What is WordPress and How to Remove the Theme Header?

WordPress, an open-source content management system, is a user-friendly platform that allows you to create and manage your website. One of the most incredible features of WordPress is its wide range of themes and plugins that you can customize to give your website a unique look and feel. Themes play a crucial role in determining your website’s appearance and typically consist of a header comprising a logo, menu, and other essential elements. But what if you want a minimalist look or complete control over your website’s appearance? This article guides you on how to remove the header of your theme in WordPress.

Step One: Identify Your Header

Before removing your header, you need to identify which part of your website constitutes the header. Typically, the header contains your website’s logo, menu, social media icons, and a search bar. To locate your header, scroll through your website and check which part sticks at the top. This is usually found in your header.php file, although it may also be in functions.php, style.css, or template-parts.

Step Two: Create a Child Theme

It is best practice to create a child theme before modifying your website’s theme. A child theme inherits the functionalities of its parent theme but allows you to make customizations without directly interfering with your parent theme. This ensures that your changes stay intact, even after updates. You can create a child theme manually or use the Child Theme Configurator plugin. Here’s how to create a child theme:

1. Create a new folder in the wp-content/themes directory and name it as you like, e.g., my-child-theme.
2. Create two new files within this folder – style.css and functions.php.
3. Open the style.css file and add the following code:

     <!-- Theme Name: My Child Theme
     Theme URI: http://localhost/my-child-theme/
     Description: A child theme of My Parent Theme
     Author: My Name
     Author URI: http://myname.com/
     Template: my-parent-theme
     Version: 1.0.0 -->
   

4. Replace the placeholders with your information. The Template should be the name of the parent theme’s folder.
5. Save and close the style.css file.
6. Open the functions.php file and add the following code:

     <?php
       add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'my_theme_enqueue_styles' );
       function my_theme_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' )
           );
       }
     ?>
   

7. Save and close the functions.php file.

Step Three: Remove the Header

There are several methods to remove the header in WordPress, but most people prefer to edit the header.php file in their child theme. Here’s how:

1. Go to Appearance > Editor in your WordPress dashboard.
2. Select your child theme from the dropdown in the top right corner.
3. Open the header.php file.
4. Find the code corresponding to your header, usually enclosed within <header> and </header> tags.
5. Delete the code you wish to remove, such as the logo or navigation menu.
6. Save the changes.

Step Four: Save and Preview

Remember to save your changes by clicking the “Update File” button. Then, preview your website to see the effects of your modifications.

1. Click the “Preview Changes” button in the top right corner of your dashboard.
2. Your website will open in a new tab, allowing you to navigate it and see the changes you made.

Step Five: Troubleshooting

If you face any issues after removing the header, you can revert to your original theme by deactivating your child theme. You can also use WP Rollback plugin to roll back to an earlier version of the theme or plugin that caused the problem.

Conclusion

Removing the header in WordPress is an effective way to achieve a minimalistic design or gain greater control over your website’s appearance. However, it is essential to create a child theme before modifying your theme, ensuring your customization persists even after updates. Also, make sure to back up your website before making any significant changes to avoid facing any potential issues.