Lightweight Wordpress themes.

AllUpHere

Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Jun 30, 2014
    4,074
    1,684
    Any suggestions for good lightweight responsive themes.

    I've been messing about with https://extendthemes.com/mesmerize/
    but I'm a bit concerned that as such themes are so bloated, i'll struggle to get a decent speed.

    Would it be possible to get such a theme to work at a decent speed, or am I banging my head against a wall?

    Any suggestions gratefully received.
     

    dotcomdude

    Free Member
    Business Listing
    Jul 27, 2018
    532
    110
    Would it be possible to get such a theme to work at a decent speed?

    Put it on a fast host, optimised for Wordpress and it will probably be OK.

    Of course you'll always have whatever security vulnerabilities they built in either by design or by accident.

    In my 20 years of outsourcing development, I'd say that most (not all) developers don't really consider security by default.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: AllUpHere
    Upvote 0

    AllUpHere

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Jun 30, 2014
    4,074
    1,684
    Put it on a fast host, optimised for Wordpress and it will probably be OK.

    Of course you'll always have whatever security vulnerabilities they built in either by design or by accident.

    In my 20 years of outsourcing development, I'd say that most (not all) developers don't really consider security by default.
    Wouldn't the security issue be the same regardless of which theme was used?
     
    Upvote 0

    dotcomdude

    Free Member
    Business Listing
    Jul 27, 2018
    532
    110
    Wouldn't the security issue be the same regardless of which theme was used?

    No, because they will probably use all sorts of free/open source javascript code to create sliders and ajax effects etc. That's where most of the high profile hacks have come in over the years, in malicious/defective code that was used as a shortcut to something.

    There are developers on here that can code themes and WP plugins from scratch. If you wanted to be safer, I'd probably get one of them to create something for you - providing they will take on board the security side of things.
     
    Upvote 0

    AllUpHere

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Jun 30, 2014
    4,074
    1,684
    No, because they will probably use all sorts of free/open source javascript code to create sliders and ajax effects etc. That's where most of the high profile hacks have come in over the years, in malicious/defective code that was used as a shortcut to something.

    There are developers on here that can code themes and WP plugins from scratch. If you wanted to be safer, I'd probably get one of them to create something for you - providing they will take on board the security side of things.
    Sorry, yes, I should have been more specific. Wouldn't most of the most popular themes suffer the same vulnerabilities? Stuff like Divi, that seem to be the theme for half the internet?
     
    Upvote 0

    dotcomdude

    Free Member
    Business Listing
    Jul 27, 2018
    532
    110
    Wouldn't most of the most popular themes suffer the same vulnerabilities? Stuff like Divi, that seem to be the theme for half the internet?

    Yes, you're correct. I don't know why I started that last message with No!

    The only way you can be sure that a publicly available theme like these is safe, is if you have a competent developer go through all of the code line-by-line - and run vulnerability scans on them. Obviously no-one does this, except for the big people when they get hacked and have to start again...
     
    • Like
    Reactions: AllUpHere
    Upvote 0

    fisicx

    Moderator
    Sep 12, 2006
    46,686
    8
    15,381
    Aldershot
    www.aerin.co.uk
    Pretty much any of the free themes in the wp repository are lightweight.

    Pretty much all the themes you get from theme forest are full of bloat.

    Add a page builder and you no longer have a lightweight anything.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: gpietersz
    Upvote 0

    fisicx

    Moderator
    Sep 12, 2006
    46,686
    8
    15,381
    Aldershot
    www.aerin.co.uk
    Try to add a theme to themeforest without a shed load of features and it gets rejected. They want themes full of crud.
     
    Upvote 0

    Alan

    Free Member
  • Aug 16, 2011
    7,089
    1,974
    Load them with every feature even though the end use might only use some of them.

    It is a marketing approach to attract newbies and the inexperienced to part with their cash - looking for an 'easy' option to build their website, rather than forking out 'a small fortune' for a professional to do it for them, or spending weeks or months or years researching and investigating and learning.
     
