What is a WordPress Theme?
A WordPress theme is a group of files that control the appearance of a WordPress website. Themes include template files, stylesheets, images and JavaScript that determine the layout, fonts, colours and other elements of the website’s design and how posts and pages are displayed.
All new WordPress websites come with a pre-installed, simple and lightweight theme. Users can continue using the default theme or search the WordPress Theme Directory to find one that best represents their business and brand. Themes make it possible for users to change the appearance of their website by simply installing a new theme.
Types of WordPress Themes
There are a few types of themes with varying levels of structure and customisation. The main ones are:
Classic Themes
Classic themes are traditional WordPress themes built using PHP templates. Users are able to customise them with the Customizer, menus and widgets. The structure and layouts are determined by the theme. Customising a classic theme beyond the provided controls requires a bit of coding knowledge.
Block Themes
Block themes are designed for full site editing using the WordPress block editor. They are built entirely with blocks and allow users to design and customise their entire website with the Site Editor.
Hybrid Themes
Hybrid themes are classic themes that incorporate some of the features of full site editing. Hybrid themes allow for some visual customisation although they still rely on the Customizer for many settings.
