A quick intro to WordPress theme frameworks and starter themes. I presented this at the Milwaukee WordPress Meetup. The demos slides in this presentation can be ignored.

1. WordPress Frameworks
Which is the Best? Should I Even Use Them At All?
Allan Fuelling | @allanfuelling
Mike Zielonka | @mikezielonka
Heather Acton | @heatheracton78
Wednesday, January 11, 12

2. Intros
Allan
Mike
Heather
Wednesday, January 11, 12

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. WordPress Themes
Out of the box themes Frameworks Starter Themes
- WordPress free theme repository - Twentyeleven, Woo, Genesis,
- Theme Forest -Toolbox
Pagelines, Headway
- No modifications to CSS or functions - Close to theming from scratch
- Parent / child structure
Wednesday, January 11, 12

8. 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

9. 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

10. Genesis Demo
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11. Genesis Features
Lots 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!)
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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

13. 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

14. Toolbox Demo
Wednesday, January 11, 12