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Knowing WordPress theme terms is not the same as building a theme for a real site. A first project forces you to choose between block and classic architecture, provide the files WordPress needs, understand how it selects templates, and decide how much control the site owner should have.
There is no universal winner between block themes and classic themes. Choose based on the project’s editing needs and the kind of development you want to learn; the WordPress Theme Developer Handbook recommends reading both sections to understand the differences.
What changes when a theme has to serve a real project?
A theme is more than a visual design translated into CSS. It is a set of files and decisions that shape a site’s presentation and structure. Even a minimal theme needs the right starting files, and a larger project may need distinct templates for different page types, along with a clear editing experience for the site owner.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe brief matters. A site owner who wants to visually edit headers, footers, templates, and styles has different needs from a project that depends on PHP templates and the classic customization model. Deciding that early helps you avoid building the wrong kind of starting point.
Should you learn block themes or classic themes first?
Use the project’s needs as your decision aid, not a universal ranking. WordPress supports both approaches, and the Theme Developer Handbook recommends learning about both.
| Decision | Block theme | Classic theme |
|---|---|---|
| Main implementation | Primarily HTML and theme configuration; templates and template parts are block-based. | Primarily PHP, CSS, JavaScript, and WordPress functions, hooks, and filters. |
| Site-owner editing | The Site Editor can edit site parts, including templates and styles. | Uses PHP templates and the classic customization model; the Site Editor is not supported for classic themes. |
| Template hierarchy | Uses the same hierarchy, with HTML templates. | Uses the same hierarchy, with PHP templates. |
| Practical first step | Explore an existing block theme and its Site Editor on a test site. | Follow the classic theme handbook and begin with the small starter structure. |
For a block theme, the Site Editor’s scope is a significant part of the choice: it gives the owner visual control over templates and styles. For a classic theme, learning PHP templates and the classic model is central. The official overview of WordPress themes and WordPress.org’s block themes documentation explain these approaches.
What files does a first theme need?
Block-theme starting point
WordPress requires style.css and templates/index.html to recognize a block theme. The first-theme lesson also shows theme.json as part of its introductory path. These files are a starting point, not a complete production theme.
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Classic-theme starting point
A classic theme can start with style.css and index.php. As you extend it, you will encounter PHP templates, template tags, the Loop, theme functions, and conditional tags.
The official Your First Theme lesson walks through both paths. For classic development, its walkthrough includes installing the theme in a development environment and activating it for review.
How does WordPress decide which template to use?
WordPress does not pick a template because its filename seems like a reasonable guess. It identifies the requested page type, checks possible template names in hierarchy order, and uses the first matching file. If there is no more specific match, it falls back to a more general template. The hierarchy applies to both classic and block themes: the templates use .php in classic themes and .html in block themes.
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That explains a common first-project puzzle: a new file may exist but not affect the page you expected. The filename has to match the request within WordPress’s hierarchy. The Template Hierarchy documentation describes the order and fallback behavior. For classic themes, the handbook states, “If WordPress cannot find any matching template file, the theme’s index.php file will be used.”
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How should you approach a first theme project?
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Clarify the editing experience
Ask whether the owner needs to edit headers, footers, templates, and styles visually. Then consider whether the project calls for block-based editing or PHP-based theme behavior.
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Study an existing theme
For modern block-theme work, the WordPress Quick-Start Guide recommends exploring newer default themes. Inspect their styles and templates, and use the Site Editor on a test site to see how the pieces relate. A minimal example teaches the entry point; an existing theme reveals more of the working structure.
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Start with the minimum and activate it locally
Use the required starter files for the theme type you chose. For a classic theme, install it in your development environment and activate it so you can review its output. For a block theme, begin with its required files and explore how its templates and configuration appear in the Site Editor.
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Add templates only when the brief calls for them
Follow an actual page request through the hierarchy before adding a more specific template. Add templates or template parts when a page structure genuinely needs its own treatment, rather than creating files simply because they seem likely to be useful.
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Expand the editing controls to fit the project
In a block theme, use the Site Editor and global settings or styles where they help the owner work with the site. The official guide also describes exporting changes through WordPress or the optional first-party Create Block Theme plugin. Classic work develops through PHP templates and WordPress theme functions.
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Review as both developer and site owner
Look at the page types the brief requires and confirm that the intended editing experience is available. Do not treat a theme that activates as proof that every requested layout or editing workflow is finished.
What belongs in a theme—and what does not?
A theme’s job is presentation and structure. WordPress’s theme documentation distinguishes those responsibilities from added functionality in theme PHP files. Use the project brief to define scope: build the layouts and editing controls the site needs, rather than treating a theme as the place for every site feature by default.
Block-theme work introduces theme.json, templates, template parts, patterns, and the connection between files and Site Editor controls. Classic-theme work brings PHP templates and WordPress-specific concepts such as the Loop and template tags. The learning curve is best understood through these concrete choices; there is no sourced average build time or quantified difficulty level for a first theme.
The handbook’s practical distinction is: “A no-code approach is perfectly OK for simple themes, but once you want to add things that are not possible in the user interface, you’ll need to start working directly with code.” See Theme Structure for the requirements and concepts behind each path.
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