A Beginner’s Guide to the Kadence Framework & Kadence Themes
In this beginner’s guide, we’ll closely examine the Kadence Framework, Kadence themes, the benefits, and the differences between the free and pro versions. Get ready to unlock the full potential of WordPress with Kadence.
WordPress is one of the most popular website creation platforms in the world. It accounts for around 63.1% of the global CMS market share. Offering users many tools and features to build their online presence.
However, navigating through the various themes and frameworks can overwhelm beginners. That’s where the Kadence Framework comes in.
This powerful tool offers a user-friendly and customizable interface that makes building a WordPress site a breeze.
On Overview | Some Basic WordPress Knowledge
This section seeks to make sure you understand the foundational elements of your WordPress website to make sure the information presented below makes sense.
So let’s start there, shall we?
WordPress
WordPress is your content management system and the tool you use to organize your content, products if you have a shop, and all things for your website. It is continually updated to stay in line with the trends of website publishing and increase the ease of use for users. Since WordPress 5.0, it utilizes the Gutenberg editor.
Gutenberg
Gutenberg is the default editor for WordPress, which was introduced in WordPress 5.0 in late 2018 – early 2019.
It replaced the classic editor and provides more flexibility and freedom to customize the content.
Before Gutenberg, WordPress was quite restrictive, particularly for novice users.
Many people had to rely on third-party theme builders such as Elementor or Divi to have a drag-and-drop interface. However, these builders often affected the site’s speed and performance.
Gutenberg revolutionized the editing experience by introducing a block-based system, where content is created and organized using individual blocks for various elements like paragraphs, headings, images, embeds, and more.
Classic Editor
For many years, the default content editor interface in WordPress was the WordPress Classic Editor.
It offered a simple and straightforward way to create and edit content within WordPress.
The Classic Editor had a text-based interface with basic formatting options, allowing users to write and format text, insert media such as images and videos, create hyperlinks, and manage content without needing extensive technical knowledge.
The introduction of Gutenberg and a departure from the Classic editor meant a significant change in how content was composed and edited within WordPress.
However, due to user preferences and the familiarity of the Classic Editor, WordPress provided a way for users to continue using it.
The Classic Editor plugin allows users to revert to the older, text-centric editing interface, maintaining the previous editing experience for those who prefer it over the block-based Gutenberg Editor.
What is the difference between a theme and framework?
A WordPress theme is the design and layout foundation for a website. It contains visual elements such as layout, color scheme, fonts, and style.
Themes typically provide pre-designed templates for various pages like the home, about, and contact pages, alongside customization options to alter the appearance without requiring extensive coding skills.
Their focus is to enhance the presentation aspect and ensure that the website is visually appealing and user-friendly.
A framework is a comprehensive underlying structure that provides a set of tools, libraries, and functionalities to build themes more efficiently.
Frameworks streamline the development process. Allowing developers to create themes more rapidly and consistently by providing a starting point with pre-built functionalities.
In essence, a WordPress theme is what users interact with directly. While a framework serves as the technical backbone that developers use to create those themes efficiently.
Kadence is a framework that provides child themes. To better understand the relation between frameworks and themes, check out this resource.
Understanding the WordPress Kadence Framework
Now that we have covered some of the main terminology, I hope this information is more digestible.
Kadence Framework offers a user-friendly and customizable interface, simplifying the process of building a WordPress site.
With Kadence, the power to create a stunning website is in your hands.
So, what exactly is the Kadence Framework?
Essentially, it is a collection of tools and features that enhance the functionality and design of your website.
It provides a solid foundation for your site, allowing you to customize and optimize every aspect easily.
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, Kadence makes it easy to create a professional-looking website.
The Benefits of Using the Kadence Framework
The Kadence Framework offers many benefits that can significantly enhance your experience with WordPress.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced website owner, Kadence provides a range of features that will make building and managing your site a breeze.
