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How to use Child Theme? How to change files (php / css / js) and keep theme future update compatibility?

Install and activate the child theme that comes with your ThemeForest package, and learn where CSS rules, PHP templates and scripts belong so your changes survive the next theme update.

2 minute read

You may not need this
If you do not plan to modify theme files (e.g. a css / php / js file), you do not need to use a child theme.

Using a child theme is the recommended way to modify the files of any free or premium WordPress theme. It allows you to keep future update compatibility. It is highly not recommended to modify the original theme files, e.g. in /wp-content/themes/listivo/, because you will lose your customized files when you update the theme. Please keep all changes in the Listivo Child Theme, so you can benefit from future updates and fixes.

How to download the Listivo Child Theme

  1. 1 Open your Themeforest downloads

    Please visit your downloads page at Themeforest: https://themeforest.net/downloads

  2. 2 Choose All files & documentation The ThemeForest Download menu open on a purchased item, with a green arrow pointing at the first entry, "All files & documentation", above the installable WordPress file and the licence certificate options.
  3. 3 Unzip the package

    Unzip it and you will see the listivo-child.zip file.

    Two archive files side by side in a folder, one named listivo and one named listivo-child.
  4. 4 Go to Appearance > Themes The WordPress admin sidebar with the Appearance flyout menu open and Themes highlighted at the top, above Customize, Widgets, Menus, Header, Background and Editor.
  5. 5 Click Add New The Themes screen header showing a count of 6 themes, with a green arrow pointing at the Add New button.
  6. 6 Upload the file and click Install Now

    Choose your child theme zip and click Install Now.

    The theme upload box reading "If you have a theme in a .zip format, you may install or update it by uploading it here", with listivo-child.zip selected next to the Install Now button.
  7. 7 Activate the child theme The install result page for listivo-child.zip, reporting that the parent theme Listivo 1.0.0 is currently installed and the theme installed successfully, with a green arrow pointing at the Activate link.

How to use it for file modification

CSS

Add any new CSS rule to your wp-content/themes/listivo-child/style.css file. It will overwrite the old rules in listivo/style.css.

PHP

You need to copy the original file, e.g. /wp-content/themes/listivo/templates/widgets/model/listing_address.php, and paste it into /wp-content/themes/listivo-child/templates/widgets/model/listing_address.php.

This way the new file will be loaded instead of the original one. This example changes the single listing “Address”.

JS files

JS files need to be dequeued and enqueued — you can read more about it in the WordPress child theme handbook.

Keep reading

How to add CSS code that is future update compatible How to add CSS code to admin dashboard via Child Theme

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