    Upvote 0
    I like people that use WordPress websites as it makes my job much easier to rank above them. These "paint by numbers" websites have to be full of extra code, due to the amount of code for the templates, to help search engines find the actual content.
    Best go to a real developer who can use the latest bootstrap template to build a responsive site for you that is faster than the competition. Use a http2 host and the new image formats.
     
    Upvote 0

    fisicx

    Moderator
    Sep 12, 2006
    46,686
    8
    15,381
    Aldershot
    www.aerin.co.uk
    These "paint by numbers" websites have to be full of extra code, due to the amount of code for the templates, to help search engines find the actual content.
    Not if you do it right. A well configured Wordpress site has no more code than any other CMS.

    And no decent developer will be using bootstrap - it’s a bloated and out of date dinosaur.
     
    Upvote 0
    I like people that use WordPress websites as it makes my job much easier to rank above them. These "paint by numbers" websites have to be full of extra code, due to the amount of code for the templates, to help search engines find the actual content.
    Best go to a real developer who can use the latest bootstrap template to build a responsive site for you that is faster than the competition. Use a http2 host and the new image formats.

    The amount of source code is pretty much irrelevant these days, especially with advanced compression and caching techniques. One could even say you're a bit behind the game relying on http2?

    You also don't see many successful sites with minimal source code and no third-party dependencies, usually the exact reverse.
     
    Upvote 0

    AllUpHere

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Jun 30, 2014
    4,074
    1,684
    I like people that use WordPress websites as it makes my job much easier to rank above them. These "paint by numbers" websites have to be full of extra code, due to the amount of code for the templates, to help search engines find the actual content.
    Best go to a real developer who can use the latest bootstrap template to build a responsive site for you that is faster than the competition. Use a http2 host and the new image formats.
    You've gotta love this forum. Just because I ask a question about WordPress, you presume I don't know what I'm doing and that you'd be able to outrank me.
    I do take your point regarding bloated and unnecessary code though, so let me give a bit more info.

    As I would imagine is the case for a lot of forum members, I often have a great idea (usually when sat on the toilet), and immediately grab a load of domains related to the aforementioned ingenious idea. Invariably, I then get busy with client work, and put yet another idea on the back burner. I now have a significant amount of domains registered, just sitting there costing me registrations fees.
    What I want, is a decent theme that I can get the hang of quickly, and use for multiple sites, to quickly implement a few ideas in my spare time, and see if any gain any traction. I can use a decent reseller hosting account to keep everything working at a reasonable speed, and also keep the sites on separate control panels. I just need an easy way to quickly throw some sites together. If any show any promise, I'll invest in the skills of a designer and dev as I usually would for any other project.
     
    Upvote 0

    gpietersz

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Sep 10, 2019
    2,721
    2
    713
    Northwhich, Cheshire
    pietersz.net
    @AllUpHere you got some useful advice as well, in particular:

    Add a page builder and you no longer have a lightweight anything.

    In general, the more flexible a theme is, the heavier it will be. You need to add stuff to make any system more flexible.

    Just find free themes you like.

    I can use a decent reseller hosting account to keep everything working at a reasonable speed, and also keep the sites on separate control panels. I just need an easy way to quickly throw some sites together.

    If you want to minimize work Wordpress (and some other CMSs) allow you to run multiple sites from a single install. The wordpress docs are here: https://wordpress.org/support/article/create-a-network/

    and immediately grab a load of domains related to the aforementioned ingenious idea

    I had a conversation just a few days ago about the tendency of sales and marketing people (and it always seems to be them) to do this :D. You differ from some other the others I know as they get their ideas in the pub.:)
     
    Upvote 0
    As I would imagine is the case for a lot of forum members, I often have a great idea (usually when sat on the toilet), and immediately grab a load of domains related to the aforementioned ingenious idea. Invariably, I then get busy with client work, and put yet another idea on the back burner. I now have a significant amount of domains registered, just sitting there costing me registrations fees.

