WordPress FrameworksWhich is the Best? Should I Even Use Them At All?

Allan Fuelling | @allanfuellingMike Zielonka | @mikezielonka

Heather Acton | @heatheracton78

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Intros

Allan

Mike

Heather

Wednesday, January 11, 12

What is a framework?Just another WordPress theme

Let’s ask the Codex

Usually a “blank” theme with some nice packaged functionality

SEO, feed redirection, text areas to enter tracking code, drag/drop modifications, etc.

Twentyeleven (YES!), Woo Framework, Genesis, Pagelines, Headway, etc.

Wednesday, January 11, 12

What is a parent theme?

A parent theme is the theme being used as the framework

Not an “activated” theme, but must be present in the themes folder for the child theme to work

Modifications to CSS, page templates, and functions should NOT be made to the parent theme

Wednesday, January 11, 12

What is a child theme?

A child theme is the theme that modifies, in a future-proof way, the parent theme

The child theme IS activated in the WordPress dashboard

Check out the Codex on child themes. You’ll be glad you did.

Wednesday, January 11, 12

What is a starter theme?Starter themes are extremely stripped down versions of a WordPress theme

Typically no special functionality, and only minimal CSS

Just contains the backbone of what a WordPress theme needs to work

Toolbox is a starter theme by Automattic, BLANK by Digging Into WP guys

Wednesday, January 11, 12

WordPress Themes

Out of the box themes- WordPress free theme repository

- Theme Forest- No modifications to CSS or functions

Frameworks- Twentyeleven, Woo, Genesis,

Pagelines, Headway- Parent / child structure

Starter Themes-Toolbox

- Close to theming from scratch

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Why use a framework?

For users, it’s a quick way to get a nice looking and highly functional website up and running quickly without knowing how to code

For developers, it’s a low budget option for clients looking for a simple design that is not unique to their site

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Why NOT use a framework?

Frameworks sometimes come with more functionality than is needed

Some frameworks change WordPress functions, so the process for creating page templates may be different than what you’ll find in the Codex

Some frameworks have a very complex theme structure, making learning how a theme works difficult and possibly slowing down your site

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Genesis Demo

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Genesis FeaturesLots of nice child themes to choose from

Base Genesis framework comes with some nice features

Featured images

Many layouts for 1-3 columns

Custom widgets for newsletter, featured posts, etc.

Author boxes

SEO (but don’t use theirs - use WordPress SEO by Yoast!)

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Genesis Cons

Changes WordPress core functions, so Codex instructions don’t always apply. Custom post type page templates can be a *bear*.

Includes many features you’ll never use, but can unregister

Very complex theme structure. Don’t start learning about theme building by looking at Genesis.

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Overall Genesis Reco

Use it when a child theme gets you most of the way to a design you or a client needs

If you need to get really custom (from provided PSD, for example), just build a theme from scratch or from a starter theme

Wednesday, January 11, 12

Toolbox Demo

Wednesday, January 11, 12