20 WordPress Theme Frameworks And Starting Resources
Dainis Graveris
A theme framework is a theme that is designed to be a flexible foundation that can serve as a parent theme for building child themes. The use of WordPress theme frameworks may ease theme development by reducing the volume of work which may be needed in creating a backbone for your theme (usually by using PHP and WordPress Template Tags). Theme frameworks also make theme development more accessible, removing the need for programming knowledge. I listed here the best WordPress theme frameworks available as well as several child themes and related articles to help get Your foot with WordPress theme developing.
1.Thematic, A WordPress Theme Framework
Thematic is a free, open-source, highly extensible, search-engine optimized WordPress Theme Framework featuring 13 widget-ready areas, grid-based layout samples, styling for popular plugins, and a whole community behind it. It’s perfect for beginner bloggers and WordPress development professionals.
2. Hybrid WordPress Theme Framework
Amazing WordPress theme framework, definitely one of my favorite. Here is short list what You archieve from this framework:
I’ll just give you the short list instead, so you can go ahead and play with the theme:
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Developed with child themes in mind, so you’ll never lose your customizations.
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SEO optimized. No need for plugins to handle this anymore.
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Theme options that are about content/information.
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Templates for everything.
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13 page templates.
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Actively developed for WP 2.7 but backward compatible down to 2.5.
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15+ plugins supported within the theme.
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Attachment handling like you’ve never experienced.
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Advanced breadcrumbs beyond any other theme.
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Ability to run just about any type of site.
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And over 20 tutorials to start.
3.Carrington – CMS theme framework for WordPress
Carrington is a CMS theme framework for WordPress that makes it easy to create unique looks for different categories, posts and comments just by creating custom templates. Framework with full documentation, community forums to have Your problems explained, very friendly!
4.Vanilla Theme
Vanilla’s key boast is this: Exceptional power and freedom for designers, without (or barely) needing to know or touch PHP. Thanks to the combined capabilities of PHPTAL templates, Carrington’s atomic templates, YUI CSS and full widgetization (including custom widget controls).
Lovely framework released under code.google.com section where several frameworks is combined together – definitely worth checking out!
5.Whiteboard – A Free WordPress Theme Framework
It is designed to speed up the process of designing and coding a WordPress theme by eliminating the time spent on WordPress’ back-end PHP that is used in every theme.
Whiteboard is clean, noted, and compact (only 76KB in size – unzipped!). It includes all the standard PHP tags and PHP files needed for a WordPress theme – plus a few extras.
6. WP Framework – A blank WordPress Theme Framework
WP Framework is a blank WordPress theme framework, which aims to cut down on your theme development time. It gives you a solid theme foundation to build your project on top of so you can focus on project-specific features right from the git-go.
7. SandBox
The Sandbox is a powerful tool available for WordPress theme designers and developers. The Sandbox can be easily designed just with CSS, so beginners will feel comfortable not bothering with PHP.
Experienced developers and designers can accomplish almost anything with minimal work, thanks to the rich, semantic markup and profusion of classes dynamically generated by the Sandbox.
8. OnePress Community Framework
The OnePress framework is an integrated website and forum solution. It is, simply, a WordPress theme to serve as the foundation and framework for your web site and online community. Leveraging the powerful WordPress and phpBB projects, OnePress provides a set of features focused on helping you build and maintain your site from the inside out. With this set of tools, you can easily run your community and do so with professional presentation.
9. The WordPress Starter Theme Project
And here are some of the features of WPcandy starter theme:
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Blank style.css with theme name, author, URL, etc. tags at the top
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Content-ready 404, archive, search, index, single post, and page files
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Full, working comments.php file
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Complete header.php set up with links to RSS, a stylesheet, and JS file; <title> template
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Default search form template
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Blank screenshot.png file and images folder
Several child themes and resources:
Junction WordPress Child Theme
Junction is a WordPress Child Theme based on the Thematic Theme Framework. In terms of style, Junction is vastly different from Thematic, however Junction capitalizes on the power of the Thematic Framework, which allows the ability to style the entire template without touching a single line of original php or html code.
Thematic Child Themes
Thematic offers a bunch of child themes, I featured one of them, but You should check this site for Yourself, actually I suggest You to subscribe to this site if You’re serious about WordPress theme developing.
Acamas WordPress Child Theme
Acamas is a Thematic Themelet. That means Acamas requires the Thematic Theme Framework installed in your WordPress theme directory. Thematic powers Acamas. And Acamas builds on the power of Thematic. But don’t worry! Thematic is free. Even better, it’s open-source and one of the most advanced SEO WordPress themes around. Download Thematic now and set your blog on a rock-solid foundation for success.
And finally I found several related articles, You should read if You’re interested in actual using/modifying and developing WordPress themes:
How I used a WordPress Child Theme To Redesign My Blog
Poll – Which WordPress Theme Framework To Use?
Interesting poll with discussion below, trying to help You choose the right WordPress theme framework for Your case.
Why I created a WordPress theme framework?
Justin Tadlock, creator of Hybrid theme framework, explains what’s theme framework at all and why You should use it at all and much more – just read this article!
How to make a child theme for WordPress: A pictorial introduction for beginners
You can read in this article:
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How child themes work in WordPress
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How are themes modified without being modified?
