Creating a basic WordPress theme is great. You learn about The Loop, find the appropriate template tags to display the information that you want, and then you write some HTML and CSS to tie it all together. However, there comes a time when you're ready to take your themes to the next level. That is what this chapter is all about.
In this chapter, you'll learn how to provide your theme's users with options about what is displayed and how is displayed. You'll also learn about localizing your theme for an international audience and showing users information based on their current role.
Finally, this chapter covers the essentials for packaging and distributing your theme via the WordPress.org theme repository. You'll need to follow a few simple steps to make sure that your theme is accepted and that it provides users with the best possible experience.