 * Hi everyone, I’m very much appreciated your help.
 * What I really need actually is to develop my own WordPress theme from scratch.
   I want to use bootstrap also.
 * I am practicing this kind of development process so that I don’t want to rely
   using paid builder or from the existing theme.
 * I want to try Meta Box or Advanced Custom Fields as Marcus Kober suggested. but
   what is best to use between the two?
 * Thank you again for your help catacaustic, RossMitchell and Marcus Kober.
 *  [Marcus Kober](https://wordpress.org/support/users/marcuskober/)
 * (@marcuskober)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10074233)
 * Hi,
 * I’m using ACF Pro, because I need certain features from the pro version. I like
   both, Meta Box and ACF.
 * Meta Box comes without option page in backend, all meta fields can be registered
   via funcions.php. That’s nice because so it’s not visible in the backend which
   is great because of a minimalistic backend. But for me, the controls look not
   so nice as the controls in ACF do.
 * ACF is feature rich and comes with a backend tool for generating custom fields.
 * Because I like both plugins, I don’t want to recommend one, please see what fits
   your needs! 🙂
 * By the way, I don’t use any theme as basis for my themes. I’ve written a base
   theme by myself and use this as a basis for all our themes. So I too like to 
   develop themes from scratch and it’s the best way to learn the whole thing…
 * Regards,
    Marcus
 *  Thread Starter [jordz21](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordz21/)
 * (@jordz21)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10076449)
 * can I ask, How to add multiple columns for images in one field using ACF? I’m
   just using free ACF.
 * Thank you
 *  [Marcus Kober](https://wordpress.org/support/users/marcuskober/)
 * (@marcuskober)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10077073)
 * What do you want to achieve?
 * I don’t understand the multiple columns part…
 *  Thread Starter [jordz21](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordz21/)
 * (@jordz21)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10097590)
 * hello, I just try to install AFC Plugin but when I’m trying to show in the page
   it doesn’t even if followed the instruction like that.
 * <?php
 * /**
    * Template Name: Home Page */
 * get_header();
 * ?>
 * <div id=”primary”>
    <div id=”content” role=”main”>
 *  <?php while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
 *  <h1><?php the_field(‘custom_title’); ?></h1>
 *  ” />
 *  <p><?php the_content(); ?></p>
 *  <?php endwhile; // end of the loop. ?>
 *  </div><!– #content –>
    </div><!– #primary –>
 * <?php get_footer(); ?>
 *  Thread Starter [jordz21](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordz21/)
 * (@jordz21)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10097601)
 * I also have a problem encountering that I created custom post type like for my
   portfolio and it works in the admin, I can add categories and list of works. 
   I created page-portfolio.php in my theme to display all the list of works but
   instead it show in the index.php which is I don’t like.
 * what possible solution for that. I am developing directly to the live server 
   and not in the localhost.
 * Thanks to anyone will answer.
 *  [Marcus Kober](https://wordpress.org/support/users/marcuskober/)
 * (@marcuskober)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10098290)
 * Hi there,
 * your first problem of values of ACF fields isn’t that clear. Du you have filled
   the corresponding field _custom\_title_ on home in backend? Does the field _custom\
   _title_ exist in the ACF option page? It’s all guesswork here, because you don’t
   provide enough information.
 * When it comes to your second problem – that’s easy to solve: [Post Type Templates (WP Codex)](https://codex.wordpress.org/Post_Type_Templates).
 * As you can see, the post type template is single-portfolio.php, not page-portfolio.
   php.
 * Please keep in mind that the support forum is not a replacement for reading manuals!
   😉
 *  Thread Starter [jordz21](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordz21/)
 * (@jordz21)
 * [8 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10212043)
 * Hi Marcus, thanks It seems getting clearer to me but there are times that I cannot
   fully understand what’s in the manual.
 * My portfolio website is almost 90% before it gets done, but I am stuck in displaying
   each project or works because it has different content. I am just using free 
   ACF. sorry if I can’t explain well the problem I’m encountering.
 * When you are using ACF pro, do you still need builder, like Elementor pro? If
   yes any recommendation what is best?
 * Thanks for your response, I just really need help. Thank you

Viewing 11 replies - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

The topic ‘how to develop wordpress theme without using plugins builder’ is closed
to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 11 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [jordz21](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jordz21/)
 * Last activity: [8 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-develop-wordpress-theme-without-using-plugins-builder/#post-10212043)
 * Status: not resolved

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