/themes directory

Theme naming

The themes directory is mapped to /wp-content/themes/ ; this directory works similarly to WP_CONTENT_DIR . '/themes/' in a self-hosted WordPress installation. So, for example, if your organization is called Acme Kite Co. your theme path might be /themes/acmekites/.

If you anticipate setting up multiple themes for your site or if you are a developer working on different themes for different sites, you might need a naming scheme that further distinguishes themes, e.g. /themes/acmekites-main/ and /themes/acmekites-seasonal/.

Child themes

Child theming works the same in this case as child theming on self-hosted WordPress sites. Just add another theme to your git repository at /themes.  Because the themes on WordPress.com aren’t available in the git repository, they will need to be added before they can be used as parent themes.

No required code in functions.php

There is no required code in the theme’s functions.php file.

Use Underscores for a head start

The Underscores project will generate a starter theme that can be used to get a head start on your theme development. It includes lean, well-commented, modern, HTML5 templates, minimal CSS that’s ready for you to build on, and a variety of tools to help you customize your theme.