Hubspot Style Guide to Creating a Divi Child Theme

Learning how to build a Divi child theme in a clear, repeatable way is essential for anyone who admires Hubspot style documentation and wants to keep a WordPress site flexible, safe, and easy to update.

This step-by-step guide walks you through creating, installing, and customizing a Divi child theme so you can update the parent theme without losing your changes.

What Is a Divi Child Theme in Hubspot Terms?

A child theme in WordPress is similar to how Hubspot separates core tools from custom assets: the parent handles the base framework, while the child holds your specific design edits.

With Divi, the parent theme contains all default templates, modules, and styling. The child theme stores your custom CSS, functions, and template overrides, keeping them safe when you update Divi.

Why Use a Child Theme Instead of Editing Divi Directly?

• Safe updates: Update the parent Divi theme without overwriting your work.
• Organized custom code: Keep CSS and PHP tweaks separate from core files.
• Reusability: Move your child theme from one site to another, similar to reusing a Hubspot template.
• Cleaner workflow: Designers and developers can collaborate without touching the parent theme.

Files You Need for a Divi Child Theme

To mirror the structured approach you might see in a Hubspot project, your Divi child theme should start with a minimal but well-organized file set.

At the most basic level, you need three files:

1. style.css
2. functions.php
3. screenshot.png (optional but recommended)

1. Create the Child Theme Folder

First, set up a folder to hold your child theme, just as you would organize assets in a Hubspot content library.

1. Connect to your WordPress site using FTP or your host’s file manager.
2. Navigate to /wp-content/themes/.
3. Create a new folder, for example: divi-child.

This folder will contain everything specific to your child theme.

2. Build the style.css File

Inside the divi-child folder, create a new file called style.css. At the top of this file, add a standard WordPress theme header:

/*
 Theme Name: Divi Child
 Theme URI: https://example.com/
 Description: A custom Divi child theme
 Author: Your Name
 Template: Divi
 Version: 1.0.0
*/

/* Add your custom CSS below this line */

Key details:

• Theme Name: The name shown in the WordPress dashboard.
• Template: Must match the folder name of the Divi parent theme, usually Divi.
• All your custom CSS goes below the header comment.

3. Build the functions.php File

Next, create a file named functions.php in the same child folder. This file tells WordPress to load the parent theme stylesheet first, then the child theme stylesheet, similar to how Hubspot assets load in logical order.

<?php
function divi_child_enqueue_styles() {
    wp_enqueue_style( 'parent-style', get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css' );
    wp_enqueue_style( 'child-style', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css', array( 'parent-style' ) );
}
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'divi_child_enqueue_styles' );

This function ensures your custom CSS can override the parent Divi styles.

4. Add an Optional Screenshot

To make your child theme stand out in the dashboard, you can add a preview image, similar to the polished visuals often seen in a Hubspot theme gallery.

1. Create a 1200 x 900 px PNG image of your theme design.
2. Save it as screenshot.png.
3. Upload it to the divi-child folder.

WordPress will display this image in the Appearance > Themes section.

How to Install and Activate Your Divi Child Theme

Once the folder and files are ready, you can activate the child theme just like any other theme, following a simple process that feels as guided as a Hubspot onboarding flow.

Option 1: Activate Directly via File Manager or FTP

1. Confirm that your divi-child folder is inside /wp-content/themes/.
2. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes.
3. Find the Divi Child theme.
4. Click Activate.

Your site will now use the Divi child theme, but all layouts and settings from Divi remain intact.

Option 2: Zip and Upload as a Theme Package

If you want to move your setup to another site or share it with a team, you can package your child theme the same way you might distribute a Hubspot template.

1. Zip the divi-child folder into divi-child.zip.
2. In WordPress, go to Appearance > Themes > Add New.
3. Click Upload Theme and select divi-child.zip.
4. Install, then click Activate.

Customizing Your Divi Child Theme

With the child theme active, you can safely extend Divi without losing work when you update, just as you can refine modules and templates inside Hubspot without touching the platform core.

Adding Custom CSS

Add your CSS rules to the bottom of style.css. Examples:

/* Change body font */
body {
  font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif;
}

/* Customize Divi button style */
.et_pb_button {
  border-radius: 4px;
  text-transform: uppercase;
}

These rules will override the parent Divi styles when the child theme is active.

Overriding Template Files

To override specific layouts, copy the relevant template from the Divi theme folder into your child theme and modify it there.

1. Locate the template in /wp-content/themes/Divi/.
2. Copy the file (for example, single.php) into your divi-child folder.
3. Edit the copy in the child theme. WordPress will automatically load this version instead of the parent.

This mirrors how you might clone and adjust layouts in a Hubspot design manager without altering shared base templates.

Best Practices for a Hubspot-Style Workflow

To keep your Divi child theme professional, maintainable, and easy for teams to adopt, follow practices that resemble a well-documented Hubspot implementation.

• Comment your code: Explain why each significant CSS or PHP change exists.
• Use version control: Track updates to your child theme files via Git.
• Group related styles: Organize CSS by component or page template.
• Test after updates: After updating the Divi parent theme, verify layouts, forms, and menus.

Additional Resources

For deeper reference, you can review the original tutorial on creating a Divi child theme here: Hubspot Divi child theme tutorial. If you want expert help implementing a scalable WordPress or CRM-friendly setup, you can also visit Consultevo for consulting services.

By following these steps and best practices, you can manage your Divi child theme with the same clarity, structure, and long-term safety you would expect from a well-designed Hubspot project, ensuring customizations remain intact through every update.

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