How To: Keep custom functions after theme update (without child theme)

Hi,

Here’s a great ‘How To’ I’d like to share! It enables you to:

– Keep your custom functions after a theme update. So you don’t have to re-implement them after each theme update. Plus, you don’t need a child theme (handy for when it’s too late for child theme creation dev-wise).

Okay, it’s pretty simple, just follow these steps:

1 – Create a folder named “mu-plugins” (without quotes) in: yourwproot\wp-content\ (your normal “plugins” folder is in the same location). Sometimes the “mu-plugins” folder already exists;
2 – Create a php file and name it “functions-custom” (again, no quotes), so its full name should be “functions-custom.php”**;
3 – Add your custom functions to “functions-custom.php”**;
4 – Copy the “functions-custom.php” file into your “yourwproot\wp-content\mu-plugins” folder.

** Please use the following base content for your “functions-custom.php” file:

<?php
/*
Plugin Name: Custom Functions
Plugin URI: http://yourwebsite.com
Description: My custom functions.
Version: 1.0
Author: Your Name
Author URI: http://yourwebsite.com
*/

// Place your custom functions code below this line

?>

That’s it! When you check the Plugins section, in the WP dashboard, you should see a section called “Must-Use”. Within the Must-Use section you should see a plugin called “Custom Functions”. Must-Use (MU) plugins are plugins WP will always use, no activation needed. Your custom functions now basically function as a Must-Use plugin. And since they are no longer directly part of your theme’s core files, they’ll survive theme and WP updates without problems.

I hope this is useful to someone.

Best,

Ralph