Customizing WordPress and Joomla: A Beginner’s Guide

Customizing your website is one of the most exciting things you can do to personalize it. Whether you're using WordPress or Joomla, customization allows you to create a site that stands out, reflects your vision, and functions exactly how you need it to.

Both platforms offer robust tools for customization, but they differ in how these tools are accessed and used. WordPress shines with its massive ecosystem of themes and plugins, while Joomla provides unparalleled flexibility for advanced users through templates, modules, and extensions.

Related: WordPress vs Joomla: Everything You Need to Know to Make the Right Choice

For select reading, you can use the TOC (Table of Contents) below:

Customization Guidance

In this guide, we’ll explore how to customize WordPress and Joomla, covering the basics from choosing the right themes or templates to using advanced tools for design and functionality. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to enhance your skills, this guide will help you create a professional, user-friendly website:

• How to choose the right theme or template.
• Key tools for personalizing your site’s look and functionality.
• Tips for optimizing your site without breaking it.

By the end, you’ll have a basic understanding of how to create a website that reflects your unique goals; even if you're new to this.

Why Customization Matters

Your website is more than just a collection of pages—it’s a reflection of your brand, message, and/or business. Customization ensures your site not only looks good but also functions in a way that supports your goals.

Customization is essential because it impacts not just aesthetics but also functionality and performance. For instance, a responsive design ensures your site looks great on mobile devices, where over 50% of global web traffic originates. Additionally, custom layouts can improve accessibility, making your site usable for people with disabilities—a feature increasingly prioritized in modern web design.

A well-designed and customized site will:

• Stand Out: A unique design can differentiate your site in a crowded online space.
• Enhance Usability: Tailor layouts and features to suit your audience’s needs.
• Reflect Your Identity: Customization ensures your site aligns with your vision, whether it’s a personal blog or a business site.

For example, a business website might need custom forms and interactive elements to engage users, while a personal blog might benefit from unique typography and layout options. Regardless of your goal, customization is the key to achieving it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Overloading with Plugins and Extensions: Adding too many plugins can slow down your site and create conflicts. Stick to essential tools and always test new plugins on a staging site.
2. Neglecting Mobile Optimization: Many users design for desktop screens, forgetting that mobile traffic dominates in many industries. Use tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test to ensure your site performs well.
3. Skipping Backups: Making significant changes without backing up your site is a recipe for disaster. Use tools like UpDraftPlus or Akeeba Backup to save your work.

Planning Your Website Customization

Before diving into customization, it's crucial to plan your approach:

1. Set Goals: Determine what you want your site to achieve—whether it's attracting visitors, generating leads, or showcasing a portfolio.
2. Create a Wireframe: Use tools like Figma or Sketch to draft a visual layout of your site.
3. Prioritize Features: List essential elements, like responsive design, SEO-friendly code, and fast load times.

Customizing WordPress

WordPress is generally easy to make changes with themes and third-party plugins. However, some modifications may require you to explore the use of child themes—something that I will talk about a little later.

Choosing and Installing Themes

A theme is the foundation of your website’s visual design and aesthetics. With thousands of free and premium themes available, finding the right one might seem daunting, but a few considerations can simplify the process.

Free themes are available on WordPress.org and provide a solid starting point for beginners. For more advanced features, premium themes from marketplaces like ThemeForest or even the popular theme called Astra. Most themes will include built-in customization options and professional designs, either from the customizer or a page builder.

When choosing a theme, look for:

• Responsiveness: Ensure your theme works well on all devices, especially mobile.
• WP Customizer: The Customizer offers several options to make changes to your website and first arrived in the Classic WordPress.
• WP Block Editor: Similar to a page builder, WordPress implemented the Gutenberg block editor with drag-and-drop features.
• Page Builders: Themes compatible with page builders like Elementor give you more flexibility.
• Performance: Lightweight themes like Astra or GeneratePress load quickly and provide a smoother user experience.

Installing a theme is straightforward:

1. Go to Appearance > Themes in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Click Add New, upload your theme file, and click Activate.

Customizing Your Theme

Once your theme is installed, WordPress provides several ways to customize it. The Customizer tool lets you adjust your site’s appearance without touching any code. You can modify colours, fonts, and layout settings to match your desired outlook.

For more control, page builders like Elementor or Divi (from Elegant Themes) allow you to create complex layouts with drag-and-drop functionality. These tools make it easy to design unique pages without any technical expertise, although, with page builders, you commit to "lock-in".

NOTE: Lock-in, means that once your website uses a page builder, you are stuck with it for the life of your website. 

For advanced users, minor tweaks to your site’s design can be made using CSS. For example, to change your site’s background colour, you can add the following code in Appearance > Customize > Additional CSS:

body {
    background-color: #f4f4f4;
}

Creating Child Themes in WordPress for Safe Customization

One of the most effective ways to customize a WordPress site without risking your changes being overwritten by theme updates is to use a child theme. A child theme inherits the functionality and design of a parent theme but allows you to override specific elements safely.

