Notice: This is a discussion thread for comments about the SitePoint article, 5 WordPress Frameworks to Jump-start Your Theme Designs.
Have you worked with theme frameworks before? If so, how was your experience? Have a favorite framework?
This is amazing man what great thing are you using…
Thank you so much for this article which helped me re-design my new personal website using wordpress, I applied 1 of 5 wordpress frameworks to jump start my theme design. It rocks! I enjoy this article! Oliver Gu
This has actually been really hard for me. There are so many “great” frameworks out there that it’s hard to use one without wanting to try another one. I guess it’s a grass is greener type situation, but your yard borders a lot of other yards! So far I have tried the WP Framework (not listed) and ThemeShaper.
I have been also using Starkers theme from Elliot Jay Stocks. Planning to jump to any other one. Heard of Thematic framework and Gravy. But are they both premium paid frameworks ? Any other free frameworks to work with ?
He is a very lovable person and very easy to contact, and every ready to help aspiring students. You can also contact him over the mail. Very true that, “Hard work pays”. And our famous researcher is just a perfect example of that.
Seriously whats up with all the frameworks… I understand php frameworks, javascript frameworks, and to lesser extend css framework… but now even theme frameworks? are we too lazy unskilled writing our own ?
Me, too. Just choose the one I feel like. I think it is a little different between the shown theme and when I use it. I looks all good and nice when I review it, but, I have more problem if I apply it. Several plates are blank and I just don’t know what stories should be there. 
Framework. Hard to understand. Some time I just choose my best themes.
Hmm, never seen the Starkers frame before.
Sounds much like the Sandbox
I’ll check it out.
Off Topic:
Neither of those might provide the “jump start” to the level people want; but if you’re looking to make your own vision a reality, they are probably well worth your time!
It’s just a fancy word; “frameworks”. Makes us sound smarter.
It is EXTREMELY simple to build a customized child off of it, then when your theme (or framework - whatever you call it) updates, you lose no changes.
You can add in your own css, add in functions, easily create your own widgets and templates and widgetable areas. It’s VERY easy, WP is specifically designed to make it insanely easy; and best part is no one but you ever touches your child, so you lose nothing on an update. If you change the theme, your changes get overwritten at update.
Just search the codex, you’ll see how easy it is.
Don’t forget Gravy, from the guys who made the awesome Mimbo Pro theme!
starkers is always good, its a theme you install that drops you right back to basics! Always good if you need a total bespoke WP layout
Thanks I’m checking it out now. I’ve never used a WordPress framework so I’m just curious to see if it’ll work for me by cutting down on my development time significantly.
Was a little shocked to see so much ‘design’ in some of those frameworks.
I’ve been using the ‘Starkers’ theme from Elliot Jay Stocks for a while now and must say it is a god send. Very easy to get to grips with and start your development as there is literally only the bare bones there.
Check it out: http://starkerstheme.com/
They rightly list Genesis as a paid framework EXCEPT it is GPL’d. That means, onces you have it, you can redistribute under the GPL. You could even fork it.
The Genesis folks are quick to point out that Thesis is not GPL’d so that makes sense. BUT, downloading Genesis directly from the makers is not free, upgrading is not free, documentation is not free and support is not free.
I find this model a little disconcerting. GPL once you have it, you can redistribute it with, say, a child theme you develop but closed in every other aspect.
Does that strike anyone else as funny?
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I would have to agree with most of what deathshadow60 is saying (apart from the bits about javascript framework and partially CSS frameworks, but that’s another story).
I have always made my WP themes from scratch, and decided to try a framework for once. After eliminating most alternatives because of plain lack of quality and flexibility, making them pointless for the task they are supposed to be doing, I finally decided on one. So far I can honestly say I’ve spent more time cleaning up the hideous, bloated, one-size-fits-all output, than I have ever spent making the core functionality from scratch.
Never again, I tell you!
I vote Studiopress.
This has actually been really hard for me. There are so many “great” frameworks out there that it’s hard to use one without wanting to try another one. I guess it’s a grass is greener type situation, but your yard borders a lot of other yards! So far I have tried the WP Framework (not listed) and ThemeShaper. WP Framework isn’t really close to finished and it has some plugin bugs but I’ve used it for some small scale sites, and I’m still digging into ThemeShaper. I really want to give Carrington and Thesis a shot sometime though.
I always see lists and never really any recommendations, like, why to use one over the other. The problem with this is that they all sound so great! (And that’s the best problem to have)