In this post, we’ll take a look at the powerful new WordPress child theme development plugin (IDE) called Themer Pro by Cobalt Apps. I’ll also show you how you can use it to develop or customize your own custom child themes.
It’s been a while since I reviewed the Dynamik Website Builder plugin for Genesis and WordPress by Cobalt Apps. If you’re interested in checking out that review you can do so here.
This time around, I have something completely different to share with you, created by the very same dude that gave us Dynamik Website Builder.
This is my review of the Themer Pro plugin, have you heard of it?
Probably not, so let’s get to it.
Themer Pro is a foundation child theme development WordPress plugin created by Cobalt Apps.
It combines powerful code editing tools with simple options for you to develop or customize your own child themes.
And I’m not just talking about creating just custom Genesis child themes either. Themer Pro apparently supports an array of popular WordPress theme frameworks, including –
More are being added to the list above by the developer.
Before the Themer Pro plugin came to light, there was another plugin very similar by Cobalt Apps called Child Themer.
At first glance, it does very much look and feel like the Child Themer plugin redesigned, rebranded and repackaged as Themer Pro.
Is that a bad thing?
Well, not really because I loved the Child Themer plugin too.
After using Themer Pro for some time now, I personally think it’s a better version of the old plugin. I just thought I would mention it.
You can use the Themer Pro plugin to develop WordPress child themes for yourself or for your clients or to sell on.
Essentially, it’s a complete IDE for WordPress child theme developers.
I’ve been using Themer Pro for several months now, I have it installed on my local drive and since Genesis is such a popular framework to develop websites with, I found Themer Pro to be the perfect tool for developing client websites.
So what can you really do with it?
This plugin gives you access to all the child theme files, as well as the tools and options required to develop and export your child themes.
You can add and delete new files and folders to existing child themes, or you can build a child theme from complete scratch.
The Magnet4Blogging theme is, in fact, a heavily customized version of the Business Pro child theme, using Themer Pro.
Themer Pro is so easy to install and use, and as long as you’re comfortable with a little bit of code then you’ll love this tool.
I say it’s the perfect tool for developers, but really anyone with some coding experience can make the most of Themer Pro.
You simply install and activate it like any other WordPress plugin, then you simply need to enter your developer license key for future updates and support.
Once you’ve done this, you can simply install a compatible child theme or work from a completely new blank canvas.
To work on an existing compatible child theme you simply go to Themer Pro > Child Editor in your WordPress dashboard.
In Child Editor option, you will see all the folders and files located inside the currently installed and activated child theme.
Here is a screenshot of the Child Theme Editor.
Here is a screenshot of the Child Theme Editor in full-screen mode.
Once you’re done with coding and building up your child theme, you can then export it into a stand-alone child theme to test on another site.
So, when you install and activate the Themer Pro plugin, the first thing you’ll need to do before anything else is to make some changes to the settings page.
If you look at the screen capture below, you’ll see which of the boxes I recommend you have enabled under General Settings.
This works for me, by the way, you might wish to have others selected. However, here is a list of options you will find under General Settings –
One other awesome feature is that you can change the style of the Ace Code Editor theme you’d like to use, there’s a bunch to choose from already pre-installed.
Here is a list of other notable features and options included in the Themer Pro plugin –
As you may well know, I don’t review or recommend anything that I’m not already using in my business.
So, as a freelance web designer and WP developer, I absolutely love using the Themer Pro plugin and I’m so glad that I have it in my developer toolbox.
How I used to work, before this plugin or the previous Child Themer plugin came to life:
When it came to writing or modifying web code, my set up would be a locally installed WordPress website with a child theme installed, and to have access to the theme files I would use an external code editor like Atom for the Mac.
Now, I love the Atom app, it’s still one of my favorite coding apps and, for the most part, I still use it to write and test new code.
The problem with the setup above, however, is that if I was working on a website, every time I make changes to the CSS file, for instance, I would need to save those changes and refresh my site or page to see the changes take place.
Also, frustratingly, sometimes those changes wouldn’t happen straight away.
The other problem I found with using an external IDE is the time it takes to bounce from one app to another or one window to the next, copying, pasting, etc.
On a small screen, you would be forever opening and closing windows and apps. What a waste of time, right?
Well, that is NOT the case with using Themer Pro. I love the fact that I can do front-end CSS editing and see the changes take place in real-time on the site I’m working on.
For me at least, that has been a HUGE problem solver and time saver.
Take a look at the video below to see my workflow with Themer Pro.
Yes, absolutely.
The child theme I’m using is based on the Business Pro child theme with a lot of heavy customization.
Every element of my Genesis theme has been tweaked and modified using Themer Pro, excluding the custom homepage which was designed using Thrive Architect.
Themer Pro is a pretty simple plugin to use. You can’t really go wrong.
It does one very simple thing very well, it saves developers time and valuable resources when it comes to building custom child themes with WordPress.
As a developer or someone looking to learn more about child theme development, you really don’t need any other tool or IDE. You don’t need to complicate yourself with FTPs or use up any other resources.
All you really need is a local WordPress installation or an active WordPress website, a compatible child theme like Genesis, and, of course, Themer Pro to get started.
The fact that you can access your child theme WordPress files from inside of your WordPress dashboard is a huge pro for me.
The one annoying thing I found with using Themer Pro, however, is that the right-click to copy or paste does not work on the front-end CSS Sandbox editor. See the image below.
That might sound silly, but I’m so used to right-clicking all the time. Although there is a Copy feature in the app itself, or I can simply go to the toolbar and click on Edit > Copy.
I am being nit-picky so let’s just leave it like that.
OK, so, the Themer Pro plugin will cost you just $49.
What you get for that price is a quality and robust premium plugin from a reputable developer and company (Eric Hamm at CobaltApps).
You also get unlimited license activations, so that means you can use Themer Pro on unlimited personal or client projects.
You get 1 full year of updates and support, as well as access to valuable tutorials and resources from the Cobalt Apps website, forum, and blog.
If you’re interested in checking out Themer Pro for yourself, click the button below to learn more.
Disclaimer: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links to CobaltApps website. Should you use one of these links and purchase a copy of the Themer Pro plugin, I will be paid a small commission at NO additional cost to you. Thank you so much for your support, I appreciate you.
No, not because it’s cold outside… (Bad joke, I know)
I just want to finish up saying thanks to Eric Hamm for creating this plugin. It’s really transformed the way I work as a web designer and child theme developer. I’ll leave you guys to decide whether you think Themer Pro would be great to have in your toolbox or not.