User-Friendly Interface
First and foremost, one of the major benefits of using the Kadence Framework is its user-friendly interface.
Unlike other frameworks requiring coding knowledge, Kadence offers a drag-and-drop builder that allows you to create and modify your website’s layout easily.
You don’t have to spend hours figuring out complex coding or web development.
With Kadence, you can simply drag and drop elements to create your desired layout, saving you time and frustration.
Pre-Built Templates
In addition to its user-friendly interface, Kadence also provides a wide range of pre-built themes, templates, and designs to choose from.
These fully customizable templates allow you to create a unique and personalized website that reflects your brand and style.
With Kadence, you don’t have to start from scratch, although you can. But if you need a starting point, simply choose a template and customize it to suit your needs.
This is especially beneficial for beginners who may need a clearer vision of how they want their website to look. It provides a starting point and eliminates the need for extensive design knowledge.
Speed And Performance
Another major benefit of the Kadence Framework is its speed and performance optimization.
A fast-loading website is crucial for user experience and search engine rankings.
Kadence is designed to be lightweight and optimized for speed, ensuring your site loads quickly and efficiently.
This improves user experience and helps boost your website’s search engine visibility.
Furthermore, Kadence is built with SEO in mind. It offers built-in schema markup, clean and optimized code, and compatibility with popular SEO plugins.
This helps improve your website’s visibility in search engine results, driving more organic traffic to your site.
Overall, the Kadence Framework provides numerous benefits that can significantly enhance your experience with WordPress.
From its user-friendly interface and customizable templates to its speed and performance optimization, Kadence simplifies the process of building and managing a website.
Harnessing the Power of Kadence’s Free Version
If you’re a website owner on a limited budget, the free version of the Kadence Framework is an excellent option for you. More than 200,000 websites are using the free version of the Kadence Blocks plugin.
While it may not have all the advanced features of the pro version, it still offers a wide range of tools and functionalities that can help you create a stunning website.
One of the main benefits of using the free version of Kadence is that it gives you access to the drag-and-drop builder.
It takes Gutenberg and gives you all the things you love about any page builders out there.
This intuitive tool allows you to easily create and modify your website’s layout without any coding knowledge.
Using Kadence, you can easily add different elements to your web page by dragging and dropping them.
This feature saves you time and effort and gives you complete control over your website’s design.
You can customize the elements to suit your needs and rearrange them accordingly.
Additionally, the free version of Kadence includes performance optimization features. Your website’s speed and performance are crucial for user experience and search engine rankings.
Kadence ensures that your site loads quickly and efficiently by optimizing its code and minimizing unnecessary elements.
This means your visitors will have a seamless browsing experience and will be more likely to stay on your site.
Lastly, the free version of Kadence allows you to take advantage of its built-in SEO features. These features include clean and optimized code, compatibility with popular SEO plugins, and built-in schema markup.
Using these tools, you can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results, driving more organic traffic.
Unlocking More Features with Kadence Pro
While the free version of the Kadence Framework provides a solid foundation for building your website, upgrading to the Pro version unlocks a whole new level of features and functionalities.
With Kadence Pro, you can take your website to the next level and create an even more professional and customized online presence.
One of the key features of Kadence Pro is the expanded library of pre-built templates.
With the Pro version, you can access a broader range of professionally designed templates that cater to various industries and niches.
These templates are visually stunning and optimized for performance, ensuring your website looks great and functions flawlessly.
Whether you’re a blogger, an e-commerce store owner, or a photographer, you’ll find a template that suits your needs and reflects your unique brand.
In addition to the enhanced template library, Kadence Pro also offers advanced design options.
With the Pro version, you have greater control over your website’s layout, styling, and typography.
You can customize every element and fine-tune the design to match your brand identity. Want to change the font size, add a custom color scheme, or adjust the spacing between elements?
Kadence Pro allows you to do all that and more, giving you the freedom to create a truly unique website that stands out from the crowd.
