The Ins and Outs of the Wordpress Bootstrap Framework

Bootstrap has emerged as a big buzzword in web development circles and conversations but how do you know if you need to add it to your arsenal of tools? When it comes to tech it’s important to know what you need in your own capacity to avoid investing in elements that you won’t get the most mileage from and while bootstrap is an important item today, you need to know if you really need it and what investing in it will do for your business or website. With this in mind, this article will try to unpack Bootstrap and detail why many people are choosing to implement the system. The article will also go further to explore the weaknesses of the system so that readers know what they’re getting into. Even if you won’t use it, you might encounter a developer that wishes to use it on your site. It helps to know what he’ll be talking about before you hand over the keys to your website.

Simply put Bootstrap is a framework that can be added to the front end development of a website’s system to simplify and speed up the development and build process. It applies to systems like Wordpress and more recently Twitter. Developers and designers love the system because it’s like a one stop shop for all manner of development tools, and whether it’s the creation of apps or websites it will still be helpful.

One incredible thing about the pairing of Wordpress and Bootstrap is that it’s possible to simplify your life by investing in a theme that comes with Bootstrap built-in within it. This is even available in free Wordpress themes. Here’s a list of 10 free Wordpress themes that come with Bootstrap.

• · Arcade Basic
• · Stanley WP
• · Romangie
• · Blain
• · Adament
• · Revera
• · Lobster
• · Flat Theme
• · Nova Lite
• · Wembley

Bootstrap also comes built in with a Javascript framework and libraries so there’s no need to go back and forth when you get everything you need within one system. You won’t be getting the basic functionalities of Wordpress but rather a robust and well stocked Javascript infrastructure like alerts, Typehead, Scrollspy and Button. Developers won’t be required to write separate scripts for different elements as they all come within the bootstrap system.

Bootstrap also provides the security of frequent updates in opposition to systems that update annually or twice a year. The problem with this is that it might not be able to catch up to the issues and needs of systems as trends speed up. With Bootstrap the regular updates keep your system safe from structural problems, bugs and viruses and you can be promised that with each update the system gets better and more equipped against any rising tides that might be a threat to the security and safety of the system.

Another strength of the Bootstrap framework is its integration abilities, which can prove helpful in the case of tweaking a site that has already gone live. It will make a link between the work you have already done and fill in the gaps with its functionality, without undoing anything within the system, and after integration you will still have the freedom to tweak the site to your specifics.

The responsiveness of the Bootstrap on any system is unmatched. A developer can quite simply mocw from working on a Mac to a handheld device like a tablet without any inconvenience, trouble or slowing down your pace of work. With this system developers won’t get stuck or deal with the woes of a system that freezes or takes time to respond to commands, making it an industry leader in this aspect as well.

For Wordpress, bootstrap also simplifies the process of creating themes and there is also a long list of Bootstrap frameworks available on the Wordpress platform. These include but are not limited to Strap Press, Skematik, Cherry Framwork, Peadig and Cyberchimps. This gives users a plethora of options and solutions for the different functionalities that different Wordpress websites need.

On the Downside

• · The Bootstrap system has received criticism for being on the heavy side for websites
• · It doesn’t have SASS support particularly in the Twitter framework
• · Be careful of ending up with a site that looks like many websites out there.