    Have a look at wix or weebly to create your free website then if the idea has legs buy the domains then
     
    Upvote 0
    D

    Deleted member 315707

    My opinion and I know lots feel differently but hey it's my opinion and you won't change it. Wordpress is garbage, don't use Wordpress, stop cutting corners and do things properly. Fundamentally interlacing PHP code with HTML is so 00's.. everything about the way it stores data and presents it is hideous..

    ..the only reason why Wordpress (and plugins like WooCommerce) are so popular is because it's perceived to be free or at least cheap. For every quality, fast site running Wordpress likehttps://www.sonymusic.com/ there are a 50 gazillion terrible ones. Try something like Ghost CMS instead...
     
    Upvote 0

    gpietersz

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Sep 10, 2019
    2,721
    2
    713
    Northwhich, Cheshire
    pietersz.net
    My opinion and I know lots feel differently but hey it's my opinion and you won't change it. Wordpress is garbage, don't use Wordpress, stop cutting corners and do things properly. Fundamentally interlacing PHP code with HTML is so 00's.. everything about the way it stores data and presents it is hideous

    True - and entirely irrelevant. The OP decided he wanted to use Wordpress to get some sites up quickly.

    When you want to quickly try something, that is exactly when you should cut corners. If one of the OP's ideas looks like it will work and he decides to build a business around it then your advice is relevant.

    .the only reason why Wordpress (and plugins like WooCommerce) are so popular is because it's perceived to be free or at least cheap.

    I doubt it. There are lots and lots of free alternatives.

    People use Wordpress because its easy: they already know how to use it, and its easy to host (lots of shared hosts have one click installers) and its easy to find (especially cheap) developers and designers to work with it.

    On top of that there are lots of themes and plugins. Many are heavy, many are insecure, but if you want something up and running quickly and cheaply, you can live with that.

    You need plugins far too often: I installed one on my blog the other day just so I could upload SVG images in posts. Annoying, but at least there was a plugin. On a less popular CMS I might have had to write one myself.
     
    Upvote 0

    fisicx

    Moderator
    Sep 12, 2006
    46,686
    8
    15,381
    Aldershot
    www.aerin.co.uk
    Try something like Ghost CMS instead...
    I have. It’s a pain in the butt. Self hosting means a whole load of faffing about and doing any development isn’t simple.

    If you know what you are doing Wordpress is fine.
     
    Upvote 0

    fisicx

    Moderator
    Sep 12, 2006
    46,686
    8
    15,381
    Aldershot
    www.aerin.co.uk
    Nothing to do with the people and the relative “brow” heights they achieve, it’s all to do with Wordpress being garbage.
    Great. But for your average joe the alternatives are just as garbage. In any case, people don't care that it's garbage, they just see it a low cost way to set up a website.

    Show me an alternate platform I can set up in minutes, add a contact form, create galleries, switch themes and customise with the ease of WordPress and I'll consider using it.
     
    Upvote 0

    fisicx

    Moderator
    Sep 12, 2006
    46,686
    8
    15,381
    Aldershot
    www.aerin.co.uk
    This is just the problem, don't struggle, value your time.
    What do you suggest my mum uses for her craft group. Or the youth footie team use for events and payments? Or the butchers uses to take orders. All of these built by the owners using WordPress at no cost.
     
    Upvote 0
    What I want, is a decent theme that I can get the hang of quickly, and use for multiple sites, to quickly implement a few ideas in my spare time, and see if any gain any traction.

