40+ Great WordPress Frameworks for Theme & Plugin Development

A framework is a base or parent theme template that can be used as a foundation for theme development, basically reusable building blocks of a wordpress theme.

Untitled-1

Let us take a quick on some of the best frameworks available to develop themes and plugins for wordpress.

Codestar

http://codestarframework.com/

codestar

  • Lightweight wordpress theme options framework
  • Shortcodes and customizer options
  • License: GNU Public license

Cherry Framework

http://www.cherryframework.com/

cherry

  • Fully responsive, 100+ handy elements, 80+ comfy short codes, unlimited colors
  • Super cool sliders, Easy install, Bootstrap functions, Widgets
  • License: Free

Unyson

http://unyson.io/

unyson

  • Build wordpress themes with ease through drag and drop builder
  • Built in extensions and options.
  • Free license

Understrap

http://understrap.com/

underscore

  • Starter theme and bootsrap grid framework
  • Slider & Icon fonts,  Options panel and woocommerce support
  • Free download

Beans

http://www.getbeans.io/

beans

  • Lightweight framework built for speed
  • Responsive content with adaptive images
  • SEO friendly and extendable

Foundation Press

https://foundationpress.olefredrik.com/

foundationpress

  • Ultimate starter theme and responsive framework built on top of Zurb
  • Free open source project contains tools to build any website.
  • Customizable and built for speed

Runway

http://runwaywp.com/

runway

  • Generate new wordpress themes using child theme generator
  • Addons available such as plugins, themes and more.
  • 100% open source and free with custom branding

Themosis

http://framework.themosis.com/

themosis

  • Simple code syntax to build rapid wordpress websites and applications.
  • Manage the behaviour of website theme or application.
  • Seamlessly integrates to wordpress APIs and Plugins
  • License: Free

Gantry

http://gantry.org/

gantry

  • Next generation theme framework from Rockettheme development team
  • Powerful layout manager, Mega menu support, Visual menu, Ajax admin
  • Fast & lightweight, Free and Open source

Hybrid core

http://themehybrid.com/hybrid-core

hybrid

  • WordPress framework built for themes
  • Features such as Gallery, Media grabber, Pagination, Breadcrumbs, Layouts, Templates etc.
  • 100% open source and free

Volatyl

http://volatylthemes.com/

volatyl

  • 7 Responsive layouts, Supports child themes
  • Add menus, pagination, logo etc.
  • Customize built in hooks
  • License: Commercial ($29 per site)

Ultimatum framework

https://ultimatumtheme.com/

ultimate

  • Drag and drop theme builder (no coding required)
  • Includes premium plugins and bootstrap
  • Commercial license ($65) for unlimited domains

Nouveau

http://nouveauframework.com/

nouveau

  • Rapid development wordpress theme and plugin framework
  • Clean code, free and open source
  • Built on top of Zurb for speed

Reverie

http://themefortress.com/reverie/

reverie

  • Versatile wordpress html5 framework based on Zurb
  • Fully responsive, SEO friendly, Child themes
  • Free under MIT license

Jumpstart

http://wpjumpstart.com/

jumpstartjpg

  • Powerful wordpress framework (Commercial)
  • Modern responsive design with integration to twitter bootstrap
  • Parallax and video backgrounds, Lightbox, Social media, Google fonts

rtCamp

https://rtcamp.com/rtpanel/

rtpanel

  • Theme framework based on Foundation5.
  • Mobile responsive, Grid system,  HTML5, Font Awesome support
  • 100% GPL, 100% Free

Vafpress

http://vafpress.com/vafpress-framework/

vafpress

  • Admin options framework for wordpress
  • Theme option builder with data validation
  • Form fields interaction with meta builder

Redux

https://reduxframework.com/

redux

  • Options framework for wordpress themes and plugins
  • Clean code, brandable, cross browser compatible
  • 100% open source

TemplateToaster

http://templatetoaster.com/

templtoaster

  • Framework for multi CMS (wordpress, joomla, drupal, magento etc..)
  • Responsive design, fonts and color schemes
  • Social media integration

Layers

http://www.layerswp.com/

layers

  • Site builder built into wordpress with point and click interface
  • Responsive, Woocommerce integrated
  • Free and open source

