Top 12 Most Recognized WordPress Theme Frameworks for 2019

Today WordPress is widely known as a mature and mighty platform which powers the best websites on the Web. The most eye-popping sites out there are styled with the help of magnificent pre-made WordPress themes thoroughly and diligently crafted by designers and developers with vast experience in coding, professional design skills and deep understanding of trends.

Every WP template consists of the basic structure and standard functionality which is extended and complemented by the developer during the whole process of theme creation. These ‘basics’ that a developer uses for building a theme are called the frameworks and include the best web development practices recognized across the globe.

Frameworks are the code libraries that are convenient to use because they save your time allowing you to get rid of the necessity to write the code from scratch every time you start creating a new template.

It’s like a skeleton which is dressed up in additional functions, certain appearance and behavior like a human who wears clothes. You get the basics in the form of the framework and you develop it into a comprehensive complete solution which is ready to use.

The theme frameworks form the core of the theme and help to easily incorporate the responsive design which is a compulsory feature for all modern web pages.

Take a look at this hand-picked collection of the most popular theme frameworks for WordPress utilized by developers all over the world. Hope this small overview will be useful!

1. Bootstrap

Bootstrap is a world’s most recognized framework which has a great library of front-end components. This is the open-source solution for those who develop products using JS, CSS, and HTML.

Features:

• SaaS variables and mix-ins;
• responsive grid system;
• powerful jQuery plugins;
• create prototypes or entire apps quickly and easily;

and more.

2. Redux

Redux is a flexible and forceful solution suited for building WordPress interface and panel with ease. It comes with more than 30 field types and validation options, clean and commented code and a lot of additional extensions in its pack.

Features:

• minimum configuration;
• speed, simplicity, fast results;
• open-source;
• clean codebase;
• extensions like Google map, Ultimate Extension Bundle, etc.;

and more.

3. Underscores

Underscores has currently become really popular framework which holds itself out as a starter theme initially intended for hacking. It has the ultra-minimal CSS, well-commented HTML5 templates, and more features.

Features:

• an optional sample custom header implementation;
• custom template tags that keep your templates clean and prevent code duplication;
• tweaks that will improve your theming experience;
• ready for CSS artistry;

and more.

4. Vafpress

Vafpress is a great framework used for building the administrative side of a WordPress theme. It comes with script load management which makes only the needed scripts to load on your page. It also has the standard and special controls, 18 available fields, and much more.

Features:

• textbox, text area, sorter, code editor, and more fields;
• client-side data validation;
• theme options builder;
• meta box builder;
• different data sources;

and more.

5. Themify

Themify is a WordPress theme provider which offers a lot of magnificent templates available with a flexible framework pre-packed. The framework is constantly improved by the developers and allows to customize the product without writing any code.

Features:

• 360+ social and web icons with custom colors;
• custom styling builder;
• responsive lightbox;

and more.

6. Genesis

Genesis is one more popular framework which is much helpful for building cool WordPress websites quickly and easily. It has the robust and highly-optimized code and allows implementing the responsiveness thanks to the latest HTML5 standards.

Features:

• an ability to differently customize headers, footers, and widgets;
• security integrated into the core;
• child theme offered;

and more.

7. Catalyst – Dynamik Website Builder

Catalyst is another cool theme framework which has been known for more than 7 years and has been improved lots of times. Today it’s available within the CobaltApps set of professional WordPress tools which include the Dynamik Website Builder that is the child theme for Genesis framework, Genesis DevKit plugin, Freelancer DevKit plugin, and some more solutions.

Features:

• a lot of professionally developed plugins;
• extended functionality;
• reasonable prices;

and more.

8. CherryFramework

Cherry is a completely GNU GPL open-source WordPress framework for developing CMS themes quickly and easily. It comes with the flexible modular system for efficient theme development.

Features:

• GPLv3 and fully open-source;
• modular structure;
• well-documented;
• over 40 stunning templates;

and more.

9. Gantry

Gantry is a next-generation theme framework which helps to develop and modify themes with simplicity. It comes with a convenient Layout Manager which can be used to instantly observe the layout changes thanks to the visual experience provided.

Features:

• open-source;
• active community;
• visual menu editor;
• sophisticated built-in fields;
• megamenu support;

and more.

10. PageLines

PageLines is a mighty marketing and design platform you can easily add to your WordPress site. It comes with a real-time drag-and-drop interface which you can use to design your website faster than ever.

Features:

• quick website creation;
• plug-and-play designs;
• edit with point and click;
• no coding required;

and more.

11. Roots

Roots is a set of tools for the modern WordPress development process. It comes with several WordPress starter themes like Sage, Bedrock, and Trellis. The solution is also provided with a list of useful plugins.

Features:

• fast theme building process;
• improved development tools;
• configuration files improvement;

and more.

12. WebDevStudios

WebDevStudios is a solution which brings a huge number of opportunities for WordPress website development. It is helpful for creating a strategy, useful for designing and developing a full-fledged site or making the data migration; it offers the extensive API integrations and more.

Features:

• scalability;
• strategy and planning;
• API integration;
• solutions for startup and multiple businesses;

and more.

Any concerns or suggestions? Please leave them in the comments. I will improve the post and add more information as per your requirements. Thanks!

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Hi! I’m an experienced writer exploring WordPress for more than 6 years. I’m happy to share my knowledge and ideas with you and I hope you join me.

Cheers,
Melany H.