What is the difference between a block theme and a classic theme?

A block theme lets you edit most of the site structure through Appearance > Editor, including templates and shared header or footer parts. A classic theme generally uses Appearance > Customize and may provide its own theme options. The available controls depend on the active theme, so instructions for one route often do not match the other.

Why cannot I find Appearance > Editor in WordPress?

Appearance > Editor is normally available only when a block theme is active. If you see Customize, Menus or Widgets instead, you are probably using a classic theme. Switch to a block theme if you want full-site editing, or continue with the Customizer and the layout options supplied by your current classic theme.

Why does my homepage ignore the page I selected in Reading settings?

A Front Page template in a block theme can override the homepage choice in Settings > Reading. Open Appearance > Editor > Templates and check whether a Front Page template exists. Edit that template or remove it if you want the Reading settings to control the homepage again.

Will changing a template change every page on my website?

Yes, changes to a shared template normally affect every page or post that uses it. For example, editing the Pages template can change the layout of many pages at once, while editing a header or footer template part can change the whole site. Use a page-specific template when one page needs a different layout.

How to build a custom website in WordPress

Design & Layout Time About 2–6 hours for a basic site 7 steps Updated 1 Oct 2026

The short answer

You can build a custom WordPress website without a page-builder plugin. Use a block theme and the Site Editor for global styles, templates, headers and footers, or use a classic theme with the Customizer. A multipurpose builder theme is the fast route when you need many layouts quickly.

The route

01Plan the site structure
02Choose your editing route
03Set the global design
04Build templates and pages
05Use the manual route safely
06Check the site before launch
07Take the fast route with Voxel

What you need

A WordPress site with administrator access
A logo, brand colours, fonts and page content
A block or classic theme that matches your design needs

Plan the site structure

List the pages the site needs before changing the design. Most small sites need a home page, about page, services or products page, contact page, privacy page and a blog page if you publish posts.

Create the pages under Pages, then decide whether the home page should show your latest posts or a fixed page. WordPress controls that choice through Settings > Reading.

Choose your editing route

Use a block theme if you want to design headers, footers, templates and page layouts in one visual editor. After activating one, open Appearance > Editor. The Site Editor is available only with block themes.

With a classic theme, use Appearance > Customize for the options that theme provides. Do not waste time looking for the Site Editor when a classic theme is active, and do not expect the Customizer to appear in the usual place with many block themes.

Set the global design

In a block theme, open Styles and set the site-wide colour palette, typography, content width, spacing and block defaults. Set these before styling individual pages so headings, buttons and text remain consistent.

Then edit the header and footer as shared template parts. Changes to a shared part can affect every page that uses it, so save and review the whole site after changing the logo, navigation or footer columns.

Build templates and pages

Use Appearance > Editor > Templates to shape the layouts for pages, posts, archives, search results and the 404 page. Use template parts for repeating areas such as the header, footer and sidebar. A template change applies to every page or post using that template.

For a custom home page, create the page content and assign the appropriate template. Watch for a common WordPress trap: a Front Page template in the Site Editor can take priority over the homepage choice in Settings > Reading.

Use the manual route safely

For a straightforward business site, the manual route is fine: use core blocks, patterns, the Site Editor or Customizer, and a small amount of CSS where the theme allows it. You do not need a page-builder plugin just to create pages, menus, columns, buttons or branded typography.

If you need PHP changes or theme file overrides, use a child theme rather than editing the parent theme directly. Parent-theme updates can overwrite direct edits, while a child theme is intended for custom overrides. Keep a backup or staging copy before changing templates, CSS or theme files.

Check the site before launch

Preview the site at desktop and mobile widths. Check the navigation, logo link, buttons, forms, featured images, blog archive, search results, 404 page and footer links. Also confirm that the selected homepage is actually the page visitors see.

If an edit appears saved but the live site still shows the old version, clear the browser, page-cache, server-cache or CDN cache before changing the design again. Caching is a recurring reason that WordPress changes seem not to appear.

Take the fast route with Voxel

When you want to start from a prepared design instead of assembling every layout yourself, Voxel provides a multipurpose WordPress theme with drag-and-drop layouts, demo designs and controls for headers and footers.

Install the theme from Appearance > Themes > Add New, activate it, import or select a suitable starting layout if provided, then replace the demo content and adjust the global styles. This is faster for varied sites, but review every imported page, menu, image and setting before publishing.

The fast route

Let Voxel do it

Multipurpose theme with drag-and-drop layouts, demos, and header/footer controls for building varied WordPress sites quickly.

Get Voxel

Sources

wordpress.org /documentation/article/settings-reading-screen/?utm_source=o…
wordpress.org /documentation/article/site-editor/?utm_source=openai
wordpress.org /documentation/article/styles-overview/?utm_source=openai
wordpress.org /documentation/article/template-editor/?utm_source=openai
developer.wordpress.org /themes/advanced-topics/child-themes/?utm_source=openai
wordpress.org /support/topic/page-changes-not-reflected-on-actual-site/?ut…
wordpress.org /documentation/article/additional-guide-to-using-the-site-ed…

Questions

Can I build a custom WordPress website without a page-builder plugin?: Yes, you can build a basic custom website with WordPress core blocks and a suitable theme. A block theme lets you edit site-wide styles, headers, footers and templates in the Site Editor, while a classic theme usually uses the Customizer. You may still need specialist plugins for functions such as bookings, memberships, advanced forms or directories.
What is the difference between a block theme and a classic theme?: A block theme lets you edit most of the site structure through Appearance > Editor, including templates and shared header or footer parts. A classic theme generally uses Appearance > Customize and may provide its own theme options. The available controls depend on the active theme, so instructions for one route often do not match the other.
Why cannot I find Appearance > Editor in WordPress?: Appearance > Editor is normally available only when a block theme is active. If you see Customize, Menus or Widgets instead, you are probably using a classic theme. Switch to a block theme if you want full-site editing, or continue with the Customizer and the layout options supplied by your current classic theme.
Why does my homepage ignore the page I selected in Reading settings?: A Front Page template in a block theme can override the homepage choice in Settings > Reading. Open Appearance > Editor > Templates and check whether a Front Page template exists. Edit that template or remove it if you want the Reading settings to control the homepage again.
Will changing a template change every page on my website?: Yes, changes to a shared template normally affect every page or post that uses it. For example, editing the Pages template can change the layout of many pages at once, while editing a header or footer template part can change the whole site. Use a page-specific template when one page needs a different layout.