Klasik

http://www.klasikthemes.com/framework/

klassik

  • Responsive and flexible framework
  • Search engine friendly
  • HTML5 and CSS3 support

Warp

https://yootheme.com/themes/warp-framework

warp

  • Cutting edge, fast, lightweight, standalone framework
  • Supports all browsers, Responsive, Markup
  • Blueprint master theme to build your own custom themes

UpThemes Framework

https://upthemes.com/upthemes-framework/

upthemes

  • Framework to use WordPress Settings API and Theme Customizer
  • Custom layouts and color themes
  • Live theme customizer, Custom header and background images

Equity

http://www.agentevolution.com/equity/

equity

  • Real estate theme framework for wordpress for broker and agent websites
  • Mobile responsive and IDX broker optimization
  • License: Commercial

Wonderflux

http://wonderflux.com/

wonderflux

  • Open source responsive theme framework
  • Rapidly develop highly sophisticated themes
  • Free to use

SEO Design framework

http://www.seodesignframework.com/

seodesignframework

  • Powerful SEO design framework for wordpress
  • Drag and drop templates, Mobile ready
  • Drag and drop, secure optimized code, Woocommerce

MVC Framework

http://wpmvc.org/

wpmvc

  • WordPress MVC (model, view , controller) framework similar to CakePHP and Ruby-on-rails
  • Access to wordpress actions and filter hooks to rapidly build wordpress sites using native functionality
  • Free to download as wordpress plugin

Backbone

http://colorlabsproject.com/themes/backbone/

backbone

  • Ultra clean powerful theme framework with unlimited options
  • Child themes, built-in page templates, a powerful theme panel
  • Commercial

Skematic Framework

http://skematiktheme.com/

skematik

  • Base Theme + Framework + Bootstrap components
  • Includes Options panel library, Metabox library, Theme customizer, Automatic page titles
  • Commercial license

Piklist Framework

https://piklist.com/

pilklist

  • Rapid development framework for developers
  • Super simple, write less code in wordpress themes and plugins.
  • Free to download (available as plugin)

Largo

http://largoproject.org/

largo

  • WordPress framework for news websites
  • Powerful publishing tools, Responsive & developer friendly
  • Free to download

Scaffolding

http://scaffolding.io/

scaffolding

  • Bootstrap grids, Fontawesome icons
  • Modular CSS architecture,  Clean tested and documented code
  • Free of charge

Woocommerce

https://www.woothemes.com/woocommerce/

woocommerce

  • Popular e-commerce online store toolkit for wordpress.
  • Used by 30% of online stores powered by wordpress
  • Free and open source

Generate Press

https://generatepress.com

generatepress

  • Lightweight, responsive wordpress theme and framework
  • Developer friendly, Addons and more
  • Free to use

YA Framework

http://www.flytheme.net/wordpress/themes/item/475-ya-framework-responsive-wordpress-theme-framework

yaframework

  • Layout builder, Responsive design, Shortcodes
  • Powerful templates framework with Less and Bootstrap
  • Free to download

Base Framework

https://graphpaperpress.com/themes/base/

base

  • Feature rich theme framework to write child themes
  • Page templates, backgrounds, responsive, clean code
  • Includes access to 56 themes.

Impulse Press

http://www.impulse-press.com/

impulse

  • WordPress starter theme built on bootstrap framework
  • Packed with revolution slider, options framework and shortcodes
  • Commercial license ($35)

 

Audiotheme

https://audiotheme.com/view/audiotheme/

audithemeframework

  • Platform for music oriented websites (available as plugin)
  • Features such as Live performance, tour dates, track albums, videos
  • Commercial license

OPtions

https://wordpress.org/plugins/options-framework/

options

  • Create featured options panel in any wordpress theme
  • Available as wordpress plugin
  • Free to use for personal or commercial projects

Genesis Framework

http://my.studiopress.com/themes/genesis/

  • Build custom designed child themes with this framework
  • Airtight security,  SEO friendly, Custom widgets & layout options
  • Unlimited domains, Advertising ready, Commercial

genesis

Titan Framework

http://www.titanframework.net/

  • WordPress options framework for themes and plugins
  • Creatte admin pages, tabs, options, meta boxes, theme customizer sections
  • Easy to use and setup with three lines of code.

titan