If you’re looking to create dynamic content with ease, the added flexibility of Kadence Pro, building custom content has never been more valuable.
Give yourself the freedom to bring your ideas to life and enhance your website with Kadence Pro.
With the Pro version, you can easily create interactive elements such as sliders, tabs, and accordions to showcase your content in an engaging way.
These dynamic elements make your website more visually appealing and improve user experience by allowing visitors to navigate and consume your content more easily.
Additionally, Kadence Pro offers advanced integrations with popular plugins and third-party services.
Whether you need to integrate your website with an email marketing platform, set up an online store with WooCommerce, or optimize your site for social media sharing, Kadence Pro has you covered.
These integrations allow you to seamlessly connect your website with the tools and services you rely on, making managing and growing your online presence easier.
Overall, upgrading to Kadence Pro unlocks a wide range of advanced features and functionalities that empower you to create a professional and customized website.
With its expanded template library, advanced design options, dynamic content building capabilities, and seamless integrations, Kadence Pro takes your WordPress site to new heights.
Comparing the Free and Pro Versions of The Kadence Framwork
When choosing between the free and pro versions of the Kadence Framework, it’s essential to understand the differences in features and functionalities.
While the free version provides a solid foundation for building your website. The pro version takes it to the next level with an expanded range of options and capabilities.
One of the main differences between the free and pro versions is the template library. With the free version, you have access to a decent selection of pre-built templates that can be customized to suit your needs.
The pro version offers a more comprehensive range of professionally designed templates catering to various industries and niches.
These templates are visually stunning and optimized for performance, ensuring your website looks great and functions flawlessly.
In terms of design options, the pro version provides advanced customization capabilities that go beyond what the free version offers.
With the pro version, you have greater control over your website’s layout, styling, and typography.
You can fine-tune every element to match your brand identity and create a unique website. Whether you want to change the font size, add a custom color scheme, or adjust the spacing between elements, Kadence Pro gives you the flexibility to do so.
Another significant advantage of the pro version is its dynamic content building capabilities.
With the pro version, you can easily create interactive elements such as sliders, tabs, and accordions to showcase your content in a more engaging way.
These dynamic elements make your website more visually appealing and improve user experience by allowing visitors to navigate and consume your content more easily.
When it comes to integrations, the pro version offers advanced compatibility with popular plugins and third-party services.
This means you can seamlessly integrate your website with the tools and services you rely on, such as email marketing platforms, e-commerce platforms, and social media sharing plugins.
This level of integration makes it easier to manage and grow your online presence, saving you time and effort in the long run.
Kadence Integrations
The Kadence Framework not only offers a user-friendly and customizable interface, but it also seamlessly integrates with a wide range of plugins and third-party services.
This level of integration allows you to expand the functionality of your website and connect it with the tools and services you rely on.
Email Marketing
With Kadence, you can easily integrate your website with popular email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
This lets you capture leads and build your subscriber list directly from your website. You can create opt-in forms, pop-ups, and landing pages to attract visitors and convert them into loyal subscribers.
WooCommerce
For those looking to set up an online store, Kadence integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce.
This powerful e-commerce plugin allows you to create and manage your online store easily.
You can showcase your products, manage inventory, process payments, and handle shipping – all within the Kadence Framework. This integration allows you to turn your website into a full-fledged online business.
Social Media
Social media is a crucial component of any online presence, and Kadence makes it easy to integrate your website with social media platforms.
You can add social media sharing buttons to your blog posts and pages, allowing visitors to share your content with their followers easily. This increases your website’s visibility and helps drive more traffic from social media platforms.
SEO Plugins
Additionally, Kadence integrates with popular SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO and All In One SEO. This allows you to optimize your website for search engines and improve your rankings in search engine results.
You can easily add meta tags, optimize your content, and generate XML sitemaps to ensure your website is search engine friendly.
