A reader recently asked about how to develop a theme on a live site such that: All visitors will see the current theme, Only the designer will see the new theme, All site plugins will work with the new theme, Smooth transition between old and new theme at launch. These are the main concerns, but there are a few other details that need addressed to ensure smooth theme development on a live site. Let’s take a look at how to achieve these goals and effectively develop themes behind the scenes..