Block themes represent a shift in WordPress theme development towards a more visual approach to website design and customization, using blocks and the Site Editor to build and manage an entire site visually.
Resources
Create Block Theme plugin: one-stop shop for building a new WordPress theme.
WordPress Developer Blog: the best destination for learning how to build WordPress themes.
ThemeShaper articles: more tutorials and tips for block theme development.
Block Theme Examples: see examples for block themes.
Assembler: not a starter theme; a good example of a design system built on theme.json.
Rough Draft: a starter theme example.
About Block Themes
WordPress block themes are a type of WordPress theme specifically designed to leverage the full capabilities of the WordPress Block Editor and the Site Editor, powered by Gutenberg.
Introduced in WordPress 5.9, block themes are now a part of the WordPress ecosystem as a new type of theme built with and for blocks.
Unlike classic WordPress themes, which primarily focus on content layout and rely on the Customizer for site-wide settings, block themes allow for visual customization of the entire website using the Site Editor, including headers, footers, navigation, and content areas.
Key elements include:
- Block-based design: The entire theme, including templates and template parts, is built using blocks, offering granular control over every element.
- Site Editor: Block themes use the Site Editor instead of the Customizer for global styling and template management.
- Flexible & powerful: Create custom layouts, patterns, and templates—all without code.
- Global styles: Make site-wide visual changes to fonts, colors, and patterns from one place.
Read more about block themes versus classic themes.
ThemeShaper 