WordPress allows any page to be configured as the home page. the home page is set under under “Settings > Reading”
To create a new template for the page copy page.php … modifying a minimalistic page is the quickest way to create the page … to a new file name homepage.php and modify the beginning of the file like so:
<?php
/**
* Template Name: New-Home-Page
*
* The "Template Name:" bit above allows this to be selectable
* from a dropdown menu on the edit page screen.
*/get_header(); ?>
Reactivate the template and under the edit page
You will see New-Home-Page in the dropdown. Customize the template page (homepage.php) as desired.
