Which Details Are Required For Style.css File Header?

Which theme details are absolutely required for your style.css file header?

I'm developing my first theme for personal use, so do I really have to include things like a license, license uri, author, author uri, etc.

WordPress Docs just give an example, but they don't reference what's required. Does anyone know?

/*
Theme Name: Twenty Thirteen
Theme URI: http://wordpress.org/themes/twentythirteen
Author: the WordPress team
Author URI: http://wordpress.org/
Description: The 2013 theme for WordPress takes us back to the blog, featuring a full range of post formats, each displayed beautifully in their own unique way. Design details abound, starting with a vibrant color scheme and matching header images, beautiful typography and icons, and a flexible layout that looks great on any device, big or small.
Version: 1.0
License: GNU General Public License v2 or later
License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
Tags: black, brown, orange, tan, white, yellow, light, one-column, two-columns, right-sidebar, flexible-width, custom-header, custom-menu, editor-style, featured-images, microformats, post-formats, rtl-language-support, sticky-post, translation-ready
Text Domain: twentythirteen

This theme, like WordPress, is licensed under the GPL.
Use it to make something cool, have fun, and share what you've learned with others.
*/

Topic file-manager css Wordpress

Category Web

1
answered at

There is a difference between what is required and what is a best practice. If you load the Developer plugin, one of the plugins it will load is called "Theme Checker." The Theme Checker is for themes that you want to submit to the Wordpress directory, but it is also good to check your private, custom themes.

If you run that, you'll see all of the things you are missing that Wordpress is looking for in a good theme. It is good to get into the practice of putting all of that in. If your client gets a new web designer or if you ever want to share the theme it will be good to have more meta info in there.

1
answered at

A quick test indicates that you don't actually need anything in that header for standalone theme. A theme with a completely blank header registers and loads just fine, both front and back end.

If it is a child theme you need the Template: line.

However...

In addition to CSS style information for your theme, style.css provides details about the Theme in the form of comments. The stylesheet must provide details about the Theme in the form of comments. No two Themes are allowed to have the same details listed in their comment headers, as this will lead to problems in the Theme selection dialog. If you make your own Theme by copying an existing one, make sure you change this information first.

http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development#Stylesheet_Guidelines

... leaving everything blank could potentially cause trouble if, for example, you try the same trick twice. Just give the theme minimal detail and you should be fine for a personal theme that you are not releasing. Say...

/*
Theme Name: Twenty Thirteen
Author: the WordPress team
Description: The 2013 theme for WordPress takes us back to the blog, featuring a full range of post formats, each displayed beautifully in their own unique way. Design details abound, starting with a vibrant color scheme and matching header images, beautiful typography and icons, and a flexible layout that looks great on any device, big or small.
Version: 1.0
*/

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