Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
I had a chance to test out the “Do it yourself” (DIY) Theme that everyone has been talking about lately! It is called “Thesis” and it is a theme that basically lets you configure your entire theme right from within WordPress. Pretty cool idea.
You can manage everything from text to colors to the layout of the site. I was pretty surprised at how powerful it was and how much control over the look and feel of your WordPress theme it gave you.
Check out this screen-shot of the back-end control features:
However, there are definitely things it can’t do as well. In a general sense, you won’t be able to create any original header displays, or get some real custom design without still having some CSS and PHP scripting knowledge. This theme is definitely better for designers or developers with scripting knowlege who have some time to customize their WordPress theme.
When you break it down, this theme costs as much or more than a completely done theme from sites like Woothemes or Obox. If you are going to spend your money on a theme, I would recommend using a completed theme that you know is exactly how you want it – rather than paying the same amount and not necessarily loving the finished product.
However, if you are the type of person who loves to get their hands dirty and have more control over the look-and-feel of your site, than this theme might be perfect for you. But again, keep in mind that some knowledge of CSS and PHP will definitely help.
Pros:
- Easily customize text, colors, layout and positioning of elements
- Great for web designers and developers with some time to customize
- Great help with making a custom theme quicker
Cons
- Lets face it, it can’t do ANYTHING. Don’t expect to make anything happen easily.
- The cost is the same (or more) than a “Completed Theme” that likely looks/works better than something designed though the Thesis Theme.
- You’ll need to put in some time to make this look the way you want
Want to get the Thesis Theme? Save 25% by using this coupon:
Interested in checking out some other themes?
-Woothemes
-Obox
-Studio Press
-Press 75
