The Create Block Theme plugin was created to streamline block theme development by adding to the power of the Site Editor with theme specific goodies and workflows. The plugin aims to be a modern quick start tool for the world of block themes, allowing you to create your own or build upon existing themes without touching code. At a high level, here are the kinds of things you can accomplish with the plugin added to your site:
- Clone a Theme: Replicate an existing theme with a few clicks.
- Add Style Variations: Enhance a theme with different style options.
- Rewrite Global Styles Customizations: Modify Global Styles without touching the code.
- Create Child or Blank theme: Generate child themes or start with a blank slate.
Explore the latest version of Create Block Theme
A new version of the Create Block theme was released recently bringing some long awaited features that offer more advanced, streamlined, and open workflows:
- Theme.json inspector, allowing you to view your theme.json directly while building out a theme visually with the option to switch back and forth as you’d like.
- Using the Site Editor itself to handle all theme building related actions (clone, add style variation, etc) removing the need to context switch and creating a more intuitive building experience.
- Playground Preview available in the Plugin directory making it as simple as selecting “Live Preview” on the directory listing to get started with this powerful tool.
Ease your way into what’s new
If you’re new to block themes and haven’t yet used the plugin, this is an excellent place to start since you can quickly clone an existing theme to explore how to make it your own rather, perhaps by creating a specific style variation to use. Keep in mind that the plugin is meant for theme creation only rather than for use on a production site.
Select “Live Preview” on the plugin directory listing to get started and start exploring. For example, you can follow the video below to create a custom style variation:
Get access to early, theme specific features
The Font Library, launched in WordPress 6.5, has its roots in the Create Block Theme plugin. While not every feature baked into the plugin is destined to make it into Core, it is a place where common problems facing theme authors are solved, and necessary workflows are built. Occasionally, this means early access to features that make it into Core or theme-specific enhancements. For example, in the plugin you can create and save a style variation long before this feature has come to Core.
The same is true of the recently released theme.json inspector mentioned at the beginning of this post.
Help shape the future
Because the Create Block Theme plugin is a community run plugin and has a more narrowed focus to block theme authors, it’s the perfect place to discuss common pain points and improve what’s there. For example, pattern management has repeatedly come up as an area needing iteration and better tooling.
This is now being explored in the Create Block Theme plugin to make it even easier to create your next block theme.
Resources
For more in depth guides, we’ve got you covered with an in-depth walkthrough on the Developer blog and a Learn WordPress tutorial. Want to see a feature added or find a bug in the experience? Open an issue and share your feedback–this tool is by and for the community.