This method is particularly useful for users who have some coding knowledge and want to make advanced changes to layouts, styles, or other theme elements. While it’s not as robust as Joomla’s template override system, it still provides a significant level of flexibility.

What Is a Child Theme?

A child theme is essentially a separate theme that references its parent theme. By using a child theme, you can make changes to:

• Layouts
• Styles
• Scripts
• Templates

The key advantage is that updates to the parent theme won’t overwrite your customizations. This ensures that you can keep your site updated without losing your changes.

When to Use a Child Theme

Creating a child theme is ideal if:

1. You want to make significant changes to your site’s design or functionality.
2. The parent theme lacks certain features or styles that you need.
3. You plan to add custom PHP functions or modify template files.

If you only need minor tweaks (e.g., changing colours or fonts), it may be easier to use the WordPress Customizer or additional CSS instead.

How to Create a Child Theme

Although I will briefly show you how to manually create a child theme, you also have the option to use a plugin called: Generate Child Theme. This makes it easy for beginners who do not want to play with code. But, if you want to be hands-on, follow these steps below:

1. Create a Folder for Your Child Theme

   • Navigate to your WordPress installation directory and go to wp-content/themes.
   • Create a new folder with the name of your child theme, e.g., parenttheme-child.

2. Create a style.css File

   • In the child theme folder, create a new file named style.css.

   • Add the following code at the top of the file:

     /*
     Theme Name: Parent Theme Child
     Template: parenttheme
     */

     Replace Parent Theme Child with your child theme’s name and parenttheme with the directory name of your parent theme.

3. Create a functions.php File

   • Create a functions.php file in your child theme folder.

   • Add the following code to enqueue the parent theme’s styles:

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

   This ensures your child theme inherits the parent theme’s styles.

4. Activate Your Child Theme

   • Go to your WordPress dashboard.
   • Navigate to Appearance > Themes, and you should see your child theme listed. Activate it.

Customizing Your Child Theme

Once the child theme is set up, you can start making changes:

• Style Overrides: Add your custom CSS in the style.css file to override the parent theme’s styles.
• Template Changes: Copy template files (e.g., header.php, footer.php) from the parent theme into your child theme folder, then edit them as needed.
• Custom Functions: Add new PHP functions or modify existing ones in your child theme’s functions.php file.

Tips for Working with Child Themes

1. Understand the Parent Theme’s Structure: Familiarize yourself with the parent theme’s files and functionality before making changes.
2. Backup Regularly: Always create a backup before modifying theme files.
3. Test on a Staging Site: Experiment with changes on a staging site to avoid breaking your live site.
4. Keep It Organized: Document your customizations to make troubleshooting easier.

Limitations of Child Themes

While child themes are powerful, they do have some limitations:

• Learning Curve: Requires a basic understanding of HTML, CSS, and PHP.
• Dependence on Parent Theme: If the parent theme has issues or becomes outdated, it can affect your child theme.

By using a child theme, you can unlock a higher level of customization while ensuring that updates to your parent theme don’t disrupt your work. This method is a must-know for users looking to create unique WordPress sites with advanced functionality and design.

Adding Functionality with Plugins

Plugins are one of WordPress’s most powerful features, enabling you to extend your site’s functionality without writing a single line of code. Whether you’re looking to add a contact form, optimize your site’s SEO, or create an online store, there’s a plugin for it.

Some essential plugins for customization include:

• Elementor: A page builder for creating custom layouts and designs.
• WPForms: For adding contact or survey forms.
• WooCommerce: For e-commerce functionality.

When using plugins, it’s essential to limit installations to avoid compatibility issues or slowing down your site. Test plugins on a staging site before applying them to your live site. For myself, I use XAMPP on my computer which acts like my own personal server. I've used this setup for the last 15 years of developing WordPress themes; including my website(s).

Customizing Joomla

Joomla is slightly different compared to WordPress. WordPress offers plugins, while Joomla offers extensions which are made up of:

• Components: These are the bigger items like shopping, membership, etc. 
• Plugins: These are smaller items that enhance or add features.
• Modules: In WordPress, these would be considered as "widgets".

Then, of course, you have templates (themes) that you can install and customize how your website looks.

Choosing and Installing Templates

In Joomla, templates define the overall look and feel of your website. While the selection is smaller compared to WordPress themes, Joomla templates often offer more advanced customization out of the box without the need for page builders. 

You can find templates on Joomla’s Extensions Directory or third-party marketplaces like Themefores or JoomShaper. When selecting a template, prioritize flexibility, responsiveness, and built-in support for Joomla modules.

NOTE: I will talk about features as they relate to Joomla version 5+

Installing a Joomla template involves:

1. Go to System > Extensions > Browse in your Joomla admin area.
2. Uploading the template package file and assigning it to your site under System > Site Template Styles.

Using Joomla Modules

Joomla modules are one of the platform’s standout features, allowing you to display specific types of content in predefined positions across your site. For example, you can use modules to add menus, banners, login forms, or custom HTML blocks.

To customize a module:

1. Navigate to Content > Site Modules > Modules.
2. Select the module you want to edit, adjust its settings, and assign it to a template position.
3. You can also add or delete modules.
4. Control visibility by assigning modules to specific menu items.

