This talk was initially delivered at the Melbourne WordPress User Meetup. With tens of thousands of choices for WordPress users and developers, choosing the right theme is an important decision to make when working on any WordPress project. Theme choice impacts on not only design and UX, but also usability, accessibility, performance and more.

1. Choosing the Right WordPress
Theme for Your Project
@chrisburgess - chrisburgess.com.au - #wpmelb

2. What We’ll Cover…
• What is a theme?
• A word about plugins
• What is a good theme?
• What is a theme framework?
• Different types of themes
• Popular Free Themes
• Popular Commercial Themes
• Why is it important to choose the right theme for the
job?
• How do you install a theme?
• How do you change a theme?

3. What is a theme?

4. All WordPress sites are made up of
WordPress Core, Theme and Plugins.

5. A word about
plugins…

6. “A WordPress Theme is a
collection of files that work together
to produce a graphical interface with an
underlying unifying design for a weblog.
These files are called template files. A
Theme modifies the way the site is
displayed, without modifying the
underlying software.”
https://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Themes

7. What is a good
theme?

8. Actively developed, well supported,
lightweight and compatible with popular
plugins.

9. For free themes on WordPress.org check date
last updated, number of installs and reviews

10. Theme choice is critical not just for
design but for flexibility, usability,
accessibility, security, compatibility,
performance and maintainability.

11. What is a theme
framework?

12. “Frameworks are for theme developers.
They offer a set of standards for theme
developers to use in creating their own
themes. They’re a set of functions/
features created to aid development.”
https://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Frameworks

13. https://www.sitepoint.com/4-popular-wordpress-theme-frameworks/
4 popular frameworks
Genesis
Thesis
WooFramework + Canvas Gantry

14. Ultimatum
Mysitemyway
iThemes Builder
Genesis
Thesis
Devine-elemente
Presswork
Headway
WooFramework
Roots
Beans
X
ThemeFusion
Odin
Gantry
Themeblvd
WordPress Jump Start
SEO Design Framework
Kaytwo or K2
Cherry Framework
Options Framework Theme
UpThemes Framework
Reverie
Vafpress
Titan
Backbone
Skematik
Nouveau
Fluent
Carrington Build
Theme 500
TemplateToaster
Pro Framework
Simon WP Framework
Seed Theme
Tesla Framework
RtPanel
Hybrid Core
Thematic
Runway
WonderFlux
Unyson
FoundationPress
Warp Framework
Sparky
Reactor
Volatyl
Omega
StartBox
Maera
Xtreme One
Redux
WP Casa
Startup
Whiteboard
YA Framework
https://www.sitepoint.com/wordpress-theme-frameworks/
Other frameworks

15. Different types of
themes

16. Starter Themes
Page Builders

17. Starter Theme - Roots
https://roots.io/sage/

18. Starter Theme - Quark
http://quarktheme.com/

19. Page Builder – Divi
http://www.elegantthemes.com/gallery/divi/

20. Popular Free
Themes

21. Twenty Sixteen
https://wordpress.org/themes/twentysixteen/

22. Responsive
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

23. Customizr
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

24. Zerif Lite
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

25. Vantage
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

26. Hueman
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

27. Virtue
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

28. Spacious
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

29. Sydney
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

30. Graphene
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

31. Evolve
https://www.sitepoint.com/10-of-the-most-popular-free-wordpress-themes/

32. Popular
Commercial
Themes

33. StudioPress
http://www.studiopress.com/

34. WooThemes/WooCommerce
https://woocommerce.com/product-category/themes/

35. Elegant Themes
http://www.elegantthemes.com/

36. Theme Marketplaces
h"ps://themeforest.net/category/wordpress

37. Why is it important
to choose the right
theme for the job?

38. Decide first what type of site you are
building (e.g blog, news, business site,
ecommerce, online training, portfolio,
community etc.) and find the right theme
to fit your needs.

39. How do you
install a theme?

40. Demo

41. How do you
change a theme?

42. Demo

43. • WebPagetest.org (http://www.webpagetest.org/)
• Google Page Speed Insights (
https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/)
• Pingdom Speed Test (https://tools.pingdom.com/)
• GTmetrix (https://gtmetrix.com/)
• Akamai Mobitest (http://mobitest.akamai.com/m/index.cgi – a
mobile testing tool by Akamai)
• More page speed tools can be found here:
http://chrisburgess.com.au/page-speed-testing-tools/
Page Speed Testing Tools

44. Panel Discussion
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Thanks to: @maddisondesigns @50Lux @ChrisLaNauze