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What you need to make a child theme
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Assembling a child theme: the framework
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Using Firebug
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Adding CSS rules to your child theme
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Putting it all together and activating the child theme
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Notes
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Links to tools and resources
ThemeShaper Forums
This forum will kindly give You answers to many unclear questions dedicated to help You modify WordPress themes.
Lorelle on WordPress
“Helping you learn more about blogging and WordPress every day with help, tips, advice, and techniques for blogging and using WordPress and WordPress.com. The blogging help you need. Now.” – amazing site with many useful articles and links about WordPress, blogging helping You to take Your skills to the next level.
WordPress Codex
And of course, You shouldn’t forget about actual WordPress creator codex website. It seems obvious, but often we forget such things :)
So you want to create WordPress themes huh?
Excellent WordPress guide teaching You how to create WordPress theme from scratch and clearly explaining each code snippet. I personally started here my WordPress learning.
In this article I wanted to show just the best WordPress Theme frameworks and few guidelines where to continue Your research so I kept WordPress tutorial, resource and article selection for later. Enjoy!
Few further resources:
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Gajanan
Posted 4 days ago 48Nice compilation, however since the post is quite old (more than 1000 days) it must be revised.
There are many new framework launched in due course. One of my favorite framework is rtPanel. Its opensource, provides amazing hooks and filters and free technical support. What else a developer needs?
Airlines Information
Posted 14 days ago 47Thanks for providing these stunning and marvellous themes of wordpress.. i will use one of them for my blog Airlines Information thanku
Aaron
Posted 56 days ago 46The list is really something great. All the frameworks mentioned here are awesome and helpful.Cheers!
Sumit Nagpal
Posted 56 days ago 45i use Multiple Frameworks but i think Headway framework is easy to use.
DavidW
Posted 62 days ago 44Dainis, if you consider updating this article we’d love to provide you with an evaluation copy of K9 Canvas the theme framework from Howling Dog Themes. We built the system to use with our own clients and have been refining it for the last couple of years. Originally we didn’t think of releasing it to the public, we just wanted something that would allow us to build sites that don’t look like WordPress sites while using WordPress and cutting our own development time. At a certain point it just didn’t make sense to not release it, so we have. Hope you’ll check it out and consider adding it when you update.
Amrinder Singh
Posted 87 days ago 43I used Genesis , Canvas and Headway frameworks. But i prefer headway framework its easy.
Anakson
Posted 95 days ago 42Hey Dainis,
I loved the list. All the frameworks are really awesome..
Can you tell me which is that #6 WP framework? Because the link is not working and the look of the theme is matching to this theme framework – http://rtpanel.com/ . I am using the same for my blog. It’s really amazing and SEO friendly. Whats your opinion?
Shifnet
Posted 95 days ago 41Great list. but, Thesis is most popular at this time :)
Ventura Rodriguez
Posted 112 days ago 40The list is very interesting, but believe that missing a very important framework is GantryFramework.
Greetings.
Web Design In India
Posted 128 days ago 39wow… excellent compilation of themes… thanks for posting :)
Wordpress
Posted 137 days ago 38theme! Also a great write up, appreciate it.
Jimmy Santos
Posted 139 days ago 36I love theme frameworks. Makes theme creation easier. I particularly like Thematic and Whiteboard. Because they’re free. Heh. I’m thinking of trying out paid frameworks, though. Like Pagelines Pro or something similar.
Jimmy Santos
Posted 138 days ago 37Looks like the link for Pagelines Pro was messed up. Fixed. Thanks.
TakLeaRn
Posted 157 days ago 35ThemeShaper Forums is best.
Thank you for this.tnx
how to cure shingles
Posted 162 days ago 34Thanks to put all information about wordpress theme maker framework. It will be great help for newbie.
k2 herb
Posted 583 days ago 32Great theme! Also a great write up, appreciate it.
Chad
Posted 608 days ago 31It is great to see all of the different themes all on one page. We have many resources that we never knew about. Thanks!
.-= Chad´s last blog ..Pressure Cleaning-Pressure Washing! =-.
harry
Posted 210 days ago 33I agree with you Chad .ALL themes framework are great.Designs are eye catching.
PWebshop
Posted 613 days ago 30WoW! Great designs.. I hope someday we can get it for free.. :)
Jesse Taylor
Posted 618 days ago 29Thanks for the list — I’d never even heard of some of these frameworks before! Interesting read!
Alex Sysoef
Posted 690 days ago 28Thanks for the great list. I love the thematic as I think it provides us perhaps with some of the best SEO benefits of all, but the rest of the list is nothing to sneeze on!
Thanks
.-= Alex Sysoef´s last blog ..5 Stats Tracking Plugins For Your WordPress Blog =-.
steveorevo
Posted 792 days ago 27A clean slate in 6 variations (1, 2, 3 column layouts).
* Commented stylesheet and ‘cheat sheet’
* 2.8 API with threaded comments support
* 100% free (GPL)
* Fixes IE6 common issues, yes… 1/3 of traffic still uses IE6! :(
* W3C XHTML and CSS 2.1 compliant
http://www.themedreamer.com/bft
Andy Fitzpatrick
Posted 841 days ago 26Great list of themes I must look into installing a more graphically pleasing theme on ours. Perhaps we should use it a bit more often to lol