Depending on the module you use, settings will change. For example, the Custom module will include a fully functional TinyMCE editor among a slew of other options.

 

Extensions for Customization

Joomla extensions expand your site’s functionality and can be used to enhance design or add new features. Some popular customization extensions include:

• SP Page Builder: A drag-and-drop design tool for Joomla.
• JCE Editor: For advanced content creation and editing. I personally use this on this website.
• Akeeba Backup: To protect your site and save your customizations, I recommend you use Akeeba backup.

For advanced users, template overrides allow you to customize the appearance of specific components without modifying core files. This ensures your changes are preserved during updates.

Here is a screenshot showing all of the overrides you can click on and modify; there are additional sub-levels to most of these:

Best Practices for Customization

Whether you’re using WordPress or Joomla, following best practices will save you time and prevent headaches:

1. Backup Your Site Regularly: Use plugins like UpdraftPlus (WordPress) or Akeeba Backup (Joomla) to protect your work.
2. Test Changes on a Staging Site: Experimenting in a safe environment avoids breaking your live site.
3. Minimize Unnecessary Features: Excessive plugins or extensions can slow down your site.
4. Costs: Consider the costs if you opt-in for paid commercial plugins, themes, and extensions.
5. Document Your Changes: Keep a log of customizations to simplify troubleshooting.

Tools and Resources

Here are some tools and resources to support your customization journey:

• Design Tools: Canva (for graphics), Figma (for mockups), Photoshop, Affinity Apps etc.
• CSS Editors: Visual Studio Code for advanced tweaks.
• Learning Resources:
  
  
  • WordPress Codex.
  • Joomla Documentation.

For design inspiration and assets:

• Envato Elements: Access unlimited stock photos, templates, and graphics for a subscription fee.
• TemplateMonster: Another marketplace for templates compatible with WordPress and Joomla.
• FontAwesome: Integrate scalable icons into your site design. For debugging and testing:
• Query Monitor (WordPress): Identify plugin conflicts and performance bottlenecks.
• Joomla Debug Console: Helps track errors and optimize site performance.
• Google Page Speed: Google Page Speed Insights is a great tool to use to see how fast your website loads.

Using Bootstrap for Website Customization

Bootstrap, a widely popular front-end framework, offers a wealth of CSS classes and JavaScript components that simplify web design and development. Its robust structure, flexibility, and extensive functionality make it an excellent choice for designers and developers working on WordPress and Joomla sites.

Why Bootstrap?

Bootstrap provides a comprehensive set of tools that cater to various design needs:

• CSS Framework: Offers pre-designed classes for typography, buttons, forms, tables, and more.
• JavaScript Components: Includes dynamic elements like modals, carousels, accordions, tooltips, and navigation menus.
• Responsive Grid System: Features a flexible container and grid layout based on Flexbox and CSS Grid, allowing for seamless responsiveness across devices.
• Customizability: For developers familiar with Sass, Bootstrap’s source files can be customized to generate CSS tailored to specific themes or templates.

Who Should Use Bootstrap?

While Bootstrap is primarily aimed at designers and developers, intermediate users with some experience in theme or template creation can also benefit. Many WordPress themes and Joomla templates incorporate Bootstrap into their core layouts, making it accessible even for those who aren’t experts.

Advantages of Bootstrap

1. Time-Saving: Speeds up the design process with ready-to-use components and styles.
2. Consistency: Ensures a uniform design across all pages of a site.
3. Cross-Browser Compatibility: Works reliably across major browsers.
4. Community and Documentation: Extensive resources, tutorials, and a large user community make Bootstrap beginner-friendly.

Risks and Limitations

While Bootstrap is a powerful tool, it’s not without its drawbacks:

1. Bloat: Using the entire Bootstrap library can lead to unnecessary code and slow loading times, especially if you only need a few components.
2. Style Overrides: Customizing Bootstrap’s default styles may require significant overrides, which can become cumbersome and time-consuming.
3. Learning Curve: Despite its detailed documentation, mastering Bootstrap’s components and customizing them effectively can take time.

Tips for Using Bootstrap Effectively

1. Include Only What You Need: Minimize bloat by importing specific components rather than the entire library.
2. Leverage Sass for Customization: Use Sass to modify variables and create a more tailored design, reducing reliance on style overrides.
3. Test Performance: Regularly test site speed and performance to ensure Bootstrap isn’t negatively impacting load times.
4. Plan Your Layout: Use Bootstrap’s grid system wisely, balancing flexibility and design constraints.

Bootstrap in WordPress and Joomla

• WordPress: Many themes, especially premium ones, integrate Bootstrap for enhanced design and functionality. Developers can also include Bootstrap in custom themes for additional styling and interactive features.
• Joomla: Bootstrap is built into Joomla’s core layouts, particularly in version 5+, making it an integral part of template development.

By incorporating Bootstrap intelligently, you can create modern, responsive, and dynamic websites. However, be mindful of its potential downsides, and tailor its use to suit your project’s needs.

Are You Ready to Customize?

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