Whether you’re looking to expand your email marketing efforts, set up an online store, enhance your social media presence, or improve your search engine rankings, Kadence has you covered with its extensive integrations.
You can easily connect your website with the tools and services essential for your online success, making Kadence a powerful and versatile framework for your WordPress site.
Can you use page builders with the Kadence framework? If so, which page builders work well with it?
Absolutely!
You can add a page builder, but in my opinion, you don’t need to. Kadence Pro offers everything you have grown to love about your favorite page builders without the site speed sacrifice.
But if you insist, some page builders that work well with Kadence include Elementor, Beaver Builder, and Gutenberg. Elementor is a widely used page builder that allows you to create beautiful and professional designs with its drag-and-drop interface.
Elementor
With Kadence and Elementor working together, you can quickly build and modify your website’s layout without any coding knowledge.
Beaver Builder
Beaver Builder is another popular page builder that seamlessly integrates with Kadence.
It offers a similar drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to customize your website’s design easily. If you prefer to stick with the default WordPress editor, Kadence also works well with Gutenberg.
Gutenberg
Gutenberg is the default WordPress block-based editor that offers a user-friendly interface for creating content.
With Kadence, you can enhance the functionality and design of your Gutenberg blocks, making it even easier to create visually stunning pages.
This is the way that we use Kadence in the studio.
What types of businesses or websites can benefit most from using the Kadence Framework?
The Kadence Framework is a versatile tool that can benefit many businesses and websites.
Whether you’re a small business owner, a blogger, or an e-commerce store owner, Kadence provides the tools and features to help you create a professional and visually stunning website.
Small Businesses
For small businesses, Kadence offers a user-friendly interface and customizable templates that make building a professional online presence easy. You can showcase your products or services, provide information about your business, and create a visually appealing website that attracts potential customers.
Bloggers
Bloggers can also benefit from using the Kadence Framework. With its drag-and-drop builder and customizable templates, you can easily create and modify your blog’s layout without any coding knowledge.
You can showcase your content in a visually appealing way, engage your readers, and build a loyal following.
eCommerce
eCommerce store owners can take advantage of Kadence’s integration with WooCommerce. You can easily create and manage your online store, showcase your products, and provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers.
No matter what type of business or website you have, the Kadence Framework can help you create a professional and visually stunning online presence.
How does the Kadence Framework improve website performance and load speed?
The Kadence Framework goes above and beyond to improve website performance and load speed, ensuring that your site looks great and functions flawlessly.
One of the key factors that contribute to website performance is speed.
A slow-loading website can result in higher bounce rates and frustrated visitors.
The Kadence framework is designed with speed optimization in mind, utilizing lightweight code and minimizing unnecessary elements to ensure that your site loads quickly and efficiently.
By optimizing your website’s code and reducing the size of files, Kadence significantly improves your site’s overall speed and performance.
Additionally, Kadence integrates seamlessly with popular caching plugins, such as WP Rocket, to enhance website performance further.
Caching plugins generate static HTML versions of your web pages, reducing the load on your server and decreasing the time it takes for your site to load.
With Kadence and a caching plugin working together, your site’s speed and performance will be optimized to provide a seamless browsing experience for your visitors.
Another aspect of website performance is efficient code and clean markup.
Kadence framework ensures that the code generated is clean, optimized, and follows best practices.
This contributes to better website performance and makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your site.
Kadence also offers built-in schema markup, which helps search engines understand the content on your site and improve your website’s visibility in search engine results.
With Kadence, you can be confident that your site will load quickly and efficiently, helping you attract and retain more visitors while boosting your search engine rankings.
What is the difference between Kadence and other WordPress frameworks?
When it comes to choosing a framework for your WordPress website, there are several options to consider. One popular choice is the Kadence Framework, but how does it compare to other WordPress frameworks?
One of the key differences between Kadence and other frameworks is its user-friendly interface.
