What is the Genesis Framework?

The search for appropriate WordPress themes quickly becomes a test of patience: One layout template may meet the optical standards, but doesn’t have the necessary tool for search engine optimisation. Another theme may promise to meet the requirements of functions and SEO, but leaves a lot to be desired in terms of design. There are also plugin compatibility issues, unclean programming, or constantly changing security flaws. As a result, website templates change regularly, which requires a large amount of time and effort. Basic themes such as Genesis Framework can provide a way out of this dilemma and make complicated layout changes a thing of the past.

On the website studiopress.com you can acquire the Genesis Framework as well as various other high-quality WordPress themes. The owner and operator of the site is the American company Rainmaker Digital, which is also active in the areas of online marketing, conversion optimisation, and content marketing. All of the StudioPress themes offered are Genesis child themes, which are formed based on the parent theme of Genesis Framework. If you would like to use the layout templates, you must also add the framework to your WordPress installation. You can find out more about what is behind this theme combination technology in our comprehensive introductory guide on WordPress theme frameworks.

As opposed to many other parent themes, the range of features of Genesis is deliberately minimised. While other frameworks often consist of hundreds of CSS, image, and JavaScript files, Genesis only contains around 100 files. Instead of implementing all possible functions and design options in the parent theme, the developers decided to offer update-intensive features as plugins. This way, users can decide for themselves whether they need a particular layout option and add them at any point without a problem. Updating individual functions doesn’t necessarily require an update of the entire framework. With the help of the WordPress plugin Genesis Translation you can easily add outputs in other languages to the Genesis Framework. The lean structure provides the following three basic advantages for finished StudioPress themes and the development of unique templates: 1. Top speeds Both Framework and its child themes have only a small influence on the performance of your WordPress projects. This ensures fast loading times, which is of great importance not only for your search engine ranking, but also for the satisfaction of your visitors. 2. Flexible adaption possibilities Although the parent theme is a stand-alone template that allows you to easily design a simple page, it doesn’t include any specific settings that either affect or limit your design. There are, thankfully, many highly effective plugins available for nearly all adaptations that can’t be implemented with the core Genesis theme. 3. High security factor WordPress sites have been a favorite target of cybercriminals since the enormous distribution of the content management system. The first points of attack are usually plugins and themes, most of which are developed by third-party vendors and so not verified by the WordPress developer, Automattic. Above all, complex frameworks can contain security gaps that allow attackers to access your project data. The code of the Genesis Framework is 100% documented as well as subjected to a full security check with each update.

Every Genesis child theme has its own functional and visual elements that expand on the core framework. In this way, the different StudioPress Genesis themes vary from one another, while the framework always remains the same, so that you don’t decide to deviate from the parent-child structure and end up reworking the Genesis Framework itself. This is possible because of the current GNU Public License, but isn't generally recommendable. The following list shows the most important features offered by default in the WordPress framework.

• Responsive web design based on HTML5: With Genesis, you design your website layout using flexible building blocks that have been developed according to the new HTML5 standard. Child themes automatically adapt to different display sizes, and are compatible with all popular browsers. This allows you to reach the maximum number of users and optimise the delivery of your audio and video content.

• Basic SEO functions: The framework comes with a very clean and optimized code base, and also allows you to mark your page with microdata using Schema.org. Other options include various page titles, customisable descriptions, and easy generation of robots.txt files for different pages and archives.

• Standard widgets: Thanks to some standard templates, you don’t have to redesign all of the elements of your website. For example, a finished author’s box already exists that displays the author of a post, as well as widgets for popular posts or pages. In addition, all of the building blocks for the implementation of advertising, such as Google AdSense ads, are already optimised.

• Layout templates: With the Genesis Framework, you can create your entire personalized site layout. But the parent theme also contains six prefabricated structures that you can draw from if necessary.

• Simple theme updating: The adaptation of a child theme is possible at any time. In the options, you can easily switch layouts or choose a new colour scheme without compromising the functionality of your project, and all changes are directly accepted.

• Uncomplicated updates: Keeping Genesis up-to-date is simple, even for inexperienced users. New updates can be automatically downloaded and installed. You also have the option to specify an e-mail address to be informed about available updates.

It’s already been mentioned that StudioPress offers not only Genesis Framework, but also many finished child themes. More than 50 different “pro” themes in the categories of business, magazine, photography, and property bear the distinct handwriting of the framework. They’re also characterised by slim programming that is associated with high levels of clarity and excellent processing speed. The implemented SEO functions and the easy adaptability to different display sizes and browsers are also a main point that helps to optimally increase the popularity of your web project. For every theme, there are backend as well as frontend language files available. You can find all of the officially supported Genesis child themes in the StudioPress theme shop.

There are three different possibilities for acquiring Genesis Framework:

• Buy just the Framework
• Buy a child theme and Framework comes included with it
• Complete a “Pro Plus” membership and get both Framework and all current and future child themes

In each case, you can use Framework or its themes for any number of web projects thanks to the license you’ve purchased – with many other vendors, usage is often restricted to a single website. In addition, you get access to useful tutorials, regular updates for Framework and purchased themes, as well as help with technical problems through Genesis Support. The first two purchase options grant you these services for a lifetime, so you only have to pay the license fee for Framework or a child theme once. If you opt for the “Pro Plus” membership, you’ll be charged an annual fee to renew the license.

Genesis is rightly one of the most popular and widely used WordPress theme frameworks. Around 200,000 web projects have already been created using the leanly coded framework, which offers you an optimum degree of freedom when creating and customising WordPress themes. If you’re missing a function, you can easily add it using a plugin. In comparison to other layout templates, Genesis brings in its own SEO components, which usually have to be integrated using WordPress extensions. The developers keep the parent theme as well as all of its child themes up-to-date and ensure security through regular audits. Thanks to the 30-day money-back guarantee, you can easily test the Genesis Framework to see if it suits your needs before fully committing.