    I use https://generatepress.comfor a number of my sites. My coding skills are zero so I need something that produces simple sites that are responsive and quick to load almost straight out of the box.

    factoring for recruitment companies is one such site that I made myself using Generate Press and it ranks well in the Page Speed Insights test and could no doubt be improved considerably by someone who knew what they were doing :D
     
    • Like
    Reactions: AllUpHere
    Upvote 0

    AllUpHere

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Jun 30, 2014
    4,074
    1,684
    Some of you lot crack me up. WordPress is perfectly suitable for my needs. All I need to know, is whether or not a theme / page builder similar to the one I linked to, would be good enough to test ideas. It just has to be good enough, no more. I dont want blisteringly fast, I just don't want so slow that visitors notice its slow.

    Technically excellent websites are only of interest to other Web devs and designers. Nobody else cares.
     
    Upvote 0

    AllUpHere

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Jun 30, 2014
    4,074
    1,684
    I use https://generatepress.comfor a number of my sites. My coding skills are zero so I need something that produces simple sites that are responsive and quick to load almost straight out of the box.

    factoring for recruitment companies is one such site that I made myself using Generate Press and it ranks well in the Page Speed Insights test and could no doubt be improved considerably by someone who knew what they were doing :D
    Thank you Ian, that's useful.
     
    Upvote 0
    Upvote 0
    I use https://generatepress.comfor a number of my sites. My coding skills are zero so I need something that produces simple sites that are responsive and quick to load almost straight out of the box.

    I had a look at generate press a while back and the default set-up was quite impressive. The only thing that put me off was learning the ins and outs of a new framework.

    Are you using the premium themes or just basic?
     
    Upvote 0

    gpietersz

    Free Member
  • Business Listing
    Sep 10, 2019
    2,721
    2
    713
    Northwhich, Cheshire
    pietersz.net
    Technically excellent websites are only of interest to other Web devs and designers. Nobody else cares.

    Nobody else cares until they get hacked, or they have to redo the website to customise it, or they realise how much modifications costs, or they realise that they are losing customers because its slow loading, or any of countless problems poor quality causes.

    I can think of customers who have paid several times the cost of wiring good code in the extra work required to maintain and extend bad code.

    What do you suggest my mum uses for her craft group. Or the youth footie team use for events and payments? Or the butchers uses to take orders.

    Impossible to say without know the people involved.

    If ease of use is the overwhelming consideration, a site builder. Yes, they are rubbish in terms of technical excellence in the front end, but they are by far the easiest option.

    Otherwise any CMS you can find hosting with a one click install for. Wordpress is the most common but a minute on Google will find plenty more options (Ghost, Microweber, Joomla etc.). Not used any of these but plenty of people seem to like them.

    Very often, a service focused on your type of business or organisation. For example the sailing club my daughter belongs to has a site provided by a sailing club site provider. It has all the functionality they need, out of the box. Some of it is very specific to sailing clubs. As you know, I am not a huge fan of SaaS, but sometimes it makes sense.

    If you want future flexibility (e.g. you know you are likely to need custom development). Then its worth the extra cost of getting someone to setup some thing else (my choice would probably be Wagtail, but there are a lot of others) and a simple install of almost anything will not be expensive. Not likely for your mum's craft group, but for a lot of businesses it makes sense to be able to automate and integrate things easily, add custom functionality, etc.
     
    Upvote 0
    Nobody else cares until they get hacked, or they have to redo the website to customise it, or they realise how much modifications costs, or they realise that they are losing customers because its slow loading, or any of countless problems poor quality causes.

    If they are penny pinching on hosting (as most are) then that comes with the territory, regardless of whatever they using to build a site.

    A decent managed wordpress host will guarantee you hack proof and sort any other performance problems for you. But, alas, it's not on offer for £20 a year - so there you go...
     
    Upvote 0
    I had a look at generate press a while back and the default set-up was quite impressive. The only thing that put me off was learning the ins and outs of a new framework.

    Are you using the premium themes or just basic?

    I am using the basic theme but with the premium add ons. The learning curve to produce simple websites isn't too bad
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Darren_Ssc
    Upvote 0

    Latest Articles

    Join UK Business Forums for free business advice