Standard set of plugins that simplify site management

Sometimes a premade theme may not capture your brand’s tone of voice. In this case, you can order a design in a web studio and contact the developers who will bring the idea to life. So, we want to tell you how our company approaches WP theme development with individual design:

  1. We deploy the project and install the base theme, which we use when developing a turnkey website with a unique design and logic.
    1.1. Initially, we install a standard set of plugins that simplify site management, namely:
  • Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) — used to create fields and blocks with information;
  • ACF Extended — install to expand the previous plugin’s functionality;
  • Contact Form 7 — allows us to create feedback forms;
  • Contact Form 7 DataBase — the plugin is required to save the responses to the form to the database;
  • TinyMCE Advanced — it empowers TinyMCE в WordPress.
Standard set of plugins that simplify site management

2. The next step of custom WordPress theme development is creating global site styles. To do this, we open the layout (UI kit) and form such elements:

  • Headings. We define styles for all headers — H1, H2, H3, etc. This stage includes defining the font, size, color, line spacing, and other parameters.
  • Paragraphs. Next, we create styles for paragraphs, defining parameters identical to the previous paragraph.
  • Buttons. The base style definition for buttons includes the background color, text color, size, corner radius, font, and other settings.
  • Text fields. To create a style for text fields, the basic parameters regarding letters and other characters, and the background are also defined.
  • General indents from sections. At this stage, we set the standard padding from all sections, including external and internal.

In this process, it is important to adhere to the UI kit of the client’s brand. Without special skills it is difficult to ensure the site’s consistency when developing a theme, we recommend hiring WordPress developers with the necessary skills and experience.

1. Next, we open the project in Figma and take the template. We start by evaluating the functionality, then we think over the logic in the WordPress admin panel for further filling and development. We separate unique and repetitive sections to save time during development later. We use the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin for this. It allows you to create custom fields that help you customize the content in your WordPress admin area.

2. Using ACF to provide WordPress theme development services.

  • The plugin allows you to create different types of fields — dates, drop-down lists, text blocks, etc. We can customize these fields for products, info pages, posts, and more.
  • If we need a repeating section, for example for reviews, we create a set of ACF fields for each review. They include the client’s name, photo, rating, and review text.
  • Once set up, a site administrator can easily add, edit, or remove reviews without making changes to the code. Thanks to this site, it is convenient and easy to use without special skills. This logic applies not only to reviews but also to other web page blocks.

3. Next, the specialists of our WordPress theme development company transfer the layout to the code, starting the development process. Initially, we create a unique template and then turn the layout design into code, adapting the WordPress layout using ACF fields. The code is written based on PHP, and the layout is done using HTML, and SCCS. SCCS is an extended CCS syntax that allows for variables, mixing, inheritance, and more. In addition, we use JavaScript/jQuery. JavaScript libraries are used to achieve the following goals:

  • Modal windows (pop-ups). We can use libraries like FancyBox or Magnific Popup to easily create modal windows for feedback forms, large images, videos, etc.
  • Animations. Libraries like GSAP or Anime.js allow us to add complex animations to elements on the site.
  • Customizing select. Using the Select2 library or similar, we can customize dropdown lists (select) to make them more attractive and user-friendly.
  • Custom Scrollbar. For a better user experience, we can use libraries like Perfect Scrollbar to replace the standard scrollbar with a more aesthetic and functional one.

These are the main processes to provide WP website development with individual design. Through the use of these technologies and libraries, we provide high rates of dynamism, productivity, and flexibility of sites. It is not enough to develop a site, after that we test it to make sure there are no bugs, errors, excellent performance, and loading speed.

Our QA engineers use the following tools:

  • Lambdatest. This is a handy simulator on which compatibility is tested. The program allows you to see how the site looks, functions, and behaves on different devices and operating systems. For example, how it is adapted for mobile gadgets or tablets.
  • SEO META in 1 CLICK. This is a plugin that makes it easy to check page metadata.
  • Perfect pixel. The tool allows you to compare how the finished site matches the layout, and whether there are any slightest discrepancies with it.
QA Engineers' Essential Tools

In addition, testers use tools such as Toggle rulers, and Tag Assistant Legacy. Thanks to an integrated approach, you can get a WP theme development from scratch with testing and not worry that it will work with errors.

Examples: WP Theme Elements We Implemented

You can get a detailed look at the features that we have implemented in the Portfolio tab, where our cases are described in detail. However, we will give the most striking elements examples:

  • custom scrolls, preloaders;
  • bright animations;
  • different wow effects.

So, WordPress theme development cost depends on the features you want. We can create your personal theme with a design of any complexity. If you want to discuss your project and calculate it, get professional advice, fill out the form below, or write to us. The main advantages of cooperation with us:

  • experienced developers;
  • more than 60 created custom plugins;
  • 15+ completed complex integrations;
  • complex approach to WordPress theme development.

If you don’t know how expensive development will be, get a development cost calculated according to your project. Entrust the theme development for your site to professionals and get a cool design with clean code!