Working on a new theme

You might like this plugin:

https://sw-guide.de/wordpress/plugins/maintenance-mode/

But if you’re developing a whole theme to a live site, there are better approaches. One is to work on it only locally on your computer — you can set up a local server. When I work on just the CSS of a site (if I’m not changing the templates or other coding), I simply copy the source of the generated page from the live site, save it as a file, and open in my HTML editor. I make changes in the CSS and examine the outcome in the browser. I only upload the changed CSS file when I’m happy with the changes.

Another thing I do is set up a demo site in a folder on my regular domain, and password protect it. I can work on the site in any way I choose, changing templates, adding plugins, altering the CSS. When I’m done, I transfer over the changes to the live site (which can be a bit tricky depending on how much my demo site has diverged from the live site).

I do NOT recommend editing the files from within the WordPress admin panel. It’s easy to screw up your site that way. Use an HTML editor and work on a copy of the site.

There’s a plugin that does this. But if you want to start creating themes (it can be addicting and quite satisfying), you may want to think about just creating a subdomain where you can install another copy of WP and play with that to your heart’s content. And release the finished product when you are ready. It also servers as a demo site if you want it to.

Failing that, install Apache/PHP/MySQL locally on your computer and just develop the theme there. I recommend YellowTip Web Server. You have to register at the site to download it, but it’s free and very easy to set up and configure.
https://www.yellowtip.com/downloads/index.php

Here’s the link to that plugin, I think it may be exactly what you’re looking for.
https://www.prelovac.com/vladimir/wordpress-plugins/theme-test-drive

Thanks very much, I actually use easyPHP which is similar to yellowtip for developing login scripts, I never thought about installing wordpress locally.

Thanks for the heads up!

WizzKid

You bet!