Unlike some frameworks that require coding knowledge, Kadence offers a drag-and-drop builder that makes it easy for beginners to create and modify their website’s layout.
This intuitive tool eliminates the need for complex coding, allowing users to focus on their website’s design and content.
Another difference is the level of customization options available.
While many frameworks offer some degree of customization, Kadence takes it further with its advanced design options.
With Kadence, you have greater control over your website’s layout, styling, and typography, allowing you to create a truly unique and personalized design.
This level of customization is only sometimes available in other frameworks, which may limit your ability to create a website that reflects your brand and vision.
In terms of performance optimization, Kadence is designed to be lightweight and optimized for speed.
This ensures that your website loads quickly and efficiently, providing a seamless browsing experience for your visitors.
Other frameworks may prioritize speed and performance differently, potentially resulting in slower loading times and lower search engine rankings.
Additionally, Kadence integrates seamlessly with popular plugins and third-party services, making it easy to expand the functionality of your website.
This level of integration may only be available in some frameworks, limiting your ability to connect your website with the tools and services you rely on.
If you’re looking for a framework that offers a combination of ease of use, customization, and performance, Kadence may be the perfect choice for your website.
Kadence framework Versus Genesis framework
When choosing a framework for your WordPress website, two popular options often come up in discussions: Kadence and Genesis.
So here’s the deal with Genesis….
In 2024, Genesis is no longer a viable option for your WordPress website, and here’s why:
StudioPress/Genesis has not updated their framework for Core Web Vitals or full site editing. As a result, several issues with the header space cause sites to fail CWV.
It’s been several years since the introduction of core web vitals, and Genesis STILL hasn’t updated, and it doesn’t look like they are planning to update in the near future.
Kadence is seemingly its replacement. Many WordPress theme builders who initially built their themes with the Genesis framework have retired their Genesis themes and rebranded them with the Kadence framework.
And for good reason. It allows you to customize your theme and site without learning to code in Gutenberg.
With each new major WordPress update, more and more things are breaking on sites running Genesis themes. Also, PHP version changes are affecting sites as well.
If you are still using a Genesis theme, I recommend switching to Kadence. This way, you will be ahead of the game and prevent any breaks with future updates. WordPress will continue to update and evolve.
When the parts of your car are no longer available, you face a tough decision. Do you continue driving and hope that nothing goes wrong, or do you buy a new car to avoid any negative impact on your livelihood? This dilemma is especially relevant for those who earn a living through their website.
;TLDR
This got long, so here’s the Short and Skinny on Kadence.
The Kadence Framework is a powerful tool that can revolutionize your experience with WordPress. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced website owner, Kadence offers a user-friendly interface, customizable templates, and advanced features that make building and managing a website a breeze.
From its drag-and-drop builder to its speed optimization and SEO capabilities, Kadence empowers you to create a professional and visually stunning website that stands out.
The free version of Kadence provides a solid foundation, giving you access to essential tools and functionalities. However, upgrading to Kadence Pro unlocks additional features and customization options.
With its expanded template library, advanced design options, and dynamic content building capabilities, Kadence Pro allows you to take your website to new heights and create a unique online presence.
Whether you’re a small business owner, a blogger, or an e-commerce store owner, the Kadence Framework can benefit you.
Its versatility and extensive integrations make it a valuable tool for any type of website or business. In conclusion, the Kadence Framework is a game-changer that allows you to unlock the full potential of WordPress and create a website that reflects your brand and vision.
So don’t let the complexities of website creation hold you back – try out the Kadence Framework and see how it can transform your online presence.
TaKenya
A life and business coach at TaKenya Hampton Coaching, owner of Studio117 Creative, and the girl behind the stove or drill at the Kenya Rae Blog. A total WordPress geek and lover of systems that help businesses run smoothly. My goal is to make things look good, work well, and help business owners reach their full potential—whether they’re working solo as a solopreneur or with a team.
