The StudioPress team has announced the launch of Genesis 2.0. This is a huge update for them, and they’ve been working on it for months.
Genesis 2.0 is responsive, and all child theme updates and future child themes will also be responsive. They’ve also done some really deep integrations for Schema.org microdata, which makes it easier for Google and other search engines to find and utilize specific sections of content to display in search results. Also, they’ve transitioned the theme to utilize HTML5 elements, with backward compatibility for older child themes.
You may think some of these features are nothing new. But it’s a pretty huge step forward for a theme framework with this wide of an audience. And they need to keep the same considerations in mind for backward compatibility as core does, because not everyone will be able to immediately adapt to all of the new features.
The latest Sixteen Nine theme that’s been released along side Genesis 2.0 is also pretty dang fancy.
I know I’ve been a bit critical of parent theme framework setups like Genesis before, but they certainly do a great job with the product they have. And they have thousands of advocates that vouch their product and the way they do business.
For users that are afraid of doing the updates to child themes themselves to be compatible with Genesis 2.0, there are a couple of update services available for those that need a hand. I recommend Jessie Peterson’s GenesisConversion.com and Robert Neu’s GenesisUpdate.com. You could also use Gary Jones’ ebook guide to update. These are reputable folks, and the prices are cheaper than most developers would be for that small of a scope of work. Plus, they’ll have it all streamlined to make it even better for your updates.
Kudos to the StudioPress team. I love seeing big iterations like these that bring a huge swath of the theme market up in quality.
Great timing too, with the recent and much-anticipated release of WP 3.6. After tapping fingers for that for so long, and being on the receiving end of the giant “Thud” Thesis 2.0 caused after years of hype, I’m looking forward to using Genesis 2.0 quite a bit. It really is a nice framework and jumping-off point for a variety of projects.
Small correction – current themes do not need to be updated to work with 2.0. They only need to do the conversion if they want their current older child theme to be HTML 5.
The themes still work with 2.0.
A really terrific product by some of the smartest and nicest people in the business. My advice to anyone getting into WordPress-based Web design is to invest in the once-off cost of their Pro Plus package, it will give your business a solid technical foundation and, thanks to a lack of pricing shenanigans, a solid financial basis you can depend on for years to come.
Putting aside the larger questions around the definition of frameworks, lack of grandchild themes etc, the best way to think about Genesis is as an onramp which allows designers to find their feet and, at their own pace, move towards increased customization in an encouragingly consistent technical environent, rather than drowning in the frustration of some random ThemeForest garbage.
The StudioPress forums are a key part of the recipe too: as you learn, you find that practically any question you might have has already been answered in a thoughtful, friendly manner, which when you’re moving fast, beats the Hell out of waiting around for ticket-based support.
Wow your a fan boy..
Genesis is a very nice framework but they are so behind the times.. They will play catch up forever.
HTML5 and CSS3 have been used elsewhere for longer. Than add to the fact that all the developers you link too are going to profit off the poor users who can not fathom how to convert to html5. Further no one who is a casual WordPress user is ever going to get much out of Genesis. It seems to be created for designers and front end developers and hard core developers and those who want to make money customizing themes.
Now before you flame me I work at a web shop and I have met many people who maybe can instal WordPress from Fantstico and get a simple blog going.
None of them could get much out of Genesis. Div tags for short codes?..I’m for it but the avg user finds that difficult.. and on and on.. I could go on.. I wont..
I say this to the Genesis gurus..(Gardner)
Did you ever do a real world test with a avg or casual WordPress user and not a power user?
If you really want to get rich.. you need to find a way to make it easier for avg users to run a blog without asking 20 questions in your support email system a day.
Try that out and be really disruptive..let your developer fan boys go make a real living instead of feeding off the poor Genesis user who can not comprehend your code.
Last word I’m sorry if this is harsh its not just Genesis it is all the major theme shops out there.. Woo and all.. I’m sick of the way all of you pander to casual users who end up seeking out professionals.
Just market it the way it is..Buy our framework but hire a pro.
no lie
have a nice day.
🙂
It’s pretty hilarious how little you know about me. Fanboy? Really? Did you even read the article I linked where I questioned the structure of Genesis?
You realize there are thousands (or hundreds of thousands?) of people that will disagree with you?
I think you have a misperception that the “average” user even wants to change a whole bunch of stuff in the themes they buy. Success in recent simpler theme trends goes against such a perception. And for those that do want to change a whole bunch of stuff (advanced users and devs) can do so — almost no platform is as flexible as Genesis.
I have a new rule: if someone manages to make a spelling mistake within the first 3 words of their comment, the rest probably isn’t going to be too insightful.
The truly horrifying thing is that people whose technical limit is Fantastico can now get jobs at “web shops” – they can’t spell the word “install” but, by God, they can totally press that button.
I don’t mean to be a spelling Nazi but, seriously, something is very wrong in our society when people are too lazy to learn how to write …. or, Hell, even just use a spell-check … but feel entitled to a skilled job and, then, get aggrieved when downloaded software doesn’t magically do their work for them.
I’m calling it: the Web Design industry has officially jumped the shark.
I think that I found a plugin used for integrating mico format data, but cant remember the name, if i found it ill share. Sees like a nice blog theme anyway.
You don’t need to use a conversion service. Converting Genesis 2.0 to HTML5 is insanely easy when you use the right tools.
We just converted our sites and it took less than 15 minutes each. I wrote a post documenting the steps we followed and the free online tools we used. For anyone interested, you can read it here – http://htwp2.com/upgrade-to-genesis-2-0-and-html5/
@Mathew Porter – The best plugin we’ve found for that is WP SEO Booster Pro. I think it’s like $37 